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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)

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  • KAPKOWSKI Romualdo Joseph; source: Sebastian Rosenbaum, PhD, „'The Germans killed the priest'. The case of the death of Fr Romuald Kapkowski from Bór Zapilski”, in: „Częstochowa Churches against totalitarian systems 1939—1989”, Institute of National Remembrance IPN – Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, Katowice 2023, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOKAPKOWSKI Romualdo Joseph
    source: Sebastian Rosenbaum, PhD, „'The Germans killed the priest'. The case of the death of Fr Romuald Kapkowski from Bór Zapilski”, in: „Częstochowa Churches against totalitarian systems 1939—1989”, Institute of National Remembrance IPN – Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, Katowice 2023
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surname

KAPKOWSKI

forename(s)

Romualdo Joseph (pl. Romuald Józef)

function

diocesan priest

creed

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

diocese / province

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

date and place
of death

12.07.1944

Bór Zapilskitoday: Wręczyca Wielka gm., Kłobuck pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2023.04.21]

alt. dates and places
of death

11.07.1944, 26.07.1944

details of death

After German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 and start of the World War II, after start of German occupation, the area of his parish occupied by the Germans was incorporated directly into Germany — initially to the Germ. Regierungsbezirk Kattowitz (Eng. Katowice district) within the province of Germ.Provinz Schlesien (Eng. Silesia province), later, from 01.04.1940, to an independent province of Germ. Provinz Oberschlesien (Eng. Upper Silesia province).

The seat of his diocese, Częstochowa, was located in an occupational entity named the General Governorate, run by the Germans, with borders splitting the diocese.

In 1943, became administrator of the Bór Zapilski parish, whose previous parish priest, Fr Vladislav Derbis, was forced to leave the parish, secretly/illegally cross the border to the General Governorate and hide — Fr Derbis collaborated with the Polish underground unit of the Home Army AK of lieutenant Joseph Janik, codename „Angel” (part of the Polish Clandestine State), i.a. warning Polish partisans about the raids planned by the Germans, which led to a search at the rectory during his absence and an attempt to arrest him by the German security apparatus.

In 1944, the Germans, in the face of defeats on the Eastern Front, more and more often committed single and mass murders on the Polish population — especially the gendarmes forming the so‐called flying units (known as Germ. Jagd Kommando).

One of such local unit dealt with the hunting down the Polish partisans and carrying out „repressions for actual or alleged cooperation with them, support and assistance to the underground, including shelter and food”.

It is not clear whether he collaborated with Polish partisans, but „it seems probable — Fr Derbis, and his successor did so”.

Murdered by German gendarmes in his parish village (the direct perpetrator was supposed to be a certain Richard Göbel, personally responsible for 16 murders of Poles).

The Germans, with the help of a Ukrainian support unit, were to drag his body to the parish cemetery and throw it into a pit in front of the fence.

Some witnesses claimed that when he was dragged he was only wounded and was buried alive.

alt. details of death

According to some sources, murdered on the night of 11‐12.07.1944.

According to others, on 26.07.1944.

In addition, his name is on the list of victims of the mass execution of Poles in the nearby village of Wręczyca Wielka, during which the Germans on 20.04.1944 allegedly hanged 10 people.

The precise course of the has not been established.

cause of death

murder

perpetrators

Germans / Ukrainians

sites and events

GeneralgouvernementClick to display the description, Regierungsbezirk KattowitzClick to display the description, Ribbentrop‐MolotovClick to display the description, Pius XI's encyclicalsClick to display the description

date and place
of birth

14.09.1905

Święta Annatoday: Dąbrowa Zielona gm., Częstochowa pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]

presbyter (holy orders)
ordination

29.06.1932 (Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowamore on
pl.wikipedia.org
[access: 2017.11.07]
)

positions held

1943 – 1944

administrator — Bór Zapilskitoday: Wręczyca Wielka gm., Kłobuck pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2023.04.21]
⋄ St Jack the Confessor RC parish ⋄ Kłobuckotoday: Kłobuck, Kłobuck gm., Kłobuck pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
RC deanery

c. 1942 – c. 1943

vicar — Truskolasytoday: Wręczyca Wielka gm., Kłobuck pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
⋄ St Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor RC parish ⋄ Kłobuckotoday: Kłobuck, Kłobuck gm., Kłobuck pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
RC deanery

