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
SZMIDT
surname
versions/aliases
von SCHMIDT
forename(s)
Herman Charles (pl. Herman Karol)
function
diocesan priest
creed
Latin (Roman Catholic) Church RCmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.09.21]
diocese / province
Łódź diocesemore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2013.05.19]
Warsaw archdiocesemore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2013.05.19]
honorary titles
honorary canonmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.11.14] (Łódź cathedral)
nationality
German
date and place
of death
08.03.1945
Witoniatoday: Witonia gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
details of death
After the German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 and the beginning of World War II, after start of the German occupation, the land of Łęczyca, where ministered in the Witonia parish, was incorporated by the Germans into the province of Germ. Reichsgau Wartheland, newly created mainly in the occupied area of Greater Poland.
As a Polish priest of German nationality, aroused the interest of the occupiers, who tried to force him to sign the Germ. Deutsche Volksliste DVL, i.e. the German nationality list, introduced on 02.09.1940 (in the occupied territories of Poland incorporated into Germany, effective from 04.03.1941) based on the rescript of Heinrich Luitpold Himmler, Reichsführer‐SS and Reich Commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanness. Due to his descent, was suggested to apply for category 1, i.e. Germ. Volksdeutscher (Eng. ethnic German), which would lead to recognizing him as Germ. Reichsdeutscher (Eng. German citizen).
Refused. Was to say to the Germans who questioned him: — „Nein. Niemals. Ich bin Pole” (Eng. „No. Never. I am Polish”). Was pressed further: — „But you don't have a drop of Polish blood in your veins. Only German”, replied: — „It's true, but my soul is Polish, and the soul is the most important thing in a person”.
When on 06.10.1941 the Germans arrested almost all Polish priests free in the Germ. Reichsgau Wartheland, sending them to the KL Dachau concentration camp, left him free. But the church in Witonia was closed, robbed, the contents were taken away, and used as a grain warehouse.
Was evicted from the rectory. Took refuge in an empty house left by a Polish farmer who was exiled to the Germ. Generalgouvernement (Eng. General Governorate) GG, run by the Germans.
Was forbidden to perform any priestly activities. Maintaining contacts with his parishioners, supported himself by working at the registry office as a translator.
After the Russian winter offensive of 1945, the defeat of Germany and the beginning of the Russian occupation (the Russians captured Witonia on c. 18.01.1945), at the end of 02.1945, sick, went to nearby Łęczyca to recover items from the church, some of which had been left by the fleeing Germans. When returned and in the parish church was inspecting the recovered goods, was attacked by three armed Poles who, calling him „Swabian”, ordered him to leave the temple immediately, under threat of death. Allegedly replied: „I gave you bread many times when you were hungry, and now you talk to me like that?”.
Returned to the rectory, contracted pneumonia and died shortly thereafter.
cause of death
extermination
perpetrators
Germans / Poles
sites and events
06.10.1941 arrests (Warthegau)Click to display the description, Reichsgau WarthelandClick to display the description, GeneralgouvernementClick to display the description, Ribbentrop‐MolotovClick to display the description, Pius XI's encyclicalsClick to display the description
date and place
of birth
01.06.1866
Łapytoday: Łapy gm., Białystok pov., Podlaskie voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
presbyter (holy orders)
ordination
10.03.1889 (Warsawtoday: Warsaw city pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.10.09])
positions held
1930 – 1945
parish priest — Witoniatoday: Witonia gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28] ⋄ St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr RC parish ⋄ Łęczycatoday: Łęczyca urban gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1926 – 1930
parish priest — Milejówtoday: Rozprza gm., Piotrków Trybunalski pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ St Joseph, St Mary Magdalene and the Guardian Angels RC parish ⋄ Piotrków Trybunalskitoday: Piotrków Trybunalski city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.29] RC deanery
1922 – 1926
dean — Łęczycatoday: Łęczyca urban gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1922 – 1926
parish priest — Łęczycatoday: Łęczyca urban gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ St Andrew the Apostle RC parish (main parish) ⋄ Łęczycatoday: Łęczyca urban gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1921 – 1922
