Maximilian Maria Kolbe

Maksymilian Maria Kolbe was born in Poland, on January 8, 1894, died in Auschwitz on August 14, 1941. His real name was Rajmund Kolbe. He joined the Order of Friars Minor Conventual in 1907 and became priest in 1914. Father Maksymilian Maria Kolbe worked as a missionary in Poland, China, Japan, and Italy.

He was imprisoned in Auschwitz. There he volunteered to be starved to death instead of Franciszek Gajowniczek (the latter one was among the men sentenced to death because three other prisoners had escaped from the concentration camp). After two weeks of starvation, Maksymilian Maria was still alive so the camp guards killed him with a lethal injection. He was the first Christian WW2 martyr.

Maksymilian Maria Kolbe was recognized as a Blessed Person in 1971. He was proclaimed Saint in 1982.

The two above cards I was given a long time ago, when I was a primary school kid. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe was still regarded as a Blessed one then.

Saint Maksymilian Maria Kolbe's attributes are his camp prisoner's number 16670, concentration camp outfit, glasses, a book, a rosary made of bread, and a palm leaf.

He is the saint patron of prisoners, families, journalists, blood donors, and Esperantists.
The feast day of St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe is August 14.