KMT 2018 nr 2 Download PDF

The motives of life and hope in the reflection of Zofia Kossak-Szczucka on the experience of being in prison and concentration camp

Cite: , Motywy życia i nadziei w refleksji Zofii Kossak-Szczuckiej nad doświadczeniem egzystencji w więzieniu i obozie koncentracyjnym, "Kultura - Media - Teologia", 2018( 33) nr 2, s. 126-143.

DOI: 10.21697/kmt.33.6

The known novelist and co-founder of the Council for Aid to Jews “Żegota”, Zofia Kossak-Szczucka was arrested by the Gestapo and taken to the Pawiak prison and the German concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Through her literary works she strove to commemorate the victims of Auschwitz. She wanted not only to show the details of the camp life, the immense suffering, but also the spiritual life of prisoners, the sources of their motivation, the world of religious values i.e. the reality which allowed so many Poles to retain their dignity in such an extreme conditions and persist. She emphasized the role of optimism, the courage to take action in a situation of constant life threat, love to the close ones, friendship bonds, love to the motherland. In particular, she stressed the importance of Christian faith enabling the acceptance of suffering without yielding to despair, egocentrism or hatred.

About authors

ks. Grzegorz Bachanek

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