• 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
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Martyrology of the clergy — Poland

XX century (1914 – 1989)

personal data

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  • WALENTA Theodore Henry; source: „Lexicon of the clergy repressed in PRL in 1945–1989”, ed. prof. Fr Jerzy Myszor, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOWALENTA Theodore Henry
    source: „Lexicon of the clergy repressed in PRL in 1945–1989”, ed. prof. Fr Jerzy Myszor
    own collection

surname

WALENTA

forename(s)

Theodore Henry (pl. Teodor Henryk)

  • WALENTA Theodore Henry - Tomb, St Guardian Angel parish cemetery, Gorzyce Śląskie, source: jankowice.rybnik.pl, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOWALENTA Theodore Henry
    Tomb, St Guardian Angel parish cemetery, Gorzyce Śląskie
    source: jankowice.rybnik.pl
    own collection
  • WALENTA Theodore Henry - Commemorative plaque, Christ the King cathedral, Katowice, source: own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOWALENTA Theodore Henry
    Commemorative plaque, Christ the King cathedral, Katowice
    source: own collection

function

diocesan priest

creed

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

congregation

Society of St Francis de Sales SDBmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2013.05.19]

(i.e. Salesians of Don Bosco)

diocese / province

Katowice diocesemore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2013.05.19]

Wrocław diocesemore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2013.05.19]

honorary titles

Cross on the Silesian Ribbon of Valor and Merit
Gold „Cross of Meritmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2019.04.16]

date and place
of death

16.04.1945

Gorzycetoday: Gorzyce gm., Wodzisław Śląski pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.04.02]

details of death

After World War I, when the fate of Silesia region was to be decided — during Silesian Uprisings and Versaille mandated plebiscite (1919‐1921) — Polish activist supporting Polish claims to Silesia.

French and Italian language interpreter at Inter–Allied Governing and Plebiscite Commission in Upper Silesia located in Opole and speaker at public educational meetings organised by Polish Plebiscite Committee headquartered in Bytom.

In 1933, after crossing the Polish–German border post Wilcza Góra – Pilchowice, apprehended, battered and finally arrested for a short time by the German border authorities — for a sermon delivered on the Polish national holiday on 03.05.1933, in which mentioned the persecution of Poles in Germany.

Before the outbreak of the World War II got partially paralysed and that prob. saved him from German concentration camps.

After German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 and start of the World War II, after start of German occupation, interrogated by the Germans.

Forbidden to conduct any religious liturgical ceremonies and locked under a strict house arrest.

In 1945, during Russian winter offensive of 1945 ending the military conflict of the World War II, in the light of imminent Germany collapse, hid a number of parishioners in the cellars of his rectory.

After Russian capture of his village (nearby Wodzisław Śląski was taken over by the Russians on 26.03.1945) drunken Russian soldiers entered the rectory on 16.04.1945 and discovered a cellar.

Stood up to defend women hiding there and was shot by a Russian soldier.

Bleeding taken out the rectory, murdered and thrown into a ditch.

alt. details of death

According to other sources dragged out of the cellar.

Beaten, harrassed, deprived of his stole and purse with corporal, called Rus. „cziorny czort” (Eng. „Black devil”), led to a local Russian commander.

There subjected to further torture and then shot.

cause of death

mass murder

perpetrators

Russians

sites and events

Mass rapes in 1945Click to display the description, «Intelligenzaktion Schlesien»Click to display the description, «Intelligenzaktion»Click to display the description, Ribbentrop‐MolotovClick to display the description, Pius XI's encyclicalsClick to display the description

date and place
of birth

20.04.1882

Pawłówtoday: Pietrowice Wielkie gm., Racibórz pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09]

presbyter (holy orders)
ordination

29.06.1909 (Turintoday: Turin city prov., Piedmont reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.01]
)

positions held

1934 – 1945

parish priest — Gorzycetoday: Gorzyce gm., Wodzisław Śląski pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.04.02]
⋄ St Guardian Angel RC parish ⋄ Wodzisław Śląskiform.: Wodzisław
today: Wodzisław Śląski urban gm., Wodzisław Śląski pov., Silesia voiv., Poland

more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]
RC deanery

1929 – 1934

parish priest — Wilcza Górnatoday: Wilcza, Pilchowice gm., Gliwice pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.05.23]
⋄ St Nicholas RC parish ⋄ Dębieńskotoday: district of Czerwionka‐Leszczyny, Czerwionka‐Leszczyny gm., Rybnik pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27]
RC deanery

