(dramatic music)
- Dachau Concentration Camp was used as a place
to hold political prisoners.
Heinrich Himmler believed that the best way
to conquer the Polish nation would be to eliminate
the leadership positions and priests were one of them.
Poland had around 10,000 priests before the Second World War
and almost 20% of all the priests from Poland
ended up in Dachau.
Starting in April, 1945, the priests who were in the camp,
they could hear the bombardment of Munich.
There was this sense that Germany may lose the war.
But at the same time, they had the sense that
well, Germans will not let them leave alive.
They thought, what should we do?
So they said, well, who is the one
who took care of the Holy Family,
who was the one who protected Jesus?
It was St. Joseph.
And they wanted to turn to him for help.
They chose St. Joseph of Kalisz
as the patron they entrusted.
So they began the novena on April 14th, 1945.
And what they found out about later
is that on that very day,
Heinrich Himmler signed an order
that no prisoner would be able to leave the camp alive.
The novena ends on April 22nd,
and on that day during two masses,
over 800 people, priests and lay people
consecrate themselves to St. Joseph,
saying, we succumb to you St. Joseph,
be our defender from that evil.
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I traveled to the shrine of St. Joseph in Kalisz
the first time in 2018.
And that was occasion for me to learn
about this story of the prisoners, of the priests in Dachau.
When I found out that my grandfather was in Dachau
it was such a revelation to me.
St. Joseph in a way helped me
discover the story of my grandfather.
He arrived in Dachau two days before these priests
and lay people entrusted themselves to St. Joseph.
So he was there.
And I only wonder if he made it, if he was present
during one of these two masses
where they entrusted themselves to St. Joseph.
(dramatic music)
After the consecration, the priests waited
fully trusting in St. Joseph.
In the late afternoon of April 29,
U.S. troops liberated Dachau.
Not only did they find the surviving Polish priests,
but they also found Heinrich Himmler's orders of execution.
All the priests were to be killed.
and the entire camp razed to the ground
that evening at 9:00 p.m.
They were saved just hours before they faced certain death.
All the priests credited St. Joseph,
and they entrustment to him for the miraculous liberation.
(inspiring music)
I am certain that my grandfather was saved by St. Joseph,
and if he had not survived then I wouldn't be here.
(inspiring music)
The priests they made a promise
that they will go to St. Joseph in Kalisz
on a pilgrimage of thanksgiving.
They were instrumental to increase the awareness
of this amazing, miraculous intervention of St. Joseph.
The story of my grandfather liberated from the camp
really made me think.
What is it that God wants to say to my family?
St. Joseph is the example for all of us
how to be a husband, a father in today's world.
He sacrificed his will.
St. Joseph was willing to give up his plans.
He gave himself as a gift to Mary.
He gave himself as a gift to Jesus.
And that's something that is a model for me.
This sacrifice will lead me to a self-gift,
and that's how my vocation can be fully fulfilled.
(inspiring music)