Polish Family Beatified for Sheltering Jews During the Holocaust
In a historic event, the Catholic Church has beatified an entire family of nine who were brutally killed by Nazi Germans during World War Two for sheltering a Jewish family from the Holocaust. The beatification service for Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma and their seven children was held in the southeastern Polish town of Markowa, where they died in March 1944 at the hands of German military police.
During the beatification Mass, a priest brought to the altar relics of the Ulma family, including small children, who were killed by the Nazis for their selfless act of providing refuge to Jews. This is the first time that an entire family has been honored together in this manner, according to Vatican media.
Cardinal Marcello Semeraro read a letter from Pope Francis during the mass, announcing the beatification of the Ulma family. The Pope described the Polish family as a “ray of light” in the darkness of World War Two and said they should serve as a model for others to follow. He initiated a round of applause for the family from pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square.
Speaking at the Vatican, Pope Francis said, “We have an obligation to remember the righteous and have them as role models of who we want to be. And have to remember the collaborators because they are also role models of who we don’t want to be.”
The beatification of the Ulma family has been a significant event for the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government in Poland. It highlights the courage of those thousands of Poles who risked their lives to help Jews escape the Holocaust. However, the government’s efforts have drawn condemnation from Jewish organizations and some historians, who argue that it minimizes the role of those who collaborated with the Germans.
In the region of Markowa, where the Ulma family lived, some historians have revealed that there were local residents who looted Jewish houses, denounced Jews to Germans, or even killed them themselves. The debate surrounding the history of this region continues, with some historians calling for a balanced portrayal of the heroism of the Ulma family alongside the dark realities of Polish collaboration with the Nazis.
Regardless of the controversies, the beatification of the Ulma family has brought recognition to their selfless sacrifice and their willingness to risk their own lives to save others during a time of great darkness and persecution. They are a symbol of hope and humanity, and their story will continue to inspire generations to come.