Although Kolbe is familiar as Maximiliam, he was born with the name Raymund Kolbe on January 8, 1894 in Poland. His parents were Juliusz Kolbe from Germany and Maria Dabrowska from Poland. They had 5 sons Jozef, Franciszek, Andrzej, Raymund, and Walenty Kolbe. Even though they were of a destitute upbringing, Maximilian's …show more content…
Although Maximilian was sent free years later, he was recaptured and sent to a concentration camp in Auschwitz. It was at this camp where three prisoners escaped making the deputy commander in charge furious. As a punishment, the deputy ordered to choose 10 random men to starve to death to teach the other prisoners a lesson. Franciszek Gajowniczek was one of the chosen. He was a Polish husband and a father of two sons. When his name was called, Franciszek begged not to be killed, in fact, he yelled he had a family. In the meantime, Maximilian Kolbe saw was happening and asked the deputy if he could take his place instead. Consequently, Kolbe was executed with a lethal injection along the other prisoners on August 14, 1941.
Finally, Maximilian Kolbe is canonised as a martyr by St. Pope John Paul II in 1981. During his canonization, St. Pope John Paul II told the people "Kolbe should be known not as a martyr because he died for his faith, but because he went to the periphery to defeat evil by showing the greatest level of love, which is to die for the neighbor."For this reason, Maximilian Kolbe is a true example of discipleship, faith, and