In a historic ceremony, a Polish couple and their seven children, who were tragically killed by the Nazis for their heroic efforts in hiding Jews during World War II, will be beatified, marking the first time an entire family receives one of Catholicism’s highest honours.
The solemn event will take place in Markowa, the family’s hometown in southeast Poland, and is expected to draw more than 30,000 attendees, including 80 bishops, 1,000 priests, the country’s chief rabbi, and a delegation from Israel.
The Ulma family’s heartbreaking story unfolded on March 24, 1944 when German police, acting on a tip-off, ruthlessly executed Jozef Ulma and his pregnant wife, Wiktoria. The couple’s children, Stanislawa, Barbara, Wladyslav, Franciszek, Antoni, and Maria, aged between two and eight, also lost their lives, along with the eight Jews they had been sheltering in their attic.
Before their home was looted and set ablaze, the police fired into the attic from below, causing the blood of the victims to drip onto a photograph of two Jewish women, now considered a precious relic.
The Ulma family’s courage and compassion for helping Jewish refugees were based on love and friendship. For over a year, they shared their home, meals, and daily life with the Jews they had taken in.
Their selfless act of kindness eventually led to their tragic demise when a Polish policeman denounced them. After the family’s execution, 24 Jews in Markowa were also killed by their Polish neighbours.
This beatification ceremony holds significant historical importance as the Ulma family will be the first to receive this honour as a whole, which is a pivotal step towards possible sainthood in the Catholic Church. Furthermore, in a rare occurrence, the Ulmas’ newborn seventh child will also be bestowed the title of “blessed” due to the concept of “baptism of blood,” having been born during the mother’s martyrdom, exempting them from the usual miracle requirement for beatification.
Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma were previously recognised by Israel in 1995 as “Righteous among the Nations,” an honor bestowed upon non-Jews who courageously attempted to save Jews from Nazi persecution. The family’s legacy is preserved in a museum dedicated to their memory in Markowa, and in 2018, Poland declared March 24, the date of the massacre, as a day of remembrance for Poles who rescued Jews during the German occupation.
