Died: 14 August 1941 (Auschwitz Concentration Camp)
Father Kolbe is often remembered for how he died while a WWII prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
However, during his life he accomplished much, even while battling tuberculosis which left him frail in health.
He co-founded the Immaculata Movement, published a magazine Knight of the Immaculate which ran over 70,000 issues. Went to Japan in 1930, without money, not knowing Japanese, founded a monastery which still serves today. After Japan, he went to India to found another monastery. Then he returned to Poland and started a radio station.
For work considered anti-Nazi, the presses were shut down and Father Kolbe was arrested. On 28 May 1941, he was sent to Auschwitz and branded prisoner 16670.
In July 1941 there was an escape from Auschwitz. Ten men had to be killed for each escaped prisoner.
Francis Gajowniczek, a married man with children was chosen to die. He cried out about his family.
Father Kolbe stepped forward and volunteered to take his place. He spent three weeks in the death cell without food or water.
On August 14, only four of the original ten men sent to the death cell were still alive. Father Kolbe was killed with lethal injection of carbonic acid. His body was burned in the ovens of the death camp and ashes scattered.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. ~~John 15:13
Francis Gajowniczek, the man for whom Maximilian Kolbe gave his life, survived the war and was present at the 1971 beatification (blessing) ceremony of Father Kolbe. Gajowniczek died in 1995.
