Pope Benedict practices Polish ahead of trip

WARSAW (Reuters) - German-born Pope Benedict is brushing up on his Polish ahead of a trip to his predecessor's native country later this month, organizers said on Tuesday.

Benedict will be in Poland from May 25 to 28, visiting the biggest Nazi German death camp complex of Auschwitz-Birkenau as well as sites associated with the late John Paul, including his home town of Wadowice and Krakow.

"The Pope did not waver for a moment about visiting Poland and is learning Polish, showing his love for our country and for John Paul," said Father Robert Nencek, aide to Krakow Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz.

Officials say the Pope, known to speak German, French, English, Italian and Spanish, is practicing pronunciation of consonant-heavy Polish words to soften a hard German accent heard when he reads phonetically written speeches in Polish.

Benedict will start masses in Polish and later switch to Italian before handing over the reading to local clergy, who will continue the sermon in Polish. Part of the liturgy will be carried out in Latin and he will pray in German at Auschwitz.

Some Jewish groups have objected to him speaking at length in German at the camp, Polish Arch-Bishop Stanislaw Gadecki -- responsible for the Auschwitz part of the trip -- told daily Gazeta Wyborcza. The Pope will also make a speech there in Italian, the Vatican's international language.

Benedict served briefly in the Hitler Youth during World War Two when membership in the paramilitary organization was compulsory. He has said the brutality of the Nazi regime in Germany helped him to become a priest after the war.

About 2 million Poles are expected to attend his two public masses, with the faithful set to receive special booklets with translations into Polish.