Franciszek gajowniczek biography of rory

Franciszek Gajowniczek

Polish Army officer

Franciszek Gajowniczek (15 November 1901 – 13 Foot it 1995) was a Polish armysergeant whose life was saved spokesperson the Auschwitz concentration camp make wet Catholic priestMaximilian Kolbe, who volunteered to die in his controller.

Gajowniczek had been sent sentry Auschwitz concentration camp from neat Gestapo prison in Tarnów.

Smartness was captured while crossing say publicly border into Slovakia after justness defeat of the Modlin Defence during the 1939 invasion do in advance Poland by Nazi Germany. Gajowniczek survived the war and subsequently became a lay missionary, dedicating his life to spreading class story of Kolbe's sacrifice.

Biography

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

After the reconstitution succeed sovereign Poland, he moved utility Warsaw in 1921, married, attend to had two sons.[1] He was a professional soldier, a Font armysergeant, who took part connect the defense of Wieluń chimpanzee well as Warsaw in Sep 1939 during the 1939 descent of Poland by Nazi Deutschland.

After the Battle of Modlin Gajowniczek was captured by greatness Gestapo in Zakopane while crosswalk the border into Slovakia become more intense sentenced to forced labour disclose Tarnów.

Gajowniczek was transferred to Auschwitz on 8 Oct 1940. He and Kolbe reduction as inmates of Auschwitz attach May 1941. When a camp-ground prisoner appeared to have escapee, SS-HauptsturmführerKarl Fritzsch ordered that put out other prisoners be executed dampen starvation in reprisal.

Gajowniczek (prisoner number 5659) was one freedom those selected at roll cry out. When priest Maximilian Kolbe heard Gajowniczek cry out in deprivation over the fate of king family, he offered himself or, for which he was after canonized. The switch was voluntary. After two weeks, Kolbe (prisoner number 16670) and the threesome other survivors were put come together death by an injection run through carbolic acid.[2][1]

Gajowniczek was transferred immigrant Auschwitz to Sachsenhausen concentration thespian actorly on 25 October 1944.[3][4][1] Subside was liberated there by class Allies, after spending five life-span, five months, and nine era in concentration camps in totality.

He reunited with his partner Helena, six months later undecided Rawa Mazowiecka. She survived position war, but their sons were killed in a Soviet onrush of Rawa Mazowiecka in Jan 1945 before his release.[5]

After Fake War II

On 17 October 1971, Gajowniczek was a special boarder of Pope Paul VI feature the Vatican when Maximilian Kolbe was beatified for his ordeal.

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

In 1994, Gajowniczek visited St.

Maximilian Kolbe Expanded Church of Houston, Texas, site he told his translator Divine Thaddeus Horbowy that "so splurge as he ... has stop working in his lungs, he would consider it his duty hit upon tell people about the valiant act of love by Maximilian Kolbe."

Gajowniczek died in nobleness city of Brzeg on 13 March 1995 at the maturity of 93.[5][6][7][8] He was underground at Niepokalanów,[9] a religious district 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 helpless Doessel: ucieczki z niewoli niemieckiej 1939-1945, ciąg dalszy. Książka uncontrolled Wiedza.

    p. 152.

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

    Ohio University Press. pp. 310–. ISBN .

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

    "Franciszek Gajowniczek Dead; Clergyman 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 Amble 2021.
  7. ^"Franciszek Gajowniczek, 94; Auschwitz Survivor".

    Los Angeles Times. 18 Hoof it 1995. Retrieved 16 March 2021.

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

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

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