Antoni Dunajecki (1882–1945)
Antoni Dunajecki (born October 25, 1882 in Łącko, died April 1, 1945 in Kolbuszowa) – Polish Roman Catholic priest, parish priest of All Saints Parish in Kolbuszowa (1929–1945) and Righteous Among the Nations[1]. He previously served as parish priest in Brzeziny (1916–1929) and was dean of the Kolbuszowa deanery[2]. During World War II, he was active in the underground (under the pseudonym “Komin”) in the Podkarpacie region[3] and became famous for helping Jews persecuted by the German occupiers. For these deeds, he was posthumously awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations (2019)[4]. He was also awarded the Gold and Silver Cross of Merit[5]. During his lifetime, he was considered a figure of outstanding social merit, and in the post-war years, his memory was cultivated in the Kolbuszowa region, among other things, through commemorations at the parish cemetery and the naming of one of the town's streets after him[6].
Childhood and adolescence
Antoni Dunajecki was born to Antoni Bobak and Maria, née Schmidt[7]. Initially, he bore the surname Bobak, but later adopted the surname Dunajecki. From an early age, he was educated locally – he attended elementary school in Łącko, and then middle school in Nowy Sącz (1896–1901) and Tarnów (1901–1904)[8]. He was one of the first students of the so-called Minor Seminary in Tarnów, where he prepared for the priesthood[9]. In 1904, he passed his high school final exams. Between 1904 and 1908, he continued his theological studies at the Seminary in Tarnów, preparing for ordination. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1908, by the Bishop of Tarnów.[10]
After his ordination, Dunajecki began working as a curate. Between 1908 and 1910, he served in the parish of Wielopole Skrzyńskie (Dębica deanery), and then, from August 1910, he worked as a curate in the parish of St. Nicholas in Bochnia.[11] Between 1912 and 1916, he also taught catechism in primary school, which emphasized his commitment to the education of young people. Already at the beginning of his priestly service, he showed great zeal and care for the development of religious life in parishes, which prepared the ground for his later pastoral functions.
Adult age
In February 1916, Dunajecki was appointed parish priest of St. Nicholas Parish in Brzeziny (Dębica County)[12]. As the pastor there, he gained a reputation as an energetic organizer: he initiated renovations of the church, created fish ponds as a source of income for the parish, and inherited the vicar's house from his predecessor, which could serve the declining population[13]. In February 1924, he was awarded the title of Inspector of Religious Education, which testified to his position among the clergy. On December 11, 1928, he submitted a request for transfer. On April 15, 1929, he was appointed parish priest of All Saints Parish in Kolbuszowa and dean of the Kolbuszowa deanery[14].
As parish priest in Kolbuszowa, he oversaw the expansion of the parish church: between 1929 and 1935, the church underwent a thorough expansion to accommodate the growing number of parishioners[15]. In 1938, Dunajecki personally painted a picture of St. Bartholomew, which was placed above the main altar in neighboring Samocice, demonstrating his artistic talents and passion for sacred art[16]. In recognition of his social achievements, he received secular awards even before the war: on November 11, 1936 – the Gold Cross of Merit (and later also the Silver Cross of Merit)[17]. He was also an active collaborator of the local Church, contributing to the Gazeta Kościelna newspaper and participating in the spiritual life of the region[18].
After the outbreak of World War II, Dunajecki immediately became involved in helping those in need and in underground activities. In November 1939, he was arrested by the Gestapo, but was released on the same day[19]. During the occupation, he was an active collaborator of the Polish resistance movement (ZWZ-AK) in the Rzeszów region[20]. At the same time, he actively helped the poorest residents: in the parish vicarage in Kolbuszowa, he organized a temporary soup kitchen, where about 100 meals a day were served to the poor and displaced[21]. He also collected food (bread) for political prisoners held in prisons in Rzeszów and Pustków, and, with his consent, secret high school classes were held on the parish grounds[22].
