function

diocesan priest

creed

Latin (Roman Catholic) Church RCmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.09.21]

diocese / province

Culm (Chełmno) diocesemore on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2012.11.23]

honorary titles

Gold „Cross of Merit”more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2019.04.16]
„Cross of Independence”more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2019.02.02]

date and place
of death

18.04.1940

KL Sachsenhausenconcentration camp
today: Sachsenhausen‐Oranienburg, Oberhavel dist., Brandenburg state, Germany
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2018.11.18]

alt. dates and places
of death

24.10.1939

Rudzki Mosttoday: district of Tuchola, Tuchola gm., Tuchola pov., Kuyavia‐Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]

details of death

prisoner camp's numbers

20966Click to display source page (KL SachsenhausenClick to display the description)

cause of death

murder

perpetrators

Germans

sites and events

KL SachsenhausenClick to display the description, KL StutthofClick to display the description, ZL NeufahrwasserClick to display the description, VSH ResminClick to display the description, VSH TuchelClick to display the description, Rudzki MostClick to display the description, «Intelligenzaktion»Click to display the description, Reichsgau Danzig‐WestpreußenClick to display the description, Pius XI's encyclicalsClick to display the description, Pius XI's encyclicalsClick to display the description, Pomeranian PhilomathsClick to display the description

date and place
of birth

12.03.1885

Małe Chełmytoday: Brusy gm., Chojnice pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]

alt. dates and places
of birth

Kinicetoday: Brusy gm., Chojnice pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]

presbyter (holy orders)
ordination

13.03.1910 (Pelplintoday: Pelplin gm., Tczew pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.05.06])

positions held

others related
in death

ADAMCZYKClick to display biography Stanislav, BRZĄKAŁAClick to display biography Victor, BURCZYKClick to display biography Felix, BYTOFClick to display biography Peter, CHARSZEWSKIClick to display biography Ignatius, CHYLARECKIClick to display biography Stanislav, CIEMNIAKClick to display biography Louis, CYBULSKIClick to display biography Stanislav, CZAKIClick to display biography Saturnin, DEMSKIClick to display biography Vladislav, DOERINGClick to display biography Alexander, FIGATClick to display biography Henry, GOŃCZClick to display biography Bernard, GORALClick to display biography Vladislav, GRZEBIELEWSKIClick to display biography Joseph, GUZClick to display biography Joseph Adalbert (Fr Innocent), HEVELKEClick to display biography John, HINZClick to display biography Francis Felix, HINZClick to display biography Thaddeus, JARZĘBSKIClick to display biography Stanislav, JORDANClick to display biography Boleslav, KALINOWSKIClick to display biography Theodore, KARAMUCKIClick to display biography Edmund Vladislav, KARCZYŃSKIClick to display biography Cyril Methodius, KAŹMIERCZAKClick to display biography Bronislav, KLEINClick to display biography John, KOMPFClick to display biography January, KONKOLEWSKIClick to display biography Joachim, KOWNACKIClick to display biography Bronislav, KOZUBEKClick to display biography Roman, KRAUZEClick to display biography Edmund, KRUPIŃSKIClick to display biography Louis, KUBIAKClick to display biography John (Bro. Norbert Mary), KUBICKIClick to display biography Steven, KUBISTAClick to display biography Stanislav, KUPILASClick to display biography Francis, LAPISClick to display biography Casimir, LENARTClick to display biography John, LICZNERSKIClick to display biography Constantine, ŁOSIŃSKIClick to display biography Bernard Anthony, MACIĄTEKClick to display biography Stanislav Peter, MARCHLEWSKIClick to display biography Leonard, MATUSZEWSKIClick to display biography Francis, MĄKOWSKIClick to display biography John, MĘŻNICKIClick to display biography Joseph, MICHNOWSKIClick to display biography Marian John, MITRĘGAClick to display biography Francis, MORKOWSKIClick to display biography Edmund, MOŚCICKIClick to display biography Joseph, NAGÓRSKIClick to display biography Paul Adalbert, NITSCHMANNClick to display biography Adam Robert, NOWAŃSKIClick to display biography Anthony, NOWICKIClick to display biography Alexander, OCHOŃSKIClick to display biography Charles (Fr Chris), OKOŁO–KUŁAKClick to display biography Anthony, PALUCHOWSKIClick to display biography Boleslav, PETRYKOWSKIClick to display biography Steven, PIASZCZYŃSKIClick to display biography Michael, PODLASZEWSKIClick to display biography Francis, POMIANOWSKIClick to display biography Vladislav, RADTKEClick to display biography Steven Boleslav, SĄSAŁAClick to display biography Theodore, SKOBLEWSKIClick to display biography Mieczyslav, SKOWRONClick to display biography Casimir, SOCHACZEWSKIClick to display biography Bronislav Peter, SWINARSKI–PORAJClick to display biography Nicholas, SYNOWIECClick to display biography Boleslav, SZUKALSKIClick to display biography John, SZYMAŃSKIClick to display biography Bruno Peter John, ŚLEDZIŃSKIClick to display biography Joseph, TUSZYŃSKIClick to display biography Joseph, TYMIŃSKIClick to display biography Anthony, WAWRZYNOWICZClick to display biography John, WĄSOWICZClick to display biography Sigismund, WIERZBICKIClick to display biography Sigismund Lawrence, WIERZCHOWSKIClick to display biography Fabian Sebastian, WILLIMSKYClick to display biography Albert, WŁODARCZYKClick to display biography Ignatius, WOHLFEILClick to display biography Robert, WRÓBLEWSKIClick to display biography Bronislav, ZAWISZAClick to display biography Valentine, ZIELIŃSKIClick to display biography Paul Nicholas, ZIEMSKIClick to display biography Alexander Felix, ZIENKOWSKIClick to display biography Vaclav, ŻUCHOWSKIClick to display biography Vaclav

