• OUR LADY of CZĘSTOCHOWA: st Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionOUR LADY of CZĘSTOCHOWA
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
link to OUR LADY of PERPETUAL HELP in SŁOMCZYN infoSITE LOGO

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

  • St SIGISMUND: St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
  • St SIGISMUND: XIX c., feretory, St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland; source: own collectionSt SIGISMUND
    XIX c., feretory
    St Sigismund parish church, Słomczyn, Poland
    source: own collection
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Martyrology of the clergy — Poland

XX century (1914 – 1989)

personal data

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  • PEŁKA Leo, source: www.myheritage.pl, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOPEŁKA Leo
    source: www.myheritage.pl
    own collection

surname

PEŁKA

forename(s)

Leo (pl. Leon)

  • PEŁKA Leo - Commemorative plaque, St Martin church, Świekatowo, source: commons.wikimedia.org, own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOPEŁKA Leo
    Commemorative plaque, St Martin church, Świekatowo
    source: commons.wikimedia.org
    own collection
  • PEŁKA Leo - Commemorative plaque, porch, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven cathedral, Pelplin, source: own collection; CLICK TO ZOOM AND DISPLAY INFOPEŁKA Leo
    Commemorative plaque, porch, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven cathedral, Pelplin
    source: own collection

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

08.11.1939

Mniszek - Grupa foresttoday: Dragacz gm., Świecie pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.12.18]

details of death

During German occupation (Prussian partition of Poland), while studying at the Germ. Königliches Katholisches Gymnasium (Eng. Royal Catholic Gymnasium) in Chełmno, member (1899‑1907) and leader (1901‑1903) of the school chapter of the Polish clandestine student self–education Pomeranian Philomaths organization.

During World War I drafted into German army as a chaplain. Ministered in Wałcz, Szczecin and on the Western Front in France. In 1918 demobilised in colonel rank.

After German invasion of Poland on 01.09.1939 (the Russians attacked Poland 17 days later) and the start of World War II, on 02.09.1939 a Polish–German battle took place near Świekatowo, where ministered, ending with the defeat of Polish troops. During it, c. 175 Polish soldiers lost their lives. The next day, after entering Świekatowo, German soldiers began to drive people out of their homes and burn houses. Carried out at least three executions of Poles in different parts of the village, murdering 22 people (according to some sources, 26 Poles). Administered last rites to the murdered Poles.

After start of German occupation arrested by the Germans on 22.10.1939.

Jailed in Luszkówek and Świecie on Vistula river.

From there transported to execution site and murdered.

cause of death

mass murder

perpetrators

Germans

date and place
of birth

11.04.1886

Kruszynytoday: Bobrowo gm., Brodnica pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]

presbyter (holy orders)
ordination

02.04.1911 (St Barbara Theological Seminary chapel in Pelplin)

positions held

1939

parish priest — Świekatowotoday: Świekatowo gm., Świecie pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ St Martin, the Bishop and Confessor RC parish ⋄ Świecietoday: Świecie gm., Świecie pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
RC deanery

1928 – 1939

parish priest — Kurzętniktoday: Kurzętnik gm., Nowe Miasto Lubawskie pov., Warmia–Masuria voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
⋄ St Mary Magdalene 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

1928

administrator — Toruńtoday: Toruń city pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.20]
⋄ St James the Apostle RC parish ⋄ Toruńtoday: Toruń city pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.20]
RC deanery — acting („ad interim”)

1920 – 1928

director — Grudziądztoday: Grudziądz city pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ Stanislav Staszic's State Teachers' Seminary for Men

activist — Grudziądztoday: Grudziądz city pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.09.02]
⋄ People's University

1918 – 1919

director — Wałcztoday: Wałcz gm., Wałcz pov., West Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18]
⋄ Teachers' Seminary

c. 1915 – 1918

chaplain — German Imperial Army

from 1914

prefect — Wałcztoday: Wałcz gm., Wałcz pov., West Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.07.18]
⋄ Teachers' Seminary — after passing the state examination obtained the right to teach in secondary schools

1914

prefect — Kościerzynatoday: Kościerzyna urban gm., Kościerzyna pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.20]
⋄ Teachers' Seminary

1913 – 1914

vicar — Kościerzynatoday: Kościerzyna urban gm., Kościerzyna pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.08.20]
⋄ Holy Trinity RC parish ⋄ Mirachowotoday: Kartuzy gm., Kartuzy pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27]
RC deanery

1912 – 1913

vicar — GdańskWrzeszcz borough
today: Gdańsk city pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland

more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.28]
⋄ Sacred Heart of Jesus RC parish

1911 – 1912

vicar — GdańskŚródmieście district
today: Gdańsk city pov., Pomerania voiv., Poland

more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.02.24]
⋄ Holy Spirit RC chapel (King's) ⋄ St Nicholas RC parish

