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)
personal data
religious status
Servant of God
surname
GACZEK
forename(s)
Boleslaus John (pl. Bolesław Jan)
religious forename(s)
William (pl. Wilhelm)
function
religious cleric
creed
Latin (Roman Catholic) Churchmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.09.21]
congregation
Augustinian (OSA) (Augustinians, Augustinian friars - OSA)more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2013.05.19]
honorary titles
Honorary Citizen of Prokocim
date and place
of death
14.11.1941
KL Auschwitzconcentration camp
today: Oświęcim, Oświęcim gm., Oświęcim pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09]
alt. dates and places
of death
17.11.1941 („official” date)
details of death
After German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 that initiated the World War II and start of the German occupation the monks of Kraków–Kazimierz monastery provided shelter to c. 60 Poles deported forcibly by Germans from territories directly incorporated to Germany, mainly from Greater Poland region, and abandoned in the middle of nowhere in the German–run General Government territory.
They also gave help to persecuted Jews from the Kazimierz district of Cracom, the majority of whom in 05.1940 got deported to the vicinity of Lublin — to „allow” settlement of Germans arriving in Kraków — and the rest was locked in 03.1941 in the newly formed ghetto in Kraków–Podgórze.
Arrested on 19/20.09.1941 by the Germans together with a group of friars from Kazimierz monastery in Kraków, including Fr Joseph Gociek, Fr Adam Olszewski, Fr Thadeus Wilucki and Bro Casimir Lipka.
Jailed in Montelupich Str. prison in Kraków.
Tortured.
Next on 04.11.1941 transported to KL Auschwitz concentration camp.
There in the barrack no 7 murdered during interrogation in the political ward of the KL Auschwitz camp (according to other sources perished from exhaustion after 2 weeks in the camp).
cause of death
murder
perpetrators
Germans
date and place
of birth
23.11.1881
Sucha Beskidzkatoday: Sucha Beskidzka urban gm., Sucha Beskidzka pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]
alt. dates and places
of birth
Maków Podhalańskitoday: Maków Podhalański gm., Sucha Beskidzka pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07]
religious vows
10.02.1902 (temporary)
16.03.1905 (permanent)
presbyter (holy orders)
ordination
29.07.1906 (Würzburgtoday: Würzburg urban dist., Lower Franconia reg., Bavaria state, Germany
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.08.05])
positions held
till 1941
friar {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr monastery, 7 Augustiańska Str., Augustinians OSA}
1938 – 1941
Provincial {Polish Province, Augustinians OSA}
1937 – 1938
Deputy Provincial {Polish Province, Augustinians OSA}
1920 – 1937
superior {Prokocimtoday: part of Bieżanów–Prokocim XII District, Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], Our Lady of Good Councel monastery, 2 Górników Str., Augustinians OSA}
1917 – 1920
friar {Prokocimtoday: part of Bieżanów–Prokocim XII District, Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], Our Lady of Good Councel monastery, 2 Górników Str., Augustinians OSA}
1917 – 1937
curatus/rector/expositus {parish: Bieżanówtoday: part of XII Bieżanów–Prokocim District in Kraków, Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.02.14], Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; chapel: Prokocimtoday: part of Bieżanów–Prokocim XII District, Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], Our Lady of Good Councel; dean.: Wieliczkatoday: Wieliczka gm., Wieliczka pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07]}, also: prefect of public school (1917‑21)
1914 – 1920
chaplain {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], Brothers of Mercy —Fatebenefratelli — Hospital}, also: prefect of Augustinian Nuns people's school in Cracow (from c. 1914), Sigismund Krasiński's XXVIII People's School in Cracow (c. 1916)
1910 – 1917
friar {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr monastery, 7 Augustiańska Str., Augustinians OSA}
1908 – c. 1910
administrator {parish: Górka Kościelnickatoday: part of Nowa Huta XVIII District, Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], All the Saints; dean.: Bolechowicetoday: Zabierzów gm., Kraków pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07]}
1906 – 1908
friar {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr monastery, 7 Augustiańska Str., Augustinians OSA}
1907 – c. 1908
prefect {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], four‑class elementary school, connected with a four‑class faculty school, at the God's Love Nuns' convent, Pędzichów Str.}
1906 – c. 1907
student {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], philosophy and theology, Congregation of Vincentian's Missionary Fathers' Theological Institute}
1905 – 1906
student {Würzburgtoday: Würzburg urban dist., Lower Franconia reg., Bavaria state, Germany
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.08.05], philosophy and theology, provincial monastery, Augustinians OSA}
1901 – 1905
friar {Krakówtoday: Kraków city pov., Lesser Poland voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.07], St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr monastery, 7 Augustiańska Str., Augustinians OSA}
from 10.02.1901
friar {Augustinians OSA}
others related
in death
