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

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    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
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Martyrology of the clergy — Poland

XX century (1914 – 1989)

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  • LEWRENC John Bernard; source: Fr Anastasius Nadolny, prof., „Biographical dictionary of priests ordained in the years 1921—1945 working in the Chełmno diocese”, Bernardinum publishing house 2021, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOLEWRENC John Bernard
    source: Fr Anastasius Nadolny, prof., „Biographical dictionary of priests ordained in the years 1921—1945 working in the Chełmno diocese”, Bernardinum publishing house 2021
    own collection

surname

LEWRENC

surname
versions/aliases

LEWRENZ

forename(s)

John Bernard (pl. Jan Bernard)

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]

date and place
of death

09.08.1944

Bysławtoday: Lubiewo gm., Tuchola pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]

details of death

After German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 and start of the World War II, after start of the German occupation, arrested by the Germans on 28.10.1939, together with other priests of the Tuchola deanery.

Transported to Kamień Pomorski (c. 30 km from Tuchola), where held in the IL Kamin internment camp.

Then, on 15.12.1939, transported to the ZL Neufahrwasser transit camp in Gdańsk and from there, on 21.12.1939, to the KL Stutthof concentration camp.

Thanks to the intervention of Card. Hlond released in 02.1940 (according to other sources already in 12.1939).

Returned to Tuchola, but did not obtain German consent to continue his ministry in this city.

From then on ministered in a number of parishes south of Tuchola, left without priests after German genocide of Polish clergy in 1939.

Perished in the Bysław parish, never recovering from his experiences in the camps.

cause of death

extermination

perpetrators

Germans

date and place
of birth

29.08.1907

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

presbyter (holy orders)
ordination

23.12.1933 (Pelpin cathedralmore on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.11.14]
)

positions held

1939

vicar — Tucholatoday: Tuchola gm., Tuchola pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ St Bartholomew the Apostle RC parish (main parish)Tucholatoday: Tuchola gm., Tuchola pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
RC deanery — in 1940, after being released from KL Stutthof, did not obtain German consent to continue his ministry

1937 – 1939

vicar — Rumiatoday: Rumia urban gm., Wejherowo pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ Exaltation of the Holy Cross RC parish ⋄ Wejherowotoday: Wejherowo gm., Wejherowo pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
RC deanery

1935 – 1937

vicar — Radomnotoday: Nowe Miasto Lubawskie gm., Nowe Miasto Lubawskie pov., Warmia–Masuria voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ Sacred Heart of Jesus RC parish ⋄ Nowe Miasto Lubawskietoday: Nowe Miasto Lubawskie urban gm., Nowe Miasto Lubawskie pov., Warmia–Masuria voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
RC deanery

1934 – 1935

vicar — Przodkowotoday: Przodkowo gm., Kartuzy pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ St Andrew the Apostle RC parish ⋄ Żukowotoday: Żukowo gm., Kartuzy pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
RC deanery

1929 – 1933

student — Pelplintoday: Pelplin gm., Tczew pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.05.06]
⋄ philosophy and theology, Theological Seminary

murder sites
camp 
(+ prisoner no)

KL Stutthof: In 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. 100‑127 thousands prisoners from 28 countries, including 47 thousands 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 (1939‑40) 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]
)

IL Kamin: Germ. „Internierungslager” (Eng. „Internment camp”) founded in 09.1939 by the genocidal German paramilitary organization Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz at St Annastift (Eng. St Anna's Institute) in Kamień Pomorski (today: Kamień Krajeński) — Correctional Institute used as a field hospital at the beginning of World War II — as part of «Intelligenzaktion», i.e. extermination of Polish intelligentsia and leadership classes. Among those imprisoned were local Polish priests (from Tuchola and Kamień deaneries) and teachers. In 12.1939 most of them were transported to KL Stutthof concentration camp. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.08.10]
)

«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]
)

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 Stanislaus 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:
informator.pelplin.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2015.09.30]

bibliographical:
Martyrology of the Polish Roman Catholic clergy under nazi occupation in 1939‑1945”, Victor Jacewicz, John Woś, vol. I‑V, Warsaw Theological Academy, 1977‑1981
Biographical dictionary of priests ordained in the years 1921‑1945 working in the Chełmno diocese”, Fr Anastasius Nadolny, prof., Bernardinum publishing house 2021

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