Salezjanie w obozie Auschwitz

The process of beatification of the second group of World War II martyrs provided an opportunity to remember among those Servants of God eight Salesians who were prisoners at the Auschwitz camp. In 1999, Fr. Joseph Kowalski was already added to the group of those beatified. Between the years 1940-1945, at least 1, 300, 000 people were taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Among this number were 464 priests, monks, and seminarians and 35 nuns from Poland and other countries of occupied Europe. Most of them perished in Auschwitz or other camps to which they were transferred. Among those imprisoned in Auschwitz, there were 22 Salesians whose fate well illustrates the fate of all the clergy in the camp. Many of them (13) died in the camp, some very shortly after registration at the camp. Two more died after being transferred to Dachau, and one to Neuengamme. Only 6 survived the war out of the group of Salesians relocated to Dachau where clergy imprisoned in various camps were starting to be concentrated. This article recalls the circumstances of their arrest and fate in the camp. This historical research was based on preserved camp records as well as the testimonies of survivors who had been in contact with the Salesians during their stay in the camp.