sites and events
descriptions

KL Sachsenhausen: In Germ. Konzentrationslager (Eng. concentration camp) KL Sachsenhausen, set up in the former Olympic village in 07.1936, hundreds of Polish priests were held in 1940, before being transported to KL Dachau. Some of them perished in KL Sachsenhausen. Murderous medical experiments on prisoners were carried out in the camp. In 1942‐1944 c. 140 prisoners slaved at manufacturing false British pounds, passports, visas, stamps and other documents. Other prisoners also had to do slave work, for Heinkel aircraft manufacturer, AEG and Siemens among others. On average c. 50,000 prisoners were held at any time. Altogether more than 200,000 inmates were in jailed in KL Sachsenhausen and its branched, out of which tens of thousands perished. Prior to Russian arrival mass evacuation was ordered by the Germans and c. 80,000 prisoners were marched west in so‐called „death marches” to other camps, i.e. KL Mauthausen‐Gusen and KL Bergen‐Belsen. The camp got liberated on 22.04.1945. After end of armed hostilities Germans set up there secret camp for German prisoners and „suspicious” Russian soldiers. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.11.18])

KL Stutthof: In German Germ. Konzentrationslager (Eng. concentration camp) KL Stutthof (then in Eastern Prussian belonging to Germany, today: Sztutowo village) concentration camp, that Germans started to build on 02.09.1939, a day after German invasion of Poland and start of the World War II, Germans held c. 110,000‐127,000 prisoners from 28 countries, including 49,000 women and children. C. 65,000 victims were murdered and exterminated. In the period of 25.01‐27.04.1945 in the face of approaching Russian army Germans evacuated the camp. When on 09.05.1945 Russians soldiers entered the camp only 100 prisoners were still there. In an initial period (1939‐1940) Polish Catholic priests from Pomerania were held captive there before being transported to KL Dachau concentration camp. Some of them were murdered in KL Stutthof or vicinity (for instance in Stegna forest). Also later some Catholic priests were held in KL Stutthof. (more on: stutthof.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.11.18], en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.07.06])

