Wanda PóÅ‚tawska (1921–2023), Holocaust survivor befriended the Pope

Wanda PóÅ‚tawska was a Polish doctor and author who was tortured in medical experiments by the Nazis, and later went on to befriend the future Pope John Paul II (1920–2005).

• Died:fOctober 24, 2023 (Who else died on October 24?)

• Details of death:fDied in Kraków, Poland, at the age of 101.

• We invite you to share condolencesffor Wanda PóÅ‚tawska in ourfGuest Book.

Wanda PóÅ‚tawska’s legacy

At just 19, PóÅ‚tawska was arrested by Nazi forces and charged with aiding the Polish resistance movement. She was interned at the Ravensbrück concentration camp, where she was tortured in a series of gruesome medical experiments for four years. PóÅ‚tawska survived the harrowing experience and later wrote about them in her book, “And I Am Afraid of My Dreams.â€9d

After being freed, she earned a doctorate in psychiatry from the Jagiellonian University and began researching the experiences of Holocaust survivors. She also established the Institute of Family Theology at the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Kraków, which she managed for over three decades.

After gaining her freedom from the Nazis, she befriended a priest, Karol Józef WojtyÅ‚a. The pair bonded over their fierce devotion to the Roman Catholic faith. WojtyÅ‚a later became Pope John Paul II. Despite his ascension to one of the highest positions in the world, the pair remained close friends until his death in 2005. PóÅ‚tawska often conferred with and advised him on policy matters, including on the topics of abortion and contraception.

Notable quote

“I don’t consider myself a doctor of souls because I can’t touch your soul. But I am a doctor who knows that every patient has a soul — and this, so many of my colleagues don’t know.â€9d—from a 2021 interview in National Catholic Register

Tributes to Wanda PóÅ‚tawska

Full obituary: The New York Times

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