Photo: Auschwitz 1, the former Polish army barracks which the SS commandeered as a prison for Polish army officers, Poles, Jews, subversives, and others. This is a substantial complex of brick multi-story blocks, unlike Auschwitz 2, which was mostly wooden blocks. I found the place sombre and still, a place of confronting horror. This is the place where the Catholic priest and subversive Maximilian Kolbe exchanged places with a young Jewish man because he was a husband and father and had a future to live. The commandant agreed to the exchange. Kolbe was starved to death, although he was given a mercy injection after three weeks.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” Elie Wiesel
Life Became Him
Quietly he ventured an offer to
the commandant lusting for reprisal,
one young father not ready for some version of heaven,
and persuaded, the commandant exchanges the two,
the priest is starved in the doorway of eternity.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Paul, pvcann.com
parallax 
So very powerful. So sad too.
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Thank you, yes, we have not done well.
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I hope that one day there won’t be a necessity of sacrifices like that, that’s what I really, really wish. As long as this is not the case, those sacrifices are the candlelight we can orient on, in dark so dark days. We can only give our best every day to remain compassionate, humble, simply human, never cease to try. Best wishes from Vienna.
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Thank you so much for your thoughts and wishes too. Yes, I too hope that one day … I hope every morning that I will awaken to find a more compassionate world.
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“Starved in the doorway of eternity.” That’s a powerful image and line. Well done. 👌
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Many thanks indeed, glad you liked that 🙂
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Gave me something to read at 3 am, thanks! 🙌
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In the southern hemisphere it is now 6.25 p.m. I’m impressed at your early morn read.
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Comes from not sleeping.
I hope you have a good one today! 👍😀
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You too, and I know insomnia well, so I hope you find some respite. 🙂
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Thanks!
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Very sobering – words so few but so powerful
>
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Thank you, I wonder that we will ever see a different world, but I do keep hoping.
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Somber words of honor and respect for this priest, and life. A man who lived what he believed. Thank you for this.
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An amazing thing to do, yes, respect, thank you so much.
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A fitting tribute for a brave and selfless servant of Christ.
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An amazing gift to the world, thank you Liz.
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Awww so sad….
Happy new year Paul..
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Happy New Year Mich, and thank you
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Very powerful words. Thank you! I will never understand how people were able to do such these things.
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My pleasure, nice to bring his story to the fore once again.
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Thank you so much, Paul! We really should never forget.
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Indeed, yes.
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What a haunting tale and poem. That one man could sacrifice himself for another gives hope – such tragedy that one would be placed in such a position,.
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I love your summary, yes hope in tragedy, that it should be so is double tragedy. Thank you VJ
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Welcome, Paul. Happy year!
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Happy New Year Vj
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Thank you for your poem, Paul, and for the background info. For all the horrors the world can hold there are joys and blessings that people share making it possible for life to go on. Thank you for sharing.
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My pleasure, so glad you enjoyed it, yes, there are so many positive examples, though at great cost, for us to look to.
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Reblogged this on THE FLENSBURG FILES and commented:
Poem dedicated to those who perished in Auschwitz before it was liberated in 1945.
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Many thanks for the reblog, much appreciated.
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