ZL Neufahrwasser: Germ. Zivilgefangenenlager (Eng. POW camp for civilians) organized by the Germans on the day of the outbreak of the war, on 01.09. 1939, in Gdańsk ‐ Nowy Port (New Port), in former artillery barracks belonging to Poland, for Poles from Pomerania arrested as part of the «Intelligenzaktion» action — extermination of Polish intelligentsia. Prisoners from ZL Neufahrwasser — 2,702 people were identified, but it is estimated that c. 10,000 arrestees passed through the camp — were sent to the KL Stutthof concentration camp or directly to the places of extermination. The camp operated till 01.04.1940 (more on: stutthof.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.08.10], ofiaromwojny.republika.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.12.04])

VSH Resmin: German Germ. Volksdeutscher Selbstschutzhaft (Eng. Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz custody) VSH — established for the inhabitants of Krajna land by the genocidal German paramilitary organization Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz — the decision to create Selbstschutz in the Polish lands occupied by German troops was made in Berlin on September 08‐10.09.1939 at a conference headed by Reichsführer‐SS Heinrich Himmler (the formal order bears the date 20.09.1939), and the chaotically formed units were directly subordinated to the officers of the genocidal SS organization — on an estate in the village of Radzim, operating from 10.1939 till 12.1939. Germans held exclusively men in the camp; (some women and children who were accidently brought to the camp were murdered on the spot). Among others on c. 15.01.1939 Germans brought to it — and to a small Komierowo sub‐camp, c. 10 km away — all prisoners of a nearby — c. 10 km — VSH Drausnitz custody in Drożdzienica. As a part of «Intelligenzaktion» — aimed at extermination of Polish intelligentsia and ruling classes in Pomerania — Germans murdered in Radzim approx. 5,000 victims. They were murdered at the camp itself (mainly in the manor’s park) or executed outside, in a site of mass executions in Rudzki Most n. Tuchola among others. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.05.19])

VSH Tuchel: German Germ. Volksdeutscher Selbstschutzhaft (Eng. Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz custody) VSH for the inhabitants of the Tuchola region founded in 09/10.1939 by Germans, members of the genocidal paramilitary Germ. Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz formation — the decision to create Selbstschutz in the Polish lands occupied by German troops was made in Berlin on September 08‐10.09.1939 at a conference headed by Reichsführer‐SS Heinrich Himmler (the formal order bears the date 20.09.1939), and the chaotically formed units were directly subordinated to the officers of the genocidal SS organization. Arrested Poles were held in a local detention center (since 02.09.1939 when the Germans entered Tuchola), in the gymnasium of the Polish social organization and in the building of the Teachers' Seminary. Initially, these were people whose names were included in the German proscription list prepared in Berlin, the Germ. Sonderfahndungsbuch Polen (Eng. special book of wanted Poles), containing over 61,000 names. Later, everyone considered by the Germans to be a threat to their state was detained, as well as those towards whom the Germans were „settling personal scores”. Among them were teachers, school principals, merchants, craftsmen, farmers, priests, foresters, postmen, railway workers, policemen and local officials. The Germans took some of the detainees to Germany, but most of them were murdered in nearby forests, including: in Rudzki Most. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19])

Rudzki Most: In Rudzki Most Germans, as part of their «Intelligenzaktion» — extermination of Polish intelligentsia in Pomerania — in six mass executions between 24.10‐10.11.1939 murdered approx. 560 Poles from Tuchola and Sępólno Krajeńskie counties. The executions were ostensibly carried out in retaliation for the burning of two barns and pigsty belonging to a German farmer, which prob. himself started the fire himself while intoxicated by throwing a cigar butt into the hay, who as a result died of a heart attack. The executions were to last, according to the Germans, „until the arsonist was caught”. 11.1946, during the exhumation, 6 mass graves were discovered, in which 227 human corpses were recovered. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19], en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.07.06])

