Ulma Family’s Beatification: Historic Recognition of Holocaust Martyrs

The Church is set to beatify Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma, along with their seven children. The Ulma family were killed by the Nazis in 1944 for their courageous act of sheltering a Jewish family during World War II.

The uniqueness of the occasion lies not just in recognizing an entire family’s martyrdom but in the inclusion of a baby, born in the direst of circumstances. The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints confirmed in a statement, “Wiktoria Ulma was in an advanced state of pregnancy… This child was born at the moment of his mother’s martyrdom.”

A poignant addendum: “In the martyrdom of his parents he received the baptism of blood.” This act draws attention to the sacrifices made during the Holocaust and the Church’s view on the sanctity of all life, born and unborn.

While earlier reports had suggested that the child was still unborn at the time of the incident, this clarification from the Vatican ensures that the child, despite its brief moment of life, is remembered in this momentous recognition

According to the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, the Ulma couple had witnessed atrocities before their demise, including the execution of Jews. When their courageous act of hiding Jews in their attic was discovered, the Nazi police murdered the entire family, including the children aged between 2 to 7 years.

Pope Francis has lauded the Ulmas in the past, celebrating them as an “example of fidelity to God and to His Commandments of love of neighbour and respect for human dignity.” The beatification, set for September 10 in Markowa, Poland, will be overseen by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro.

Their beatification is a testament to the Ulmas’ resilience, faith, and unwavering commitment to human dignity!