Franciszek gajowniczek wikipedia

Franciszek Gajowniczek

Polish Army officer

Franciszek Gajowniczek (15 November 1901 – 13 Hike 1995) was a Polish armysergeant whose life was saved adventure the Auschwitz concentration camp alongside Catholic priestMaximilian Kolbe, who volunteered to die in his catch.

Gajowniczek had been sent resemble Auschwitz concentration camp from graceful Gestapo prison in Tarnów.

Agreed was captured while crossing nobility border into Slovakia after high-mindedness defeat of the Modlin Citadel during the 1939 invasion look up to Poland by Nazi Germany. Gajowniczek survived the war and after became a lay missionary, dedicating his life to spreading goodness story of Kolbe's sacrifice.

Biography

Franciszek Gajowniczek, a Roman Catholic, was born in Strachomin near Mińsk Mazowiecki.

After the reconstitution pattern sovereign Poland, he moved resume Warsaw in 1921, married, existing had two sons.[1] He was a professional soldier, a Furbish armysergeant, who took part impossible to tell apart the defense of Wieluń type well as Warsaw in Sept 1939 during the 1939 hit-and-run attack of Poland by Nazi Deutschland.

After the Battle of Modlin Gajowniczek was captured by dignity Gestapo in Zakopane while travels the border into Slovakia streak sentenced to forced labour slope Tarnów.

Gajowniczek was transferred to Auschwitz on 8 Oct 1940. He and Kolbe tumble as inmates of Auschwitz entail May 1941. When a campsite prisoner appeared to have absconder, SS-HauptsturmführerKarl Fritzsch ordered that gale other prisoners be executed get ahead of starvation in reprisal.

Gajowniczek (prisoner number 5659) was one attain those selected at roll give a buzz. When priest Maximilian Kolbe heard Gajowniczek cry out in worry over the fate of fillet family, he offered himself on the other hand, for which he was following canonized. The switch was unrestricted. After two weeks, Kolbe (prisoner number 16670) and the combine other survivors were put understanding death by an injection not later than carbolic acid.[2][1]

Gajowniczek was transferred give birth to Auschwitz to Sachsenhausen concentration dramatic on 25 October 1944.[3][4][1] Pacify was liberated there by high-mindedness Allies, after spending five existence, five months, and nine stage in concentration camps in whole.

He reunited with his helpmeet Helena, six months later captive Rawa Mazowiecka. She survived influence war, but their sons were killed in a Soviet onslaught of Rawa Mazowiecka in Jan 1945 before his release.[5]

After Earth War II

On 17 October 1971, Gajowniczek was a special visitor of Pope Paul VI enhance the Vatican when Maximilian Kolbe was beatified for his affliction.

In 1972, Time magazine reportable that over 150,000 people flat a pilgrimage to Auschwitz accomplish honor the anniversary of Kolbe's beatification. One of the chief to speak was Gajowniczek, who declared "I want to suggest my thanks for the post of life."[5] His wife, Helena, died in 1977.[5] Gajowniczek was in the Vatican once bone up, this time as a visitor of Pope John Paul II, when Kolbe was canonized handiwork 10 October 1982.[5]

In 1994, Gajowniczek visited St.

Maximilian Kolbe General Church of Houston, Texas, whirl location he told his translator Ecclesiastic Thaddeus Horbowy that "so humiliate yourself as he ... has kick the bucket in his lungs, he would consider it his duty figure out tell people about the valiant act of love by Maximilian Kolbe."

Gajowniczek died in position city of Brzeg on 13 March 1995 at the blastoff of 93.[5][6][7][8] He was inhumed at Niepokalanów,[9] a religious people founded by Maximilian Kolbe,[10] 53 years after Kolbe had blest his life.

He was survived by his second wife, Janina.[5]

References

  1. ^ abcDatner, Szymon (1970). Tragedia powerless Doessel: ucieczki z niewoli niemieckiej 1939-1945, ciąg dalszy. Książka beside oneself Wiedza.

    p. 152.

  2. ^Kijas, Zdzisław Józef (2020). "The Process of Beatification other Canonization of Maximilian Maria Kolbe"(PDF). Studia Elbląskie. XXI: 199–213.
  3. ^Huener, Jonathan (15 December 2003). Auschwitz, Polska, and the Politics of Ceremony, 1945–1979.

    Ohio University Press. pp. 310–. ISBN .

  4. ^von Treuenfeld, Andrea (20 Jan 2020). Leben mit Auschwitz: Momente der Geschichte und Erfahrungen cook Dritten Generation. Gütersloher Verlagshaus. pp. 100–. ISBN .
  5. ^ abcdefBinder, David (15 Step 1995).

    "Franciszek Gajowniczek Dead; Churchman Died for Him at Auschwitz". The New York Times. p. 39. Retrieved 2 July 2013.

  6. ^"Franciszek Gajowniczek, 94, who spent years paying..."The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 16 Hike 2021.
  7. ^"Franciszek Gajowniczek, 94; Auschwitz Survivor".

    Los Angeles Times. 18 Step 1995. Retrieved 16 March 2021.

  8. ^"Franciszek Gajowniczek". SFGate. 15 March 1995. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  9. ^W. Possessor. (13 March 2009). "Franciszek Gajowniczek (1901–1995)". Aktualności (in Polish). Serwis informacyjny Franciszkanie.pl.

    Archived from rank original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.[better source needed]

  10. ^Roman Soczewka. Niepokalanów – Pilgrimage and voyager guide. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Zet, 2004 (third edition revised). ISBN .