Roman Catholic
St Sigismund parish
05-507 Słomczyn
85 Wiślana Str.
Konstancin deanery
Warsaw archdiocese, Poland
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Martyrology of the clergy — Poland
XX century (1914 – 1989)
personal data
surname
RUCHNIEWICZ
forename(s)
Hugh Joseph (pl. Hugon Józef)
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]
academic distinctions
Doctor of Sacred Theology
honorary titles
Spiritual Counselor
date and place
of death
15.10.1939
Skarszewytoday: Skarszewy gm., Starogard Gdański pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.29]
alt. dates and places
of death
10.1939, 11.1939, 21‑23.11.1939
Kościerzynatoday: Kościerzyna urban gm., Kościerzyna pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.20]
details of death
After German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 and start of the World War II arrested on c. 05.10.1939 by the Germans, together with his vicars: Fr Anthony Kłos and Fr Bruno Szuca (arrested a few days later); and two priests visiting Kościerzyna: Fr Paul Małachowski and Fr Anthony Węgielewski.
Driven out from there and murdered, prob. in a genocidal mass murder in the forests n. Skarszewy — together with Fr John Kajut as well.
alt. details of death
According to some sources tortured in his church sacristy and later in the rectory, during deportation of Kościerzyna inhabitants on 21–23.11.1939, when Germans held many Poles captive in the parish church. Murdered in the rectory.
cause of death
mass murder
perpetrators
Germans
sites and events
SkarszewyClick 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
date and place
of birth
12.02.1902
Paczewotoday: Sierakowice gm., Kartuzy pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
presbyter (holy orders)
ordination
01.11.1925 (Rometoday: Rome prov., Lazio reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18])
positions held
1938 – 1939
dean — Kościerzynatoday: Kościerzyna urban gm., Kościerzyna pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.20] RC deanery
1935 – 1939
parish priest — Kościerzynatoday: Kościerzyna urban gm., Kościerzyna pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.20] ⋄ Holy Trinity RC parish ⋄ Kościerzynatoday: Kościerzyna urban gm., Kościerzyna pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.20] RC deanery — also: inspector of religious education in elementary schools in the deanery
1931 – 1935
professor — Pelplintoday: Pelplin gm., Tczew pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.05.06] ⋄ Theological Seminary — lecturer in ascetic and mystical theology, in 1935 also in Latin; also: spiritual father of the students
1927 – 1935
vicar — Pelplintoday: Pelplin gm., Tczew pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.05.06] ⋄ Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC cathedral church
1927 – 1931
teacher — Pelplintoday: Pelplin gm., Tczew pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.05.06] ⋄ Latin language, Collegium Marianum
1927
vicar — Łągform.: Łęg
today: Czersk gm., Chojnice pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02] ⋄ Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC parish ⋄ Tucholatoday: Tuchola gm., Tuchola pov., Kuyavia‐Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02] RC deanery
1926 – 1927
vicar — Papowo Toruńskietoday: Łysomice gm., Toruń pov., Kuyavia‐Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ St Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor RC parish ⋄ Toruńtoday: Toruń city pov., Kuyavia‐Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.20] RC deanery
till 1926
PhD student — Rometoday: Rome prov., Lazio reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ theology, „Angelicum” [i.e. Lat. Pontificia Universitas Studiorum a Sancto Thoma Aquinate in Urbe (Eng. Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas) (today) / Lat. Pontificium Institutum Internationale (Eng. Pontifical International Institute) (1926‐1963) / Lat. Pontificium Collegium (Eng. Pontifical College) (1906‐1926) / Lat. Collegium (Eng. College) (until 1906)] — resident: Polish Pontifical College (Lat. Pontificium Collegium Polonorum); PhD thesis Lat. „De intentione ministri” (Eng. „On the minister's intentions”), public defense in 1926
from 1922
student — Rometoday: Rome prov., Lazio reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ philosophy and theology, „Angelicum” [i.e. Lat. Pontificia Universitas Studiorum a Sancto Thoma Aquinate in Urbe (Eng. Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas) (today) / Lat. Pontificium Institutum Internationale (Eng. Pontifical International Institute) (1926‐1963) / Lat. Pontificium Collegium (Eng. Pontifical College) (1906‐1926) / Lat. Collegium (Eng. College) (until 1906)] — resident: Polish Pontifical College (Lat. Pontificium Collegium Polonorum)
1921 – 1922
student — Pelplintoday: Pelplin gm., Tczew pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.05.06] ⋄ philosophy and theology, Theological Seminary
1928
membership — Toruńtoday: Toruń city pov., Kuyavia‐Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.20] ⋄ scientific society
author of several articles and c. 20 reviews
others related
in death
DUNAJSKIClick to display biography Maximilian, KAJUTClick to display biography John, KINKAClick to display biography Valerian, KŁOSClick to display biography Anthony, MAŁACHOWSKIClick to display biography Paul, RESZKAClick to display biography Boniface, SITKIEWICZClick to display biography Bronislav, SZUCAClick to display biography Bruno Paul, WĘGIELEWSKIClick to display biography Anthony Francis, JANKClick to display biography Leo, LIPSKIClick to display biography Francis, ŚPICAClick to display biography Walter John, WRÓBLEWSKIClick to display biography Louis Stanislav, ŁOBOCKIClick to display biography Joseph John
sites and events
descriptions
Skarszewy: In the forests around Skarszewy (in Mestwinowo forest, among others) in 10‐11.1939 Germans — prob. Einsatzkommando EK 16 unit — murdered at least 400 Poles from Skarszewy region, in mass executions — as a part of «Intelligenzaktion» directed against Polish leading activists in occupied territories. Members of the German genocidal organization Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz (Eng. Self‐Defense) and SS and German police officers also took part in the executions. Wehrmacht soldiers sometimes secured places of execution. In the winter of 1944, when the triumphant Russians were approaching Pomerania, the Germans dug up and burned the bodies buried in some mass graves. Only c. 340 bodies of victims of German terror were exhumed. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19])
«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])
sources
personal:
www.niedziela.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.01.18], www.sanktuarium.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.08.10]
bibliographical:
„Biographical dictionary of priests ordained in the years 1921‐1945 working in the Chełmno diocese”, Fr Anastasius Nadolny, prof., Bernardinum publishing house 2021
original images:
www.panoramio.comClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.10.31]
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