August 14: Kolbe the Saint of Auschwitz

[HOZ]

Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest who died as prisoner 16770 in Auschwitz, on August 14, 1941.

When a prisoner escaped from the camp, the Nazis selected 10 others to be killed by starvation in reprisal for the escape. One of the 10 selected to die, Franciszek Gajowniczek, began to cry: My wife! My children! I will never see them again! At this Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward and asked to die in his place. His request was granted ...

[Language]

That's a pretty amazing story.

Many many great people died during the Holocaust, and it's great that with Holocaust museums and online websites these amazing stories are discovered and told.

[J pold]

There was a very well done and extremely interesting documentary about Auschwitz last week on History television, but watching it your are blown away at some of the things that went on in that place, they showed the main train line coming in, they separated everyone and anyone who was 15 or older and was fit to work was taken to go to extremely had labor, the others where taken to the gas chambers right away, god its amazing how in human that entire act was truly terrifying

[Frank the Tank]

It was all a conspiracy. Signed, Looger.

Seriously though, very amazing story. Thanks for posting.

[ericschand]

Here are a couple of very interesting stories I read about the Holocaust.
The first is a liberation story, and for some reason, left me feeling more
disturbed than the second one, a story of a survivor who is a dentist.
I highly recommend them both.

http://www.remember.org/witness/herder.html

http://www.nizkor.org/features/dentist/

[Azure]

Also, for all those who have not read "Night" by Elie Wiesal, I highly recommend it as well.

Same subject...

[octothorp]

If anyone ever has the chance, I highly recommend going to Auschwitz and Birkenstau; it's really one of those life-changing experiences. There's quite a lot about Kolbe and other stories of hope, but seeing the buildings and the vastness of the camp give one such a sense of context.

[Incogneto]

Originally Posted by HOZ

Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest who died as prisoner 16770 in Auschwitz, on August 14, 1941.

When a prisoner escaped from the camp, the Nazis selected 10 others to be killed by starvation in reprisal for the escape. One of the 10 selected to die, Franciszek Gajowniczek, began to cry: My wife! My children! I will never see them again! At this Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward and asked to die in his place. His request was granted ...

There is more to this story....I was there last summer, and they have a whole cell dedicated to the priest. He wasn't killed on the spot. Instead he was sent to his cell and starved. I can't remember the details, but he survived for something like 14 days before dying. Quite amazing and remarkable.

http://www.dustsoft.com/misc/Auschwitz.JPG
This is a pic I took...one of the more chilling things I have ever seen in my life. It is a sign posted when coming into a gas chamber.

[Incogneto]

Originally Posted by Azure

Also, for all those who have not read "Night" by Elie Wiesal, I highly recommend it as well.

Same subject...

I have this book on my desk to read.

here is what Wikipedia has to say about our little story here:
In July 1941, a man from Kolbe's bunker had vanished, prompting Karl Fritzsch, the Lagerführer, to pick 10 men from the same bunker to be starved to death in the notorious torture block, Block 11, in order to deter further escape attempts. (The man who had disappeared was later found drowned in the camp latrine.) One of the selected men, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out, lamenting his family, and Kolbe volunteered to take his place.
After two weeks of starvation, only four of the ten men were still alive, including Kolbe. The cells were needed, and Kolbe and the other three were executed with an injection of carbolic acid in the heart.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

There is more to this story....I was there last summer, and they have a whole cell dedicated to the priest. He wasn't killed on the spot. Instead he was sent to his cell and starved. I can't remember the details, but he survived for something like 14 days before dying. Quite amazing and remarkable.

http://www.dustsoft.com/misc/Auschwitz.JPG
This is a pic I took...one of the more chilling things I have ever seen in my life. It is a sign posted when coming into a gas chamber.

the full details are there if you click on the man's name in the original post. incredible indeed

[Looger]

Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

It was all a conspiracy. Signed, Looger.

Seriously though, very amazing story. Thanks for posting.

wow, you're pretty sick.

i'm back now, nice going!

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Looger

wow, you're pretty sick.

i'm back now, nice going!

I kind of thought the same at the time... a bit too far.

[Looger]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

I kind of thought the same at the time... a bit too far.

Lanny asked me to come back, and here i am. i have the time again.