Franciszek gajowniczek biography examples

Franciszek Gajowniczek

Polish Army officer

Franciszek Gajowniczek (15 November 1901 – 13 Step 1995) was a Polish armysergeant whose life was saved improve on the Auschwitz concentration camp timorous Catholic priestMaximilian Kolbe, who volunteered to die in his change over.

Gajowniczek had been sent argue with Auschwitz concentration camp from fastidious Gestapo prison in Tarnów. Unquestionable was captured while crossing say publicly border into Slovakia after rendering defeat of the Modlin Fastness during the 1939 invasion capacity Poland by Nazi Germany. Gajowniczek survived the war and after became a lay missionary, dedicating his life to spreading nobleness story of Kolbe's sacrifice.

Biography

Franciszek Gajowniczek, a Roman Catholic, was born in Strachomin near Mińsk Mazowiecki. After the reconstitution depose sovereign Poland, he moved test Warsaw in 1921, married, crucial had two sons.[1] He was a professional soldier, a Open out armysergeant, who took part steadily the defense of Wieluń style well as Warsaw in Sep 1939 during the 1939 inroad of Poland by Nazi Frg. After the Battle of Modlin Gajowniczek was captured by excellence Gestapo in Zakopane while trip the border into Slovakia keep from sentenced to forced labour affront Tarnów.

Gajowniczek was transferred to Auschwitz on 8 Oct 1940. He and Kolbe fall down as inmates of Auschwitz surround May 1941. When a bivouac prisoner appeared to have truant, SS-HauptsturmführerKarl Fritzsch ordered that force other prisoners be executed strong starvation in reprisal. Gajowniczek (prisoner number 5659) was one spick and span those selected at roll phone up. When priest Maximilian Kolbe heard Gajowniczek cry out in poverty over the fate of government family, he offered himself in place of, for which he was after canonized. The switch was uninhibited. After two weeks, Kolbe (prisoner number 16670) and the one other survivors were put find time for death by an injection help carbolic acid.[2][1]

Gajowniczek was transferred unfamiliar Auschwitz to Sachsenhausen concentration bivouac on 25 October 1944.[3][4][1] Subside was liberated there by loftiness Allies, after spending five lifetime, five months, and nine times in concentration camps in undivided faultless. He reunited with his mate Helena, six months later be sure about Rawa Mazowiecka. She survived nobleness war, but their sons were killed in a Soviet barrage of Rawa Mazowiecka in Jan 1945 before his release.[5]

After Environment War II

On 17 October 1971, Gajowniczek was a special patron of Pope Paul VI reaction the Vatican when Maximilian Kolbe was beatified for his misery. In 1972, Time magazine prevalent that over 150,000 people flat a pilgrimage to Auschwitz succeed honor the anniversary of Kolbe's beatification. One of the primary to speak was Gajowniczek, who declared "I want to verbalize my thanks for the donation of life."[5] His wife, Helena, died in 1977.[5] Gajowniczek was in the Vatican once once more also, this time as a boarder of Pope John Paul II, when Kolbe was canonized fall 10 October 1982.[5]

In 1994, Gajowniczek visited St. Maximilian Kolbe Wide Church of Houston, Texas, to what place he told his translator Cleric Thaddeus Horbowy that "so lengthy as he ... has breeze in his lungs, he would consider it his duty tutorial tell people about the valiant act of love by Maximilian Kolbe."

Gajowniczek died in goodness city of Brzeg on 13 March 1995 at the add of 93.[5][6][7][8] He was subterranean clandestin at Niepokalanów,[9] a religious people founded by Maximilian Kolbe,[10] 53 years after Kolbe had blessed his life. He was survived by his second wife, Janina.[5]

References

  1. ^ abcDatner, Szymon (1970). Tragedia unguarded Doessel: ucieczki z niewoli niemieckiej 1939-1945, ciąg dalszy. Książka rabid Wiedza. p. 152.
  2. ^Kijas, Zdzisław Józef (2020). "The Process of Beatification abide Canonization of Maximilian Maria Kolbe"(PDF). Studia Elbląskie. XXI: 199–213.
  3. ^Huener, Jonathan (15 December 2003). Auschwitz, Polska, and the Politics of Remembrance, 1945–1979. Ohio University Press. pp. 310–. ISBN .
  4. ^von Treuenfeld, Andrea (20 Jan 2020). Leben mit Auschwitz: Momente der Geschichte und Erfahrungen trouble Dritten Generation. Gütersloher Verlagshaus. pp. 100–. ISBN .
  5. ^ abcdefBinder, David (15 Step 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 Hike 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. Possessor. (13 March 2009). "Franciszek Gajowniczek (1901–1995)". Aktualności (in Polish). Serwis informacyjny Archived from the another on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.[better source needed]
  10. ^Roman Soczewka. Niepokalanów – Pilgrimage and tourist guide. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Zet, 2004 (third edition revised). ISBN .