parish priest — Jeżówtoday: Jeżów gm., Brzeziny pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27] ⋄ St Joseph Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC parish ⋄ Brzezinytoday: Brzeziny urban gm., Brzeziny pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27] RC deanery
1914 – 1921
parish priest — Witoniatoday: Witonia gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28] ⋄ St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr RC parish ⋄ Łęczycatoday: Łęczyca urban gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1912 – 1914
parish priest — Konstantynów Łódzkitoday: Konstantynów Łódzki urban gm., Pabianice pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.19] ⋄ Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC parish ⋄ Łódźtoday: Łódź city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18] RC deanery
1906 – 1912
parish priest — Chojnytoday: neighborhood in Łódź, Łódź city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18] ⋄ St Adalbert the Bishop and Martyr RC parish ⋄ Łódźtoday: Łódź city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18] RC deanery
1904 – 1906
parish priest — Goszczyntoday: Goszczyn gm., Grójec pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.03.16] ⋄ St Michael the Archangel RC parish ⋄ Grójectoday: Grójec gm., Grójec pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1897 – 1904
parish priest — Chełmnoalso: Chełmno nad Nerem
today: Dąbie gm., Koło pov., Greater Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02] ⋄ Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC parish ⋄ Łęczycatoday: Łęczyca urban gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1896 – 1897
administrator — Bełdówtoday: Aleksandrów Łódzki gm., Zgierz pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ All the Saints RC parish ⋄ Łódźtoday: Łódź city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18] RC deanery
1893 – 1896
administrator — Boguszycetoday: Rawa Mazowiecka gm., Rawa Mazowiecka pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.02.15] ⋄ St Stanislav the Bishop and Martyr RC parish ⋄ Rawa Mazowieckatoday: Rawa Mazowiecka urban gm., Rawa Mazowiecka pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28] RC deanery
1891 – 1893
vicar — Gostynintoday: Gostynin gm., Gostynin pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] ⋄ St Martin, the Bishop and Confessor RC parish ⋄ Gostynintoday: Gostynin gm., Gostynin pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18] RC deanery
1890 – 1891
vicar — Jeżówtoday: Jeżów gm., Brzeziny pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27] ⋄ St Andrew the Apostle RC parish ⋄ Brzezinytoday: Brzeziny urban gm., Brzeziny pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27] RC deanery
1890
vicar — ŁódźBałuty district
today: Łódź city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18] ⋄ Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC parish ⋄ Łódźtoday: Łódź city pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18] RC deanery
1889 – 1890
vicar — Dąbrówkatoday: Dąbrówka gm., Wołomin pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2024.06.16] ⋄ Exaltation of the Holy Cross RC parish ⋄ Radzymintoday: Radzymin gm., Wołomin pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.10] RC deanery
c. 1885 – 1889
student — Warsawtoday: Warsaw city pov., Masovia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.10.09] ⋄ philosophy and theology, Metropolitan Theological Seminary
sites and events
descriptions
06.10.1941 arrests (Warthegau): On 13.09.1941 Gaulaiter of German province Germ. Warthegau i.e. Germ. Reichsgau Wartheland, in German‐occupied Greater Poland (where German standard law was in force), Artur Greiser, implementing „Ohne Gott, ohne Religion, ohne Priesters und Sakramenten” — „without God, without religion, without priest and sacrament” — policy issued a decree formally dissolving Catholic Church and forming in its place a Roman Catholic German National Church in Germ. Warthegau, an organization subject to a German private law. The ordinance was issued backdated to 01.09.1939, i.e. the date of the German invasion of Poland, which sanctioned the later robbery of the property of the Catholic Church acting for the benefit of the Polish population by the Germans. All the contacts with Vatican were forbidden. All the religion congregations were also dissolved. Soon after, on 06‐07.10.1941, mass arrests of Polish Catholic priests took place — c. 352 were detained. All were herded into DL Konstantinow in Konstantynów or IL Lond in Ląd on Warta river transit camps or KL Posen concentration camp (in this case, the detainees were first registered, photographed and examined in the infamous Poznań headquarters of the German political police, the Gestapo, in the former Soldier's House). On 30.10.1941 most of them were transported to KL Dachau concentration camp.
