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Article: Obituary: Francziszek Gajowniczek
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- March 23, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1995 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Francziszek Gajowniczek lived to the ripe old age of 93 thanks
to the self-sacrifice of a Polish Franciscan priest in Auschwitz in
July 1941.
Gajowniczek was one of 10 inmates of the Nazi camp selected for
death in reprisal for the escape of another prisoner. Knowing
Gajowniczek was married with a family, the priest stepped forward,
asking to take his place in the underground starvation cell. The
wish was granted and the priest died there the following month.
Gajowniczek was spared. The priest was Maximilian Kolbe and
Gajowniczek lived to see the day 40 years later when, in October
1982, Kolbe was canonised by a fellow-Pole, Pope John Paul II, at
St Peter's in Rome.
Gajowniczek was born in ...