«Intelligenzaktion»: (Eng. „Action Intelligentsia”) — extermination program of Polish elites, mainly intelligentsia, executed by the Germans right from the start of the occupation in 09.1939 till around 05.1940, mainly on the lands directly incorporated into Germany but also in the so‐called General Governorate where it was called «AB‐aktion». During the first phase right after start of German occupation of Poland implemented as Germ. Unternehmen „Tannenberg” (Eng. „Tannenberg operation”) — plan based on proscription lists of Poles worked out by (Germ. Sonderfahndungsbuch Polen), regarded by Germans as specially dangerous to the German Reich. List contained names of c. 61,000 Poles. Altogether during this genocide Germans methodically murdered c. 50,000 teachers, priests, landowners, social and political activists and retired military. Further 50,000 were sent to concentration camps where most of them perished. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.10.04])

Reichsgau Danzig‐Westpreußen: After the Polish defeat in the 09.1939 campaign, which was the result of the Ribbentrop‐Molotov Pact and constituted the first stage of World War II, and the beginning of German occupation in part of Poland (in the other, eastern part of Poland, the Russian occupation began), the Germans divided the occupied Polish territory into five main regions (and a few smaller). The largest one was transformed into Germ. Generalgouvernement (Eng. General Governorate), intended exclusively for Poles and Jews and constituting part of the so‐called Germ. Großdeutschland (Eng. Greater Germany). Two were added to existing German provinces. From two other separate new provinces were created. Vistula Pomerania region was one of them, incorporated into Germany on 08.10.1939, by decree of the German leader Adolf Hitler (formally came into force on 26.10.1939), and on 02.11.1939 transformed into the Germ. Reichsgau Danzig‐Westpreußen (Eng. Reich District of Gdańsk‐West Prussia) province, in which the law of the German state was to apply. The main axis of the policy of the new province, the territory of which the Germans recognized as the Germ. „Ursprünglich Deutsche” (Eng. „natively German”), despite the fact that 85% of its inhabitants were Poles, was Germ. „Entpolonisierung” (Eng. „Depolonisation”), i.e. forced Germanization. C. 60,000 Poles were murdered in 1939‐1940, as part of the Germ. „Intelligenzaktion”, i.e. extermination of Polish intelligentsia and ruling classes, in c. 432 places of mass executions — including c. 220 Polish Catholic priests. The same number were sent to German concentration camps, from where few returned (over 300 priests were arrested, of whom c. 130 died in concentration camps). C. 124,000‐170,000 were displaced, including c. 90,000 to the Germ. Generalgouvernement. Poles were forced en masse to sign the German nationality list, the Germ. Deutsche Volksliste DVL. Polish children could only learn in German. It was forbidden to use the Polish language during Catholic Holy Masses and during confession. Polish landed estates were confiscated..To further reduce the number of the Polish population, Poles were sent to forced labor deep inside Germany. The remaining Poles were treated as low‐skilled labor, isolated from the Germans and strictly controlled — legally, three or three of them could only meet together, even in their own apartments. Many were conscripted into the German Wehrmacht army. After the end of hostilities of World War II, the overseer of this province, the Germ. Reichsstatthalter (Eng. Reich Governor) and the Germ. Gauleiter (Eng. district head) of the German National Socialist Party, Albert Maria Forster, was executed. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.24])

