Teodor Drapiewski
Teodor Drapiewski (born January 13, 1880 in Gacki , Powiat Świecki ; † August 10 or 31, 1942 in the Hartheim killing center , Alkoven , Austria ) was a Polish priest who was murdered by the National Socialists and is venerated as a martyr of World War II . His beatification process began in 2003.
Life
Teodor Drapiewski grew up as one of ten children of a strict Catholic farming family in Gacki , Powiat Świecki . His father died in 1889. In 1897 he moved to Pelplin with his mother , where he received private lessons. He wanted to become a missionary and decided to study priestly with the Steyler missionaries in Neisse . From there he moved to Mödling near Vienna. He made his perpetual vows on November 1, 1907 and was ordained a priest on February 23 of the following year .
He then briefly studied history and Polish literature in Krakow and in April 1909 went to Brazil on his first missionary trip. He spent two years in Curitiba and together with Stanisław Trzebiatowski published the magazine Gazeta Polska w Brazylii and together they built a church. Drapiewski also founded the National Union of Poles in Brazil.
In 1911 he went to Ponta Grossa . Six months later he was transferred to Cruz Machado , where he worked as a missionary for eight years under the most difficult conditions. This was followed by another stay in Curitiba. In 1924 Drapiewski returned to Poland and published several missionary magazines. From 1928 to 1939 he was rector of missions in Bruczków and Rybnik .
During the German occupation of Poland , a ban on preaching in the Polish language was imposed. Drapiewski repeatedly opposed this order and was arrested on May 10, 1940 and transferred to Dachau concentration camp six days later . From there, his ordeal led via the Gusen concentration camp to Mauthausen . There he was forced to do forced labor and had to help in the quarry and in the construction of the crematorium. On December 8, 1940, he was brought back to the Dachau concentration camp. His health deteriorated there. He suffered from phlegmon on his legs. One day he fell during roll call and was then taken to the Hartheim killing center, where he was murdered either on August 10 or 31, 1942 as part of the prisoner euthanasia.
On April 23, 2008, the preparation for beatification at the diocesan level was completed.
literature
- Teodor Drapiewski . In: Irmgard Aschbauer, Andreas Baumgartner, Isabella Girstmair (eds.): Freedom is in fact alone. Resistance to National Socialism for religious reasons. Biographies and contributions to the 2009 International Symposium . Edition Mauthausen, Vienna 2010, ISBN 978-3-902605-17-7 , p. 37 f .
Web links
- Teodor Drapiewski on meczennicy.pelplin.pl (Polish)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Drapiewski, Teodor |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Polish priest and resistance fighter against National Socialism |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 13, 1880 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gacki , Powiat Świecki |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 10, 1942 or August 31, 1942 |
| Place of death | Hartheim Euthanasia Center , Alkoven (Upper Austria) , Austria |