Jan Mosdorf
Encyclopedia
Jan Mosdorf was a Polish
right-wing politician, director of the nationalist
organization All-Polish Youth
(Młodziez Wszechpolska, MW) and member of the far-right political party National Radical Camp (ONR). He also worked as a publicist, using the pseudonym Andrzej Witkowski. Mosdorf died in Auschwitz concentration camp
in 1943, killed for helping Jews.
) some time in 1926. Two years later, he completed his philosophy studies, earning an M.A. degree (later, he also earned a PhD in philosophy, writing about works of Auguste Comte
, under supervision of Prof. Wladyslaw Tatarkiewicz
). As a student, he was a member of several right-wing youth organizations. He wrote articles for nationalist magazines, always claiming that Germany
was Poland’s main enemy and that Poland should gain control over the Western part of Upper Silesia
and Masuria
.
In 1928, during the IV Congress of the MW, which took place in Lwów, he was elected director of the organization. Mosdorf was widely liked by fellow members of the MW; his appearances were always associated with applause. Later on, he had to hide for some time because he was a member of the ONR, and the government had incarcerated several activists of the organization in the Bereza Kartuska prison
.
In late 1939, after Polish September Campaign, he returned to the conspirational Stronnictwo Narodowe. He was one of leaders of the party, and he helped with the creation of the anti-Nazi paramilitary
units known as Narodowa Organizacja Wojskowa. In July 1940, Mosdorf was arrested and placed in Gestapo
's infamous Pawiak
prison. On January 6, 1941, he was sent to Auschwitz. While there, Mosdorf met his friend from ONR, Bolesław Świderski, whose support was crucial.
Until then, Mosdorf had regarded Jews as enemies of Poland and the Polish nation. After surviving typhus
, however, he changed his attitude and started to help fellow inmates, regardless of their nationality
and religion. In Auschwitz, where he knew that Jews were being exterminated, he organized a group that helped those in need. He was a very active member, procuring food and clothes for starving and cold inmates. Professor Irina Livezeanu from University of Pittsburgh
wrote: "Mosdorf did everything in his power to help the Jews in the Auschwitz camp, and he died together with the Jews."
Details of Mosdorf's death are unknown. Reportedly, he was denounced either by a Belarus
sian anti-semite or by Józef Cyrankiewicz
, who later became prime minister of communist
Poland. On September 25, 1943, Mosdorf was placed in the Pavilion XI, and on October 11 he was executed with a group of other inmates. His symbolic tomb is located at the Powązkowski Cemetery in Warsaw.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
right-wing politician, director of the nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
organization All-Polish Youth
All-Polish Youth
The All-Polish Youth is a Polish nationalist youth group, formerly affiliated with the League of Polish Families, with a Catholic-National philosophy. Its agenda declares that its aim is to raise Polish youth in a Catholic and patriotic spirit....
(Młodziez Wszechpolska, MW) and member of the far-right political party National Radical Camp (ONR). He also worked as a publicist, using the pseudonym Andrzej Witkowski. Mosdorf died in Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
in 1943, killed for helping Jews.
Biography
Mosdorf associated himself with the National Democratic movement (founded by Roman DmowskiRoman Dmowski
Roman Stanisław Dmowski was a Polish politician, statesman, and chief ideologue and co-founder of the National Democracy political movement, which was one of the strongest political camps of interwar Poland.Though a controversial personality throughout his life, Dmowski was instrumental in...
) some time in 1926. Two years later, he completed his philosophy studies, earning an M.A. degree (later, he also earned a PhD in philosophy, writing about works of Auguste Comte
Auguste Comte
Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte , better known as Auguste Comte , was a French philosopher, a founder of the discipline of sociology and of the doctrine of positivism...
, under supervision of Prof. Wladyslaw Tatarkiewicz
Wladyslaw Tatarkiewicz
Władysław Tatarkiewicz was a Polish philosopher, historian of philosophy, historian of art, esthetician, and ethicist.-Life:As he describes in his 1979 Memoirs, it was a chance encounter with a male relative, whose height made him stand out above the crowd at a Kraków railroad station, upon the...
). As a student, he was a member of several right-wing youth organizations. He wrote articles for nationalist magazines, always claiming that Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was Poland’s main enemy and that Poland should gain control over the Western part of Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
and Masuria
Masuria
Masuria is an area in northeastern Poland famous for its 2,000 lakes. Geographically, Masuria is part of two adjacent lakeland districts, the Masurian Lake District and the Iława Lake District...
.
In 1928, during the IV Congress of the MW, which took place in Lwów, he was elected director of the organization. Mosdorf was widely liked by fellow members of the MW; his appearances were always associated with applause. Later on, he had to hide for some time because he was a member of the ONR, and the government had incarcerated several activists of the organization in the Bereza Kartuska prison
Bereza Kartuska prison
The Bereza Kartuska detention camp was a Polish prison, principally for political prisoners of the sanacja regime, that was operated in 1934–39 at Bereza Kartuska in the former Polesie Province ....
.
We [Polish nationalists] are not fascists, nor Hitlerites, for we are a native Polish movement, independent of foreign views. Additionally, we do not see ourselves as fascists or Nazis due to the many weaknesses, and even sins, these movements carry. These are not examples we would want to follow.- Jan Mosdorf "Wczoraj i Jutro", 1938
In late 1939, after Polish September Campaign, he returned to the conspirational Stronnictwo Narodowe. He was one of leaders of the party, and he helped with the creation of the anti-Nazi paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
units known as Narodowa Organizacja Wojskowa. In July 1940, Mosdorf was arrested and placed in Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
's infamous Pawiak
Pawiak
Pawiak was a prison built in 1835 in Warsaw, Poland.During the January 1863 Uprising, it served as a transfer camp for Poles sentenced by Imperial Russia to deportation to Siberia....
prison. On January 6, 1941, he was sent to Auschwitz. While there, Mosdorf met his friend from ONR, Bolesław Świderski, whose support was crucial.
Until then, Mosdorf had regarded Jews as enemies of Poland and the Polish nation. After surviving typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
, however, he changed his attitude and started to help fellow inmates, regardless of their nationality
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
and religion. In Auschwitz, where he knew that Jews were being exterminated, he organized a group that helped those in need. He was a very active member, procuring food and clothes for starving and cold inmates. Professor Irina Livezeanu from University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
wrote: "Mosdorf did everything in his power to help the Jews in the Auschwitz camp, and he died together with the Jews."
Details of Mosdorf's death are unknown. Reportedly, he was denounced either by a Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
sian anti-semite or by Józef Cyrankiewicz
Józef Cyrankiewicz
Józef Cyrankiewicz was a Polish Socialist, after 1948 Communist political figure. He served as premier of the People's Republic of Poland between 1947 and 1952, and again between 1954 and 1970...
, who later became prime minister of communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Poland. On September 25, 1943, Mosdorf was placed in the Pavilion XI, and on October 11 he was executed with a group of other inmates. His symbolic tomb is located at the Powązkowski Cemetery in Warsaw.
Works
- Jan Mosdorf, "Wczoraj i Jutro", 1938 reprint Agencja Wydawniczo-Reklamowa "ARTE", 2005, ISBN 8392158601, 9788392158608,