page_title: Priest Barracks of Dachau Concentration Camp
section_title: Treatment of Polish clergy
hierarchical_section_title: Priest Barracks of Dachau Concentration Camp / Clergy at Dachau / Treatment of Polish clergy
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Foto van de zalige Antoni Zawistowski, gemaakt voor 1940Polski: Zdjecia Bl. Antoniego Zawistowskiego, robione przed 1940r.Français&#160;: Photo de Antoni Zawistowski, fait avant 1940Русский: оригинальное имя = Antoni Zawistowski &lt;1940English: Picture of the blessed Antoni Zawistowski, made before 1940
context_page_description: The Priest Barracks of Dachau Concentration incarcerated clergy who had opposed the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. From December 1940, Berlin ordered the transfer of clerical prisoners held at other camps, and Dachau became the centre for imprisonment of clergymen. Of a total of 2,720 clerics recorded as imprisoned at Dachau some 2,579 were Roman Catholics. Among the other denominations, there were 109 Protestants, 22 Greek Orthodox, 8 Old Catholics and Mariavites and 2 Muslims. Members of the Catholic Society of Jesus were the largest group among the incarcerated clergy at Dachau.
context_section_description: The Nazis introduced a racial hierarchy – keeping Poles in harsh conditions, while favouring German priests. 697 Poles arrived in December 1941, and a further 500 of mainly elderly clergy were brought in October the following year. Inadequately clothed for the bitter cold, of this group only 82 survived. A large number of Polish priests were chosen for Nazi medical experiments. In November 1942, 20 were given phlegmons. 120 were used by Dr Schilling for malaria experiments between July 1942 and May 1944. Several Poles met their deaths with the "invalid trains" sent out from the camp, others were liquidated in the camp and given bogus death certificates. Some died of cruel punishment for misdemeanors – beaten to death or run to exhaustion.
  Polish priests were not permitted religious activity. Anti-religious prisoners were planted in the Polish block to watch that the rule was not broken, but some found ways to circumvent the prohibition: clandestinely celebrating the mass on their work details. By 1944, conditions had been relaxed and Poles could hold a weekly service. Eventually, they were allowed to attend the chapel, with Germany's hopes of victory in the war fading.
caption: Antoni Zawistowski was tortured and died at Dachau in 1942. 1780 Polish clergy were sent to Dachau, and many are remembered among the 108 Polish Martyrs of World War II.
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