Context of saving Jews
Before the war, half of Kolbuszowa's inhabitants were Jews, and the symbol of the town was intertwined hands with a cross and a Star of David, emphasizing the good relations between Poles and Jews.[23] Introduced in September 1941, the Kolbuszowa ghetto encompassed almost the entire Jewish population of the town. In October 1942, the Germans, also using prisoners employed in the liquidation of Jewish prisoners, completely liquidated the Kolbuszowa ghetto. Most of the captured inhabitants were deported to the extermination camp in Bełżec, and the few who managed to hide in the surrounding forests were threatened with liquidation.[24] Many people had already been helping: medicines, cold cuts, and money were transported to the fleeing Jews, and several Poles attempted to prepare false documents for them. One such person was Helena Kotula, an acquaintance of the Salsitz family, who, after Norman Salsitz (later using the name Tadeusz) escaped, asked the local parish priest, Father Antoni Dunajecki, to issue false documents for her and her brother Lejbusz.[25]
Description of saving Jews
Faced with imminent destruction, Norman Salsitz needed false birth certificates in order to survive under a changed identity. Helena Kotula promised to arrange this with Father Dunajecki, and the next day she delivered an extremely valuable document to him – the baptism certificate of Tadeusz Jadach[26]. It was the birth certificate of a boy who had died before the war, which, in the event of an inspection, authorized Norman to pretend to be Polish. Norman recalled that this document allowed him to “survive the war.”[27]. A few days later, Norman and his brother Lejbusz (then Ludwik) went to see Father Dunajecki together. They received a second false certificate – this time in the name of Ludwik Kunefal (1904–1936), which made them formally part of the Jadach family[28]. During their first meeting with the parish priest, they were intimidated – Dunajecki was tall and had a majestic bearing[29]. However, he quickly understood the situation, and the priest welcomed them warmly. As Norman reported, Dunajecki admitted at the time that “he had been a priest in Kolbuszowa for twenty years and had never met a Jew (...). I very much regret that I did not make an effort to get to know your people better”[30]. Thanks to these documents, the Salsitz brothers avoided detection by the Germans. They first hid in the Kolbuszowa rectory, then fled to the forest and joined a Home Army unit. There, they worked for the underground and helped Jewish families in hiding[31]. In a later account, Norman recalled that Father Dunajecki, upon learning of their fate, regretted that he had not done more in time and assured him: “I could have saved dozens of children”[32].
His further fate
Antoni Dunajecki continued his clerical service until the end of the war, despite suffering from cancer – at the end of 1944, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He died on the morning of April 1, 1945, in Kolbuszowa, at the age of almost 63[33]. He was buried in the All Saints Parish Cemetery in Kolbuszowa[34].
After the war, the memory of Dunajecki's activities was revived, especially during the Third Republic of Poland. His name was included in the prestigious list of “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem (awarded in 2019)[35]. Local authorities and social organizations regularly commemorate his sacrifice. In Kolbuszowa, people who saved Jews are honored every year – during the Holocaust Remembrance Day celebrations, candles are placed on the graves of those awarded this title, including Antoni Dunajecki[36].
Bestowal of "Righteous Among the Nations" title
In 2017, as part of the decommunization of urban space, the City Council of Kolbuszowa named one of the city streets after Father Antoni Dunajecki (previously known as Gwardii Ludowej Street).[37] Since then, Kolbuszowa has adopted the name of its distinguished parish priest.
In 2019, at the request of the Kolbuszowa community and Holocaust survivors, Dunajecki was officially honored by the Israeli Yad Vashem Institute with the title of Righteous Among the Nations[38]. It was awarded as a token of gratitude for saving the lives of Norman and Lejbusz Salsitz and for other rescue efforts. The resolution awarding the title emphasized his courage and moral charisma, which compelled him to help Jews despite the imminent risk. His story is now commemorated in schools and museums, including through exhibitions commemorating those who rescued Jews and educational competitions in Kolbuszowa. At local celebrations (e.g., psalm festivals or anniversaries of the liquidation of the ghetto), Father Dunajecki is often mentioned as a model of dedication to one's neighbor[39][40].