Pius XI's encyclicals: Facing the creation of two totalitarian systems in Europe, which seemed to compete with each other, though there were more similarities than contradictions between them, Pope Pius XI issued in 03.1937 (within 5 days) two encyclicals. In the „Mit brennender Sorge” (Eng. „With Burning Concern”) published on 14.03.1938, condemned the national socialism prevailing in Germany. The Pope wrote: „Whoever, following the old Germanic‐pre‐Christian beliefs, puts various impersonal fate in the place of a personal God, denies the wisdom of God and Providence […], whoever exalts earthly values: race or nation, or state, or state system, representatives of state power or other fundamental values of human society, […] and makes them the highest standard of all values, including religious ones, and idolizes them, this one […] is far from true faith in God and from a worldview corresponding to such faith”. On 19.03.1937, published „Divini Redemptoris” (Eng. „Divine Redeemer”), in which criticized Russian communism, dialectical materialism and the class struggle theory. The Pope wrote: „Communism deprives man of freedom, and therefore the spiritual basis of all life norms. It deprives the human person of all his dignity and any moral support with which he could resist the onslaught of blind passions […] This is the new gospel that Bolshevik and godless communism preaches as a message of salvation and redemption of humanity”… Pius XI demanded that the established human law be subjected to the natural law of God , recommended the implementation of the ideal of a Christian state and society, and called on Catholics to resist. Two years later, National Socialist Germany and Communist Russia came together and started World War II. (more on: www.vatican.vaClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.05.28], www.vatican.vaClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.05.28])

Pius XI's encyclicals: Facing the creation of two totalitarian systems in Europe, which seemed to compete with each other, though there were more similarities than contradictions between them, Pope Pius XI issued in 03.1937 (within 5 days) two encyclicals. In the „Mit brennender Sorge” (Eng. „With Burning Concern”) published on 14.03.1938, condemned the national socialism prevailing in Germany. The Pope wrote: „Whoever, following the old Germanic‐pre‐Christian beliefs, puts various impersonal fate in the place of a personal God, denies the wisdom of God and Providence […], whoever exalts earthly values: race or nation, or state, or state system, representatives of state power or other fundamental values of human society, […] and makes them the highest standard of all values, including religious ones, and idolizes them, this one […] is far from true faith in God and from a worldview corresponding to such faith”. On 19.03.1937, published „Divini Redemptoris” (Eng. „Divine Redeemer”), in which criticized Russian communism, dialectical materialism and the class struggle theory. The Pope wrote: „Communism deprives man of freedom, and therefore the spiritual basis of all life norms. It deprives the human person of all his dignity and any moral support with which he could resist the onslaught of blind passions […] This is the new gospel that Bolshevik and godless communism preaches as a message of salvation and redemption of humanity”… Pius XI demanded that the established human law be subjected to the natural law of God , recommended the implementation of the ideal of a Christian state and society, and called on Catholics to resist. Two years later, National Socialist Germany and Communist Russia came together and started World War II. (more on: www.vatican.vaClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.05.28], www.vatican.vaClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.05.28])

Pomeranian Philomaths: Secret societies of Polish youth, aiming at self‐education, patriotic in form and content, functioning 1830‐1920, mainly in secondary schools — gymnasia — in Pomerania around Vistula river (Gdańsk Pomerania and Chełmno county), in Prussian‐occupied Polish territories (one of the partitions of Poland). On 08.01.1901 Germans conducted a series of interrogations of students at Chełmno, Brodnica and Toruń gymnasiums. On 09‐12.09.1901 the first of court trials of Polish students from those gymnasiums and students of Theological Seminary in Pelplin was held in Toruń. 1 person was sentenced to 3 months in prison, 1 to 2 months, 3 to 6 weeks, 7 to 3 weeks, 2 to 2 weeks, 19 to a week, 2 to 1 day, 10 were reprimanded. 15 were cleared. More definitive penalties were relegations from the schools with so‐called wolf’s ticket, forbidding sentenced students to continue secondary and higher studies in Prussia (Germany). Among those penalized were a few future Catholic priests — those were able to continue their education for the Chełmno diocese bishop, Bp August Rosentreter, refused to relegate students from Theological Seminary. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.11.18])

sources

personal:
www.kaszubi.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2012.12.28], www.historiachojnic.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.02.15], www.najigoche.kaszuby.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.01.26], pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19]
bibliographical:
„Biographical dictionary of priests of the Chełmno diocese ordained in the years 1821‐1920”, Henry Mross, Pelplin, 1995
original images:
www.historiachojnic.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.02.15], commons.wikimedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.23], thumbnail.myheritageimages.comClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.23]