Reichsgau Wartheland: 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. Greater Poland 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 24.01.1940 transformed into the Germ. Reichsgau Wartheland 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 90% of its inhabitants were Poles, was Germ. „Entpolonisierung” (Eng. „Depolonisation”), i.e. forced Germanization. C. 100,000 Poles were murdered as part of the Germ. „Intelligenzaktion”, i.e. extermination of Polish intelligentsia and ruling classes. C. 630,000 were forcibly resettled to the Germ. Generalgouvernement, and their place taken by the Germans brought from other areas occupied by Germany (e.g. the Baltic countries, Bessarabia, Bukovina, etc.). Poles were forced to sign the German nationality list, the Germ. Deutsche Volksliste DVL. As part of the policy of „Ohne Gott, ohne Religion, ohne Priesters und Sakramenten” (Eng. „No God, no religion, no priest or sacrament”) most Catholic priests were arrested and sent to concentration camps. All schools teaching in Polish, Polish libraries, theaters and museums were closed. Polish landed estates confiscated. To further reduce the number of the Polish population, Poles were sent to forced labor deep inside Germany, and the legal age of marriage for Poles was increased (25 for women, 28 for men). The German state office, Germ. Rasse‐ und Siedlungshauptamt (Eng. Main Office of Race and Settlement) RuSHA, under the majesty of German law, abducted several thousand children who met specific racial criteria from Polish families and subjected them to forced Germanization, handing them over to German families. 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, Arthur Karl Greiser, was executed. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.21])
Generalgouvernement: 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. In two of them new German provinces were created, two other were incorporated into other provinces. However, the fifth part was treated separately, and in a political sense it was supposed to recreate the German idea from 1915 (during World War I, after the defeat of the Russians in the Battle of Gorlice in 05.1915) of creating a Polish enclave within Germany. Illegal in the sense of international law, i.e. Hague Convention, and public law, managed by the Germans according to separate laws — especially established for the Polish Germ. Untermenschen (Eng. subhumans) — till the Russian offensive in 1945 it constituted the Germ. Großdeutschland (Eng. Greater Germany). Till 31.07.1940 formally called Germ. Generalgouvernement für die besetzten polnischen Gebiete (Eng. General Government for the occupied Polish lands) — later simply Germ. Generalgouvernement (Eng. General Governorate), as in the years 1915‐1918. From 07.1941, i.e. after the German attack on 22.06.1941 against the erstwhile ally, the Russians, it also included the Galicia district, i.e. the Polish pre‐war south‐eastern voivodeships. A special criminal law was enacted and applied to Poles and Jews, allowing for the arbitrary administration of the death penalty regardless of the age of the „perpetrator”, and sanctioning the use of collective responsibility. After the end of the military conflict of the World War UU, the government of the Germ. Generalgouvernement was recognized as a criminal organization, and its leader, governor Hans Frank, guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity and executed. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.12.04])
Ribbentrop‐Molotov: Genocidal Russian‐German alliance pact between Russian leader Joseph Stalin and German leader Adolf Hitler signed on 23.08.1939 in Moscow by respective foreign ministers, Mr. Vyacheslav Molotov for Russia and Joachim von Ribbentrop for Germany. The pact sanctioned and was the direct cause of joint Russian and German invasion of Poland and the outbreak of the World War II in 09.1939. In a political sense, the pact was an attempt to restore the status quo ante before 1914, with one exception, namely the „commercial” exchange of the so‐called „Kingdom of Poland”, which in 1914 was part of the Russian Empire, fore Eastern Galicia (today's western Ukraine), in 1914 belonging to the Austro‐Hungarian Empire. Galicia, including Lviv, was to be taken over by the Russians, the „Kingdom of Poland” — under the name of the General Governorate — Germany. The resultant „war was one of the greatest calamities and dramas of humanity in history, for two atheistic and anti‐Christian ideologies — national and international socialism — rejected God and His fifth Decalogue commandment: Thou shall not kill!” (Abp Stanislav Gądecki, 01.09.2019). The decisions taken — backed up by the betrayal of the formal allies of Poland, France and Germany, which on 12.09.1939, at a joint conference in Abbeville, decided not to provide aid to attacked Poland and not to take military action against Germany (a clear breach of treaty obligations with Poland) — were on 28.09.1939 slightly altered and made more precise when a treaty on „German‐Russian boundaries and friendship” was agreed by the same murderous signatories. One of its findings was establishment of spheres of influence in Central and Eastern Europe and in consequence IV partition of Poland. In one of its secret annexes agreed, that: „the Signatories will not tolerate on its respective territories any Polish propaganda that affects the territory of the other Side. On their respective territories they will suppress all such propaganda and inform each other of the measures taken to accomplish it”. The agreements resulted in a series of meeting between two genocidal organization representing both sides — German Gestapo and Russian NKVD when coordination of efforts to exterminate Polish intelligentsia and Polish leading classes (in Germany called «Intelligenzaktion», in Russia took the form of Katyń massacres) where discussed. Resulted in deaths of hundreds of thousands of Polish intelligentsia, including thousands of priests presented here, and tens of millions of ordinary people,. The results of this Russian‐German pact lasted till 1989 and are still in evidence even today. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2015.09.30])
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:
dspace.uni.lodz.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.01.06], dziwoszbogdan.republika.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2012.12.28], lodz-andrzejow.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.10], cybra.lodz.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2015.04.18]
original images:
lodz-andrzejow.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.10], lodz-andrzejow.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.10], lodz-andrzejow.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.10]
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