Footnotes
[1][7][8][10][12][14][17][19][33] K. Haptaś, Ksiądz Antoni Dunajecki (1882-1945); http://cyfrowa.bibliotekakolbuszowa.pl/Content/938/ksiadz-antoni-dunajecki.pdf
[2][5][9][11][13][15][16][18][34][35][38] wikipedia.org, Antoni Dunajecki; https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Dunajecki
[3][20] R. Zapart, Wsparcie duchowieństwa dla działalności polskiego wywiadu rozpracowującego niemieckie próby z bronią „V” na poligonie w Bliźnie w okresie II wojny światowej; https://bazhum.muzhp.pl/media/texts/rocznik-kolbuszowski/2011-tom-11/rocznik_kolbuszowski-r2011-t11-s215-224.pdf
[4][6][21][22][37] kolbuszowalokalnie, Dobra zmiana. Bohaterski ksiądz zamiast komunistycznej bandyterki; https://kolbuszowalokalnie.pl/dobra-zmiana-bohaterski-ksiadz-zamiast-komunistycznej-bandyterki/
[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] sprawiedliwi.org.pl, Zrobiłbyś dla mnie to samo; https://sprawiedliwi.org.pl/pl/historie-pomocy/wasze-opowiesci/zrobilbys-dla-mnie-samo
[31][32] donnagawell.com, Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 24: Nominating Polish Christians for the “Righteous Among the Nations” Award- I Need Your Help!; https://donnagawell.com/2017/04/22/holocaust-remembrance-day-on-april-24-nominating-polish-christians-for-the-righteous-among-the-nations-award-i-need-your-help
[36][40] kolbuszowa.pl, Dzień Pamięci o Ofiarach Holocaustu; https://kolbuszowa.pl/20-aktualnosci/55-aktualnosci/11718-dzien-pamieci-o-ofiarach-holocaustu.html?11718
[38] kolbuszowalokalnie.pl, Ks. Antoni Dunajecki – kolbuszowski proboszcz, który ratował Żydów; https://kolbuszowalokalnie.pl/ks-antoni-dunajecki-kolbuszowski-proboszcz-ktory-ratowal-zydow/
[39] rzeszow.tvp.pl, Festiwal Psalmów Dawidowych i pamięć o Tych, którzy ratowali Żydów; https://rzeszow.tvp.pl/81829498/festiwal-psalmow-dawidowych-i-pamiec-o-tych-ktorzy-ratowali-zydow
External links
K. Haptaś, Ksiądz Antoni Dunajecki (1882-1945); http://cyfrowa.bibliotekakolbuszowa.pl/Content/938/ksiadz-antoni-dunajecki.pdf
wikipedia.org, Antoni Dunajecki; https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Dunajecki
R. Zapart, Wsparcie duchowieństwa dla działalności polskiego wywiadu rozpracowującego niemieckie próby z bronią „V” na poligonie w Bliźnie w okresie II wojny światowej; https://bazhum.muzhp.pl/media/texts/rocznik-kolbuszowski/2011-tom-11/rocznik_kolbuszowski-r2011-t11-s215-224.pdf
kolbuszowalokalnie, Dobra zmiana. Bohaterski ksiądz zamiast komunistycznej bandyterki; https://kolbuszowalokalnie.pl/dobra-zmiana-bohaterski-ksiadz-zamiast-komunistycznej-bandyterki/
sprawiedliwi.org.pl, Zrobiłbyś dla mnie to samo; https://sprawiedliwi.org.pl/pl/historie-pomocy/wasze-opowiesci/zrobilbys-dla-mnie-samo
donnagawell.com, Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 24: Nominating Polish Christians for the “Righteous Among the Nations” Award- I Need Your Help!; https://donnagawell.com/2017/04/22/holocaust-remembrance-day-on-april-24-nominating-polish-christians-for-the-righteous-among-the-nations-award-i-need-your-help
kolbuszowa.pl, Dzień Pamięci o Ofiarach Holocaustu; https://kolbuszowa.pl/20-aktualnosci/55-aktualnosci/11718-dzien-pamieci-o-ofiarach-holocaustu.html?11718
kolbuszowalokalnie.pl, Ks. Antoni Dunajecki – kolbuszowski proboszcz, który ratował Żydów; https://kolbuszowalokalnie.pl/ks-antoni-dunajecki-kolbuszowski-proboszcz-ktory-ratowal-zydow/
rzeszow.tvp.pl, Festiwal Psalmów Dawidowych i pamięć o Tych, którzy ratowali Żydów; https://rzeszow.tvp.pl/81829498/festiwal-psalmow-dawidowych-i-pamiec-o-tych-ktorzy-ratowali-zydow
