Natalia Tułasiewicz

Memorial plaque to Natalia Tułasiewicz in Poznań

Natalia Tułasiewicz (9 April 1906–31 March 1945) was a teacher from Poznań and a leader in the lay apostolate. A member of the Polish Underground State, she died in the Ravensbrück concentration camp, in a gas chamber and was beatified as one of the 108 Martyrs of World War Two.

Biography

Natalia Tułasiewicz was born in Rzeszów on 9 April 1906. She moved with her family to Poznań in 1921, where upon graduating from the Poznań University she worked as a teacher, and was a leader in the lay apostolate.

During the occupation of Poland, her family was among many who were dispossed by the Germans after they took possession of Poznań, thrown out of their homes with only a few hours notice. She was involved in the underground education in Kraków and was a member of the Polish Underground State. In 1943 she volunteered to leave for the Third Reich together with other women condemned to do heavy work in order to give them spiritual comfort. When the Germans found out, she was arrested, tortured, and condemned to death in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. On Good Friday 1945, she climbed a stool in the hut and spoke to the prisoners on the passion and resurrection of Jesus. Two days later, on Easter Sunday, 31 March, she died in a gas chamber. The concentration camp was liberated two days later.

She is one of the two lay women among the 108 Martyrs of World War Two, beatified on 13 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II.

Further reading

• Bł. Natalia Tułasiewicz "Przeciw barbarzynstwu - Listy, Dzienniki, wspomnienia". Wydawnictwo "M", Kraków 2003.
• Natalia Tułasiewicz "Byc poetka zycia. Zapiski z lat 1938-1943". Wydawnictwo Wydziału Teologicznego UAM, Poznan, 2006.