GOCIEKClick to display biography Joseph, LIPKAClick to display biography Adalbert Stanislaus (Bro. Casimir), OLSZEWSKIClick to display biography Adam (Fr Christopher), WILUCKIClick to display biography Thaddeus (Fr Edmund)
murder sites
camp
(+ prisoner no)
KL Auschwitz (prisoner no: 22401Click to display biography): German KL Auschwitz concentration camp (Germ. Konzentrationslager) and death camp (Germ. Vernichtungslager) camp was set up by Germans around 27.01.1940 n. Oświęcim, on the German territory (initially in Germ. Provinz Schlesien — Silesia Province; and from 1941 Germ. Provinz Oberschlesien — Upper Silesia Province). Initially mainly Poles were interned. From 1942 it became the centre for holocaust of European Jews. Part of the KL Auschwitz concentration camps’ complex was death camp (Germ. Vernichtungslager) KL Auschwitz II Birkenau, located not far away from the main camp. There Germans murder possibly in excess of million people, mainly Jews, in gas chambers. Altogether In excess of 400 priests and religious went through the KL Auschwitz, approx. 40% of which were murdered (mainly Poles). (more on: www.meczennicy.pelplin.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.07.06])
Cracow (Montelupich): Cracow penal prison, during occupation run by the Germans — from 28.02.1941 by Germ. Geheime Staatspolizei (Eng. Secret State Police, known as Gestapo. In 1940‑4 Germans jailed there approx. 50,000 prisoners, mainly Poles and Jews. Some of them were transported to KL Auschwitz concentration camp, some were executed. After cease in war effort the prison was used by UB — a Polish unit of Russian NKVD — as a prison for Polish independence resistance fighters, some of which were subsequently sent to prisons and slave labour camps in Russia. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.10.31])
20.09.1941 arrests (Cracow): During the night of 19‑20.09.1941 German murderous political policy Gestapo entered Augustinian Congregation OSA monastery in Cracow–Kazimierz, by St Catherine of Alexandria and St Margaret church. As part of continuing repressions against the Polish clergy, incriminating friars of storing leaflets of Polish resistance organizations (part of Polish Clandestine State) calling for resisting German occupation authorities — in particular authorities of the so–called General Governorate — and of using „banned” receivers–transmitters, i.e. radio, 7 friar fathers and 1 brother were arrested. All were initially jailed in Montelupich Str. prison in Cracow where were tortured during interrogations and then sent to German concentration camps. Five of them never returned. (more on: www.augustianie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2016.03.14])
General Governorate: A separate administrative territorial region set up by the Germans in 1939 after defeat of Poland, which included German‑occupied part of Polish territory that was not directly incorporate into German state. Created as the result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, in a political sense, was to recreate the German idea of 1915 (after the defeat of the Russians in the Battle of Gorlice in 05.1915 during World War I) of establishing a Polish enclave within Germany (also called the General Governorate at that time). It was run by the Germans till 1945 and final Russian offensive, and was a part of so–called Big Germany — Grossdeutschland. Till 31.07.1940 formally known as Germ. Generalgouvernement für die besetzten polnischen Gebiete (Eng. General Governorate for occupied Polish territories) — later as simply niem. Generalgouvernement (Eng. General Governorate). From 07.1941 expanded to include district Galicia. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.12.04])
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])
sources
personal:
prokocim24.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.05.19], www.bj.uj.edu.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2012.11.23], www.augustianie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2019.05.30], cyfrowa.biblioteka.krakow.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.20], wadoviana.euClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.10.05]
bibliograhical:, „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, Fr Peter Lamprecht, OSA, private correspondence, 18.05.2019,
original images:
cyfrowa.biblioteka.krakow.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.20], cyfrowa.biblioteka.krakow.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.20], cyfrowa.biblioteka.krakow.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.20], cyfrowa.biblioteka.krakow.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.20], cyfrowa.biblioteka.krakow.pl:8080Click to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.20], parafia-szczercow.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2022.08.17], pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.08], www.augustianie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.08], www.augustianie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.08], www.augustianie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.08], diecezja.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.08], pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.03.10], www.augustianie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2019.05.30], www.bj.uj.edu.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.05.19], www.harmeze.franciszkanie.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.03.21]
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