1927 – 1929

vicar — Chropaczówtoday: district of Świętochłowice, Świętochłowice city pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
⋄ Our Lady of the Rosary RC parish ⋄ Rudaform.: Glückauf colony
today: district in Ruda Śląska, Ruda Śląska city pov., Silesia voiv., Poland

more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]
RC deanery

1925 – 1927

vicar — Katowicetoday: Katowice city pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.12]
⋄ St Peter and St Paul the Apostles RC cathedral parish ⋄ Katowicetoday: Katowice city pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.12]
RC deanery

1923 – 1925

vicar — Rybniktoday: Grabów gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
⋄ Our Lady of Sorrows RC parish ⋄ Rybniktoday: Grabów gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
RC deanery

1922 – 1923

prefect — Rybniktoday: Grabów gm., Łęczyca pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
⋄ gymnasium(s) — also: a chaplain at the Department for the Mentally Ill

till 1923

friar — Salesians of Don Bosco SDB

1919 – 1923

friar — Oświęcimtoday: Oświęcim gm., Oświęcim pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07]
⋄ Society's House (Casa Madre), Salesians of Don Bosco SDB — foreign languages' teacher at Salesian gymnasiums in Mysłowice (1922) and Oświęcim (from 1919)

1909 – 1919

friar — (Italy territory)today: Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]
⋄ Congregation's houses, Salesians of Don Bosco SDB — youth educator

student — Genoatoday: Genoa city prov., Liguria reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.07.16]
⋄ philosophy and theology, University

student — Paduatoday: Padua prov., Veneto reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.07.06]
⋄ philosophy and theology, University of Padua

student — Milantoday: Milan prov., Lombardy reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.13]
⋄ philosophy and theology, University

novitiate — Foglizzo Canavesetoday: Foglizzo, Turin prov., Piedmont reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]
⋄ Society's House, Salesians of Don Bosco SDB

friar — Lombriascotoday: Turin prov., Piedmont reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09]
⋄ Society's House, Salesians of Don Bosco SDB — gymnasium student

friar — Turintoday: Turin city prov., Piedmont reg., Italy
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.01]
⋄ Society's House (Valsalice), Salesians of Don Bosco SDB

translator

poet

others related
in death

BRANDYSClick to display biography Edward Paul, CAŁKAClick to display biography Casimir Francis

sites and events
descriptions

Mass rapes in 1945: During capture in 1944‐1945 of pre‐war German territories and territories incorporated into Germany in 1939 after German invasion of Poland Russian soldiers committed mass, often multiple, rapes on mainly German, but also Polish, women. Up to 2 mln women might have been violated, from 8 to 80 or more years old. Many were murdered as a consequence. Rapes were prob. tolerated if not encouraged by Russian military and civilian NKVD commanders. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2015.03.01]
)

«Intelligenzaktion Schlesien»: A planned action of arrests and extermination of Polish Upper Silesia intellectual elite in general recorded in a proscription list called „Sonderfahndungsbuch Polen” — participants of Upper Silesia uprisings, former Polish plebiscite activists, journalists, politicians, intellectuals, civil servants, priests — organised by Germans mainly in 04‐05.1940, aiming at total Germanisation of the region. The relevant decree, no IV‐D2‐480/40, was issued by the RSHA, i.e. Germ. Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Eng. Reich Security Office), and signed by Heinrich Himmler or Reinhard Heydrich. Some of those arrested were murdered in mass executions, some were deported to the German‐run Germ. Generalgouvernement (Eng. General Governorate), and some were sent to concentration camps. The personal details of 3,047 people deported within two months of 1940 were established. Among the victims were 33 Catholic priests, 22 of whom perished in concentration camps (the clergy were sent — in 5 transports — first to KL Dachau, and then to KL Gusen, where they slaved in quarries). Altogether, the Germans murdered c. 2,000 members of the Polish Upper Silesia intellectual elite. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2016.05.30]
)

«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]
)

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:
encyklo.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19]
, pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19]
, gosc.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2016.05.30]
, jankowice.rybnik.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2016.05.30]

original images:
jankowice.rybnik.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2016.05.30]

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MARTYROLOGY: WALENTA Theodore Henry

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