# Death of Maximilian Kolbe (1941)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1941-death-of-maximilian-kolbe
Location: Auschwitz, Poland
Themes: Saint

The Franciscan friar volunteers to die in place of a prisoner at Auschwitz. At this point in the timeline (14 August 1941), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Pius XII (2 March 1939 – 9 October 1958).

## Why it matters
Death of Maximilian Kolbe mattered because the life and witness of the people involved became a lasting example venerated by Christians.

Pope at the time: [Pope Pius XII](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-pius-xii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Maximilian Kolbe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_Kolbe)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Death of Maximilian Kolbe](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Death+of+Maximilian+Kolbe)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)