Priests were especially persecuted from 1939 to 1941. Later, in 1942-43 the repressions were eased. For example in Dachau priest barracks were separated from ordinary “haftlings”(prisoners); they were allowed to some religious rituals, at first privileged to the german priests only; the chapel (barrack 26) was commonly used. The essesman guards joked that this was a “circus” however, did not obstruct it. But for Polish clergy all religious practices were forbidden. In the time of “relative tolerance” priests had not been forced to work and received better meals. As it was revealed later, the improvement happened thanks to the Church of Rome. Parcels started to appear, which were partially transferred to “zugangs” (new inmates). Spiritual support was given, advice, lessons of theology, philosophy and Canonical Law, even some haftlings become priests; of course, all of that in deep secrecy. Also letters {from the camp- SP} had been written for prisoners who did not know the german language. Priests helped people in a common sense; in keeping up high spirits and morality. In my notebook, brought back with me to Poland, there are many names of priests supporting their needy brothers. Unfortunately, this activity was not fully approved by communist co-prisoners. Comis and a great percentage of socialists, who started to be a dominant group in the camps did not tolerate “reactionists who hunted souls” among prisoners.

Then, in 1944 and 45, priests were forced again to work. The old methods returned: bishop Kazal was beaten to death in Dachau; priest Josef Pawlowski from Kielce was murdered because he refused to trample the Crucifix. In Dachau 930 diocese priests and monks were killed. Several volunteers for male nursing of inmates died from a typhus epidemic in the hospital- so they paid for their service with their lives.

Some priests were exposed to pseudo-medical experiments, as follows:

Czeslaw Sejbiuk, Stefan Frelihowski (#22 759), Piotr Przywara, Henryk Kornacki (31 215), Michal Matras

(30 295), Stefan Ceptowski (22 586), Stanislaw Swierczek (28 448), father Styczny (from Niepokalanow), Zdzislaw Skorupinski (22 534), Kazimierz Majdanski (22 829), Wladyslaw Klos (22 744), Leon Michalowski (22 769) and Leopold Bilko (22 045- we [the author] were together in the hospital), Leszek Grabowski, Adam Kozlowiecki (22 187- now, {1990} an archbishop in Zambia), Stefan Kowalski (28 289); next “soccer-players” on the camp team: Stefan Frankowski, Wilhelm Matura, Antoni Brzoska (22 072), Franscisan Przybyla (22 513) and non-soccer-players: Boleslaw Chrzanowski (30 280 from Bieliny/Kielce), Szczepan Domagala (25 285- Karczowka/Kielce), Franciszek Wajda from Kielce, Jan Planeta (22 191), Jan Mazur (48 095) and Jozef Golab (31 207). Some of the above are well known to me, with some I am linked even today eg: bishop Adam Kozlowiecki, Stefan Ceptowski (from Koscian), father Capucin Z.Skorupinski (from Lublin), S.Swierczek from Pabjanice).

All together in Dachau {there, the ss mainly concentrated clergies- SP} were 2720 clerics. In this group, the majority were Poles (1780), next Germans (450) and Czechs (110), there were several Frenchman and a few Duchman, Jugoslaws, Belgs, Italians, Luxemburgians, Danes, Lithuenians etc. Monks: the majority Franciscans, Jesuits, Werbists, Oblats and Salesjanis. Poles occupied barracks {“blocks”} 28 and 30, other nations- barrack 26.

At the beginning of 1945 {from Dachau, mostly germans- SP} 300 clergy members were released, including 70 Poles. In April, because the camp was terribly crowded and overpopulated, all clergy lived in barrack 26; but they were allowed to preach, and even celebrated Mass.

In Gross-Rosen (Reichenau) the following clergy were incarcerated: fathers Ludwik Muzalewski (died in the camp) and Tadeusz Modzelewski (also murdered there), also the Jesuit Jean Mousse, a Frechmen.

When the war was finished, there remained in Mauthausen 48 priests, in Gross-Rosen 36 and a few clergy members in other main camps or their sub-divisions:

In Ravensbruck, the nuns organized the religious life.

Finally, let me mention that among Jews, the very first marked for death, were rabbis. They were particularly tortured and humiliated untill death.

As I stated, polish priests had highest losses among other nations. They died in concentration camps and in prisons, during persecuting processes, in times of street round-ups, and other circumstances. The losses were as follows in the listed dioceses:

Chelm*- 337, Poznan and Wloclawek- 224 (each), Gniezno- 139, Lodz- 131, Warsaw- 118, Wilno*- 78, Katowice- 64, Czestochowa- 63, Lwow*- 61, Lublin- 53, Pinsk*- 50, Lomza- 45, Krakow and Przemysl*- 40 (each), Luck*- 38 , Sandomierz and Podlasie* – 28 (each), Tarnow- 26, Plock- 16, Kielce- 14, Gdansk- 8, Kamieniec*- 3, Warmia and Pilsko*- 2 (each). Among the above 1930 murdered, there were six bishops. To this losses should be added 250 monks and approx. 30 nuns {although these low numbers seem unlikely, SP}.

The total loss among polish clergy was 68%.

{The asterix (*) shows regions occupied in 1939 to 1941 by soviets, where Polish clergy and Poles were murdered or sent to Siberia with an even worse fury then by the germanic “order”- SP}

Another books about the losses among polish (not only) clergy was written by:

-Father Adam Kozlowiecki [UCISK I STRAPIENIE- OPRESSION AND SUFFERING, published by Apostolstwo Modlitwy – Apostoles of Preaching, Krakow 1967], listing many polish priests and showing not very high moral attitude of incarcerated german priests toward Poles;

-Jan Domagala [CI KTORZY PRZESZLI PRZEZ DACHAU- THOSE WHO WENT THROUGH DACHAU, Pax, Warsaw 1957] shows 76 transports containing priests, listed by father Jan Wos, TO Auschwitz- among them, 43 seems to be not listed in a monumental KALENDARIUM of the KL AUSCHWITZ [in Polish, Danuta Czech, Auschwitz Museum, 1992] also 31 such transports FROM Auschwitz, with 24 of them not listed in the KALENDARIUM;

-Stanislaw Czerpak, Wyd. Literackie- Literary, Publ., Krakow 1972 about the WWII losses in the Krakow area contains very interesting data in MIEJSCA MECZENSTWA- PLACES OF ATROCITY. The author claims 67 clergy members of Krakow Church were killed- 53 in Auschwitz and 14 in Dachau;

-Lucas,A.dr FORGOTTEN HOLOCAUST [University of Kentucky, 1986]- however very objective and appealing, uses the official figers, given by commis of Poland- accordingly: (only) 16% of Polish clergy perished during the WWII, among 6 million murdered Poles. Polish emigree historian Krzesinski,A., dr of theology, in his book POLAND’S RIGHT TO JUSTICE [Devi-Adair, NY 1946] claims that Poland lost during the 6 years of that war 12.2 million citizens (1/3-rd of its population from 1939).