• OUR LADY of CZĘSTOCHOWA: st Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionOUR LADY of CZĘSTOCHOWA
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
link to OUR LADY of PERPETUAL HELP in SŁOMCZYN infoSITE LOGO

Roman Catholic
St Sigismund parish
05-507 Słomczyn
85 Wiślana Str.
Konstancin deanery
Warsaw archdiocese, Poland

  • St SIGISMUND: St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
LINK to Nu HTML Checker

full list:

displayClick to display full list

wyświetlKliknij by wyświetlić pełną listę po polsku


Martyrology of the clergy — Poland

XX century (1914 – 1989)

personal data

review in:

po polskuKliknij by wyświetlić to bio po polsku

link do KARTY OSOBOWEJ - POLSKA WERSJAKliknij by wyświetlić to bio po polsku
  • RUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph; source: Kościerzyna sanctuary, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFORUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph
    source: Kościerzyna sanctuary
    own collection

surname

RUCHNIEWICZ

forename(s)

Hugh Joseph (pl. Hugon Józef)

  • RUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph - Commemorative plaque, Holy Trinity church, Kościerzyna, source: www.panoramio.com, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFORUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph
    Commemorative plaque, Holy Trinity church, Kościerzyna
    source: www.panoramio.com
    own collection
  • RUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph - Commemorative plaque, porch, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven cathedral, Pelplin, source: own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFORUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph
    Commemorative plaque, porch, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven cathedral, Pelplin
    source: own collection

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 Germ. Generalgouvernement (Eng. 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]

LETTER to CUSTODIAN/ADMINISTRATOR

If you have an Email client on your communicator/computer — such as Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Mail or Microsoft Outlook, described at WikipediaPatrz:
en.wikipedia.org
, among others  — try the link below, please:

LETTER to CUSTODIAN/ADMINISTRATORClick and try to call your own Email client

If however you do not run such a client or the above link is not active please send an email to the Custodian/Administrator using your account — in your customary email/correspondence engine — at the following address:

EMAIL ADDRESS

giving the following as the subject:

MARTYROLOGY: RUCHNIEWICZ Hugh Joseph

To return to the biography press below:

Click to return to biographyClick to return to biography