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Maximilian Kolbe , a Polish priest, was the most unusual prisoner of a death camp Auschwitz. This humble friar acted like a true messenger of God in a place that was nothing more but Hell on Earth!
Kolbe was a greatly educated man. He had studied philosophy, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and psychology in Rome. He had a mind of an inventor-he even designed a spaceship. Kolbe started the largest catholic press office in Poland for his time and the monastery with the biggest amount of monks (762 brothers) in the world at that time called Niepokalanow. His love for Niepokalana (The Immaculate Conception) was the driving force for all of his actions.
Kolbe- the one with the beard
In 1941 brother Maximilian was arrested by Gestapo and soon in May taken to Auswitch. Germans treated the Jews worst of all there, and catholic priests were number two on the list of hatred. He worked as a woodcutter in the camp so he had to carry heavy timber on his back. Kolbe always got a double amount to carry and every time he fell down , he was bitten by the guards. He never complained. When he was ill, he was given 50% of a 'hunger food' and still he shared this very little with his companions. He was always compassionate and caring towards others. At nights he prayed and heard confessions (although it was strictly forbidden by Gestapo) . He taught his fellow prisoners not to answer hatred to hatred.
On July 29, 1941 one person was missing from Kolbe's barracks and the Nazi told all the inmates to stand still whole day and night with no food ,no caps in a freezing cold. The next day the Germans called an assembly of the prisoners and were going to choose 10 people to die starvation death as a form of punishment and to deter further escape attempts. When a young man called Franciszek Gajowniczek was appointed to death, he cried out' Jesus , my wife, my children!' The Germans ignored his calling. At that time Maximilian walked forward. Leaving the row without permission was breaking one of the most severe Nazi rules and meant one thing- death. The other prisoners were sure the SS would kill Kolbe on the spot but the Germans stood still in shock that someone had dared to break their order. Kolbe was very calm when the officer in charge of the concentration camp asked another SS man- "What does this Polish swine want?" (in German). They wanted to get an interpreter but Kolbe understood German and standing still he replied in their language " I want to die instead of him" "Who are you?" was the next question" "A Polish priest" he replied . Saying that demanded enormous courage as Germans hated priests as I said before. But then, the SS captain did something never seen in that place. Instead of addressing the prisoner in a vulgar 'you' he said ' why do you want to die for him, sir?" Sir is a word no German never before and never after said to a prisoner.The priest said' He has a wife and kids' A while later the SS man agreed to this unusual change.
During the time in the cell, Maximilian Maria Kolbe prayed with the men and prepared them for the meeting with the Father in Heaven. He heard confessions and raised their spirits. After three weeks of dehydration and starvation, only Kolbe and three others were still alive. Finally, he was murdered with an injection of carbolic acid.
On 10 October 1982 Maximilian Kolbe was canonized by the Polish Pope John Paul II in the presence of the man , whose life he had saved.
