SW News: A few days ago, a German premier and bishop conducted a unique repatriation ceremony in Poland for three church bells that were stolen by Nazis during World War II. This moving event was held in three unique Polish locales by Premier Winfried Kretschmann of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bishop Gebhard Furst of the Rottenburg-Stuttgart diocese.

The bells came from the towns of Straszewo (formerly Dietrichsdorf), Frombork (Frauenburg), and Zegoty (Siegfriedswalde). In one of his sermons, Rottenburg-Stuttgart Bishop Gebhard Fürst observed, "Today we may celebrate the return of the historic bell to its place of origin and thank God together that it has been possible." Furthermore, he pledged that the initiative had been sanctified from the outset by invoking the intercession of St. John Paul II.

Later in the speech, he remarked that the bell may reveal a lot about the National Socialist regime's anti-humanity philosophy, as well as the tragedy to which it succumbed and somehow remained intact. The ringing of the bell, which the bishop said had endured and played a part in both countries' histories, added a somber tone to the celebrations.

During WWII, the Germans stole 100,000 bells with the goal of reusing them in the munitions sector. The campaign "Bells of Peace for Europe," initiated in September 2021 by the bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, makes its return feasible. During the renovation of the cathedral, it was found that one of the bells in fact belonged to Poland. A detailed probe revealed that two other bells two were plundered by Nazis and brought to Germany during the war.

The bulk of the bells (16,000) were restored to their pre-war places; however, 1,300 were given to the Bell Cemetery in Hamburg, and they were dispersed to churches across West Germany starting in the 1950s.