Józef Paczyński

Józef Paczyński (20 January 1920 in Łękawica – 26 April 2015 in Kraków)[1] was a Polish man who was known for having been the personal barber of Rudolf Höss during the time he spent as a prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Józef Paczyński
Born(1920-01-20)January 20, 1920
Łękawica
DiedApril 26, 2015(2015-04-26) (aged 95)
Kraków
Burial placeRakowicki Cemetery
Nationality Poland
Occupationbarber, mechanical engineer, teacher
Honours

Biography

At the age of 19, Paczyński was captured by the Nazis when trying to cross into Slovakia to join Polish freedom fighters in France.[2] In June 1940, he was transported to Auschwitz, where he was assigned prisoner number 121.[3] At the camp, he was assigned to work in a barbershop. One day, Höss visited the shop and chose Paczyński to come to Höss's home at the edge of the camp to cut his hair.[3] Paczyński continued to cut Höss's hair weekly for nearly four years, during which time Höss never spoke to him.[3] He has said that although he could have used his tools to slit Höss's throat during this time, he did not, because he and many others would have been killed as a consequence.[4]

He was moved from Auschwitz to Loslau on January 18, 1945, making him one of the longest-surviving prisoners in the camp.[3] After being moved, he was later freed by American troops in Germany.[3] After the war, he became a mechanical engineer and teacher.[3] In 2001, he received the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (English: Order of Rebirth of Poland).[2] He was awarded also with the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.[5]

Paczyński died on April 26, 2015 at the age of 95.[2] He was buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery, Kraków.[6]

References
  1. "Jozef Paczynski, holocaust survivor - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  2. Roberts, Sam (1 May 2015). "Jozef Paczynski, Inmate Barber to Auschwitz Commandant, Dies at 95". New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  3. Associated Press (30 April 2015). "Auschwitz commandant's barber Jozef Paczynski dies aged 95". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  4. Associated Press (7 February 2015). "Why the Auschwitz commander's barber didn't slit his throat". New York Post. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  5. "Józef Paczyński, Kraków, 29.04.2015 - pozostałe". nekrologi.wyborcza.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-09-21.
  6. Mruszczak, Gabriela (2015-05-05). "Pożegnano Józefa Paczyńskiego, jednego z pierwszych więźniów Auschwitz". krakow.tvp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-09-21.
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