85: Father Kolbe

On this day 85 years ago (August 14th 1941) at the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland.

(Father Maximillian Kolbe)

Ten Polish Prisoners had been condemned to die after a Prisoner had escaped. When the ten were selected, one begged and pleaded to be saved for his Wife and Children.

His name was Franciszek Gajowniczek and he was a Polish Army Sargent.

Fr. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan Friar and fellow Prisoner, had stepped forward and asked to take the place of the Family Man.

(Franciszek Gajowniczek)

The offer was accepted. The ten were marched off to a Starvation Bunker. As one by one they died, Fr. Maximilian comforted them.

The last Survivor of the ten, Fr. Maximilian was executed by lethal injection on August 14.

The Man he died to save was present in St. Peter's Square in 1982 when Fr. Maximilian was proclaimed St. Maximilian Kolbe.

Franciszek Gajowniczek died in 1995 at 93 years old.