1936 – c. 1942

vicar — Konopiskatoday: Konopiska gm., Częstochowa pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.19]
⋄ St Valentine Priest and Martyr RC parish ⋄ Częstochowatoday: Częstochowa city pov., Silesia voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]
RC deanery

1932 – 1936

vicar — Maluszyntoday: Żytno gm., Radomsko pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
⋄ St Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor RC parish ⋄ Gidletoday: Gidle gm., Radomsko pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
RC deanery

1932

vicar — Skomlintoday: Skomlin gm., Wieluń pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
⋄ St Philip and St James the Apostles RC parish ⋄ Bolesławiectoday: Bolesławiec gm., Wieruszów pov., Łódź voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.12.11]
RC deanery

1927 – 1932

student — Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07]
⋄ philosophy and theology, Department of Theology, Jagiellonian University UJ

sites and events
descriptions

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]
)

Regierungsbezirk Kattowitz: 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). From two separate new provinces were created. The two remaining were incorporated into existing German provinces. One of those was Polish Upper Silesia, which on 08.09.1939, by decree of the German leader Adolf Hitler (formally came into force on 26.10.1939), was incorporated into Germany as the Germ. Regierungsbezirk Kattowitz (Eng. Katowice Regency) and became part of the Germ. Provinz Schlesien (Eng. Province of Silesia) based in Wrocław. On 01.04.1940, the Germ. Regierungsbezirk Kattowitz was enlarged by several pre‐war German counties, and on 18.01.1941, a new German province was created, the Germ. Provinz Oberschlesien (Eng. Province of Upper Silesia), which, apart from the Germ. Regierungsbezirk Kattowitz, also included the Opole region. From 26.10.1939, when the regency was established, the law of the German state was in force there, the same as in Berlin. The main axis of the policy of the new regency, the territory of which the Germans recognized as the Germ. „Ursprünglich Deutsche” (Eng. „natively German”), despite the fact only 6% of its pre–war Polish part were Germans, was Germ. „Entpolonisierung” (Eng. „Depolonisation”), i.e. forced Germanization. The main mechanism was the introduction of the Germ. Deutsche Volksliste DVL, a German nationality list that was supposed to specify the national affiliation of the inhabitants of the region. The largest group marked in the compulsory registrations was Group 3, people who identified themselves as „Silesians” (in 1943 about 41%), and people remaining outside the DVL (about 36%). The latter group was intended to be deported to the Germ. Generalgouvernement (which did not happen en masse because German industry needed slave labor). Group 3, considered by the Germans as capable of Germanization, was subject to certain legal restrictions, and was subject to, among others, to conscription into the German Wehrmacht army. Children could only learn in German. A policy of terror was pursued against the Polish population. There was a special police court, controlled by the Germ. Geheime Staatspolizei (Eng. Secret State Police), i.e. the Gestapo, before which c. 4,000‐5,000 people were detained. For the years 1942‐1945 over 2,000 of them were verified, of which 1,890 were sentenced to death, including 286 in public executions. Thousands of people were murdered during the so‐called «Intelligenzaktion Schlesien», including 300‐650 Polish teachers and c. 61 Polish Catholic priests. The regency hosted a German concentration and extermination camp KL Auschwitz, where the Germans imprisoned c. 1,100,000 Jews (murdering c.1,000,000, i.e. c. 90% of them) and c. 140,000 Poles (murdering c. 70,000, i.e. c. 50% of them). 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, Fritz Brecht, committed suicide. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2024.06.24]
)

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:
straty.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.18]
, towarzystwo-przyjaciol-slaska.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.04.21]
, repozytorium.theo-logos.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.04.21]

bibliographical:
'The Germans killed the priest'. The case of the death of Fr Romuald Kapkowski from Bór Zapilski”, Sebastian Rosenbaum, PhD, in: „Częstochowa Churches against totalitarian systems 1939‐1989”, Institute of National Remembrance IPN — Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, Katowice 2023

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