1909 – 1911

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

1907 – 1909

student — Würzburgtoday: Würzburg urban dist., Lower Franconia reg., Bavaria state, Germany
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.08.05]
⋄ philosophy and theology, [Germ. Königlich Bayerische Julius–Maximilians–Universität i.e. Eng. Royal Bavarian Julius–Maximilian University / Germ. Julius–Maximilians–Universität i.e. Eng. Julius–Maximilian University (from 1918)]

1906 – 1907

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

1911 – 1927

membership — Toruńtoday: Toruń city pov., Kuyavia–Pomerania voiv., Poland
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2021.06.20]
⋄ scientific society

others related
in death

BERTELClick to display biography Ceslav, BORUCKIClick to display biography, BRZÓSKOWSKIClick to display biography Vladislav, BURDYNClick to display biography Bernard Frederick, BUSSClick to display biography Casimir, CZOGAŁAClick to display biography Ignatius, ZNANIECKIClick to display biography Sebastian, ECHAUSTClick to display biography Bruno, HOŁUBOWSKIClick to display biography Bonaventure, JAKUBIAKClick to display biography Boleslav, KNEBLEWSKIClick to display biography Vaclav, KOTEWICZClick to display biography Stanislav, KOWALClick to display biography Henry Stanislav, KUCZYŃSKIClick to display biography Marian, MAKOWSKIClick to display biography Roman, MALORNYClick to display biography Francis, MAŃKIEWICZClick to display biography Henry, MEGGERClick to display biography Vladislav, MIKUCZEWSKIClick to display biography Louis, NODZYŃSKIClick to display biography Andrew, REPIŃSKIClick to display biography Sigismund Louis, ROGALSKIClick to display biography John, SOŁTYSIAKClick to display biography John, WALECKIClick to display biography Vaclav, WOJTASZEWSKIClick to display biography Casimir, ŻUKOWSKIClick to display biography Vincent, BOKClick to display biography Francis, KĄDZIELAClick to display biography Alphonse, SZYBOWSKIClick to display biography Francis, ZIELIŃSKIClick to display biography Heliodorus

murder sites
camp 
(+ prisoner no)

Mniszek / Grupa forest: From 10.1939 till approx. 04.1940 in the complex of forests by villages of Mniszek (in a former gravel mine) and Grupa (on the former Polish military training ground), c. 16 km to the north–east of Świecie and c. 10 km to the west of Grudziądz, Germans murdered in mass executions approx. 10,000 Poles, brought from prison in Świecie, from Psychiatric Hospital in Świecie (c. 1,000 patients — the patients were brought in parties 60‑strong, having been given sedatives prior to dispatch), prison in Grudziądz, internment camp in Nowe on Vistula, from Steyler Missionaries (Verbite friars) missionary house in Górna Grupa — mainly intelligentsia, from Świecie, Bydgoszcz, Chełmno, Grudziądz and Starogard Gdański counties in Pomerania. Among the victims were c. 120 children brought out under a school trip guise. Murders were perpetrated by Germans from Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz and SS genocidal organisations. Wehrmacht soldiers served as truck drivers. The victims were being killed of with shovels, sticks, sometimes buried alive. Those who attempted to defend themselves were hung. In 1944 Germand dug out most of the bodies and burnt them. (more on: groby.radaopwim.gov.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.01.13]
, pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19]
)

Świecie: Detention centre run by Germans. Many of the prisoners were prob. also held in the buildings of the National Pomeranian Psychiatric Institute in Świecie, particulary after 22.10.1939 when Germans murdered most of its patients. Most of the prisoners in 1939 Germans took to Mniszek‑Grupa and executed. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19]
)

«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]
)

Pomeranian Philomaths: Secret societies of Polish youth, aiming at self–education, patriotic in form and content, functioning 1830‑1920, mainly in secondary schools — gymnasia — in Pomerania around Vistula river (Gdańsk Pomerania and Chełmno county), in Prussian–occupied Polish territories (one of the partitions of Poland). On 08.01.1901 Germans conducted a series of interrogations of students at Chełmno, Brodnica and Toruń gymnasiums. On 09‑12.09.1901 the first of court trials of Polish students from those gymnasiums and students of Theological Seminary in Pelplin was held in Toruń. 1 person was sentenced to 3 months in prison, 1 to 2 months, 3 to 6 weeks, 7 to 3 weeks, 2 to 2 weeks, 19 to a week, 2 to 1 day, 10 were reprimanded. 15 were cleared. More definitive penalties were relegations from the schools with so‑called wolf’s ticket, forbidding sentenced students to continue secondary and higher studies in Prussia (Germany). Among those penalized were a few future Catholic priests — those were able to continue their education for the Chełmno diocese bishop, Bp August Rosentreter, refused to relegate students from Theological Seminary. (more on: pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.11.18]
)

sources

personal:
groby.radaopwim.gov.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.01.13]
, www.niedziela.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2015.09.30]
, www.myheritage.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2013.01.13]
, pl.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19]

bibliographical:
Biographical dictionary of priests of the Chełmno diocese ordained in the years 1821‑1920”, Henry Mross, Pelplin, 1995
original images:
www.myheritage.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.03.25]
, commons.wikimedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.11.18]

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MARTYROLOGY: PEŁKA Leo

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