Franciszek Gajowniczek

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Franz Gajowniczek; A prisoner photo taken around 1941 in Auschwitz concentration camp
Franciszek Gajowniczek's grave in the Niepokalanów cemetery

Franciszek Gajowniczek (* 15. November 1901 in Strachomin (today municipality Latowicz in mińsk county ); † 13. March 1995 in Brzeg ) was a sergeant of the Polish army , which in the Auschwitz concentration camp was imprisoned. On July 29, 1941, men were sorted out in retaliation for the suspected escape of a prisoner for murder. Franciszek Gajowniczek, who had a wife and two sons, broke out into loud lamentations for himself and his family. The inmate and Polish Franciscan minor, Father Maximilian Kolbe , asked the camp commandant Karl Fritzsch to be allowed to take Gajowniczek's place. Maximilian Kolbe was murdered by a phenol syringe on August 14, 1941, after having survived two weeks in the notorious “hunger bunker” instead of Gajowniczek.

Fellow prisoners blamed Gajowniczek for the death of Father Kolbe and harassed him. On October 25, 1944, he was brought from Auschwitz to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp , where he was liberated by the Allies in 1945. He was released after five years, five months and nine days. His sons, whom he never saw again, were killed in a Soviet bombing in 1945. In 1982 he took part in the canonization ceremony of Father Kolbes. He traveled through Europe and the USA and reported on the work of the Father. His wife Helena died in 1977. He later remarried. His second wife Janina survived him and declared on the occasion of his death that he had always noticed Father Kolbe's presence and had now gone to him.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ WP: Franciszek Gajowniczek (1901–1995) ( pl ) In: Aktuellności . Serwis informacyjny Franciszkanie.pl . March 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved on March 10, 2019.
  2. ↑ David Binder: Franciszek Gajowniczek Dead. Priest Died for Him at Auschwitz , in: The New York Times , March 15, 1995.

Web links

Commons : Franciszek Gajowniczek  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Gajowniczek, Franciszek
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp
DATE OF BIRTH November 15, 1901
PLACE OF BIRTH Strachomin (today Latowicz Municipality , Powiat Miński )
DATE OF DEATH March 13, 1995
Place of death Brzeg