36th anniversary of the death of Fr Stanisław Suchololec
date:30 January 2025 Editor: Editorial
On 30 January 2025, the 36th anniversary of the death of Fr Stanisław Suchowolc, chaplain of Białystok "Solidarity" and friend of Blessed Fr Jerzy Popiełuszko passes. The body of a clergyman was found on January 30, 1989, in his flat on the rectory. The origin of death was given to carbon monoxide poisoning, which was expected to origin a fire of a malfunctioning radiator. The investigation into the execution of Rev. Sucholowiec was dropped. In the opinion of IPN prosecutors, the priest was murdered by safety officials.
He was born in Białystok on 13 May 1958. He was the boy of a veteran of the Monte Cassino Battle. He was raised in a patriotic atmosphere. His interest in the unmistakable version of past caused him to ask hard questions at school – including the circumstances of the Katyn crime. In 1977, he graduated from III LO in Białystok and joined a seminary in his hometown that same year.
After priestly ordination in 1983, his first place of service was the parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Suchola, the household parish of Fr Jerzy Popieluszko. The chaplain's parents of “Solidarity” lived only a fewer kilometres away. Fr Suchowolek frequently visited their home. During this time, Fr Popieluszko became a priest to him. Fr Jerzy himself described Fr Suchololec as his possible successor in a conversation with his parents.
Fr Sucholole patriotic mass
After the death of Popiełuszko at the hands of SB in 1984, Fr Suchowolec began organizing patriotic masses in Suchowola for his homeland. Before the church he erected a cross commemorating Fr Popieluszko. A symbolic grave of the murdered clergyman was built at the close cemetery on his initiative. He continued his activity after transferring to the parish in Dojlidy, Białystok in July 1986. He preached, the content of which was sold to opposition environments, recorded and recorded.
Interest in Fr Suchowolec from SB
Suchowolc's activities immediately attracted interest from the safety Service. He was overheard, beaten 3 times by “unknown perpetrators”. There was besides an assassination effort on his life. The car to go to Lublin was damaged. In the accident, his colleague was injured, who, contrary to earlier plans, borrowed him from a priest. His parents besides tried to set fire to the house.
On 22 January 1989, he was shaken by the news of the death of Fr Stefan Sunday. 1 of the members of the Independent Social Movement. Jerzy Popiełuszko said that a loop is besides tightening around him. He most likely found out at the time that 1 of his closest associates was reporting esbecia. This information was provided by Captain Tomasz Marowicz of the Białystok SB. The officer died a fewer days after Fr Sucholowiec. During the last hours of his life, Fr Suchowolec behaved very strangely and was very afraid erstwhile talking to his friends from the anti-communist opposition.
Circumstances of the Death of Fr Suchololec
He died overnight from 29 to 30 January 1989 at the age of 31. As a origin of death, the authorities almost immediately reported the smoke. The investigation into the circumstances of the death of a priest conducted by the territory Attorney's Office in Białystok ended on 16 June 1989 with the uncovering that the origin of the fire in the rectory was a broken electrical radiator; as no crime was found to have occurred, it was decommissioned. However, the investigation completely omitted the political subject and the fact that there had previously been threats to the clergyman due to his activities in the opposition at the time and that the safety Service was curious in him. Contrary to the results of the blood tests, the public was besides informed that the priest's dog had died as a consequence of smoking poisoning. The priest's blood confirmed the presence of alcohol, even though a fewer weeks earlier he swore that he would not drink until he acted in the anti-communist opposition.
On 3 February 1989, the ceremony of Fr Stanisław Sucholowiec was held, which was a large patriotic manifestation. He was buried next to a church on the Dojlids. There were 2 bishops, 160 Catholic priests (including Fr Sylwester Zych) and Marianna Popieluszko, parent of Fr Jerzy.
Investigation of the death of Fr Suchololec
The proceedings resumed on 22 October 1991. After proceeding a fresh opinion from the Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Białystok, she assessed that the rectory fire was a “criminal arson” and that there was a murder. On 23 August 1993, however, she again dropped this investigation, this time due to the undetected perpetrators of the crime.
IPN investigation
New evidence that would let this investigation to be reopened has for many years been looking for an IPN investigative unit in a wider investigation into the existence of criminal structures in the erstwhile MMA from 1956 to 1989, which is attributed, among others, to attacks on clergymen and opposition activists, constituting communist crimes.
As of April 2017, six threads of this extended investigation, concerning a criminal union operating in the Ministry of abroad Affairs, were analysed in the Investigative study in Bydgoszcz – the Branch Committee on the Investigation of Crimes against the Polish Nation in Gdańsk. Prosecutor Mieczysław Góra of the Investigative Paper in Bydgoszcz informed PAP that in the case of the death of Fr Suchowolc, the alleged investigations were carried out prior to the possible re-investigation of the communist crime (in the sense of the provisions of the Act of 1998 on the IPN – Crime Investigation Commission against the Polish Nation). However, the grounds for reopening the investigation were not found.
On 8 August 2008, Fr Suchowolec was posthumously decorated by president Lech Kaczyński with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
For: naje.pl
After priestly ordination in 1983, his first place of service was the parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Suchola, the household parish of Fr Jerzy Popieluszko. The chaplain's parents of “Solidarity” lived only a fewer kilometres away. Fr Suchowolek frequently visited their home. During this time, Fr Popieluszko became a priest to him. Fr Jerzy himself described Fr Suchololec as his possible successor in a conversation with his parents.
Fr Sucholole patriotic mass
After the death of Popiełuszko at the hands of SB in 1984, Fr Suchowolec began organizing patriotic masses in Suchowola for his homeland. Before the church he erected a cross commemorating Fr Popieluszko. A symbolic grave of the murdered clergyman was built at the close cemetery on his initiative. He continued his activity after transferring to the parish in Dojlidy, Białystok in July 1986. He preached, the content of which was sold to opposition environments, recorded and recorded.
Interest in Fr Suchowolec from SB
Suchowolc's activities immediately attracted interest from the safety Service. He was overheard, beaten 3 times by “unknown perpetrators”. There was besides an assassination effort on his life. The car to go to Lublin was damaged. In the accident, his colleague was injured, who, contrary to earlier plans, borrowed him from a priest. His parents besides tried to set fire to the house.
On 22 January 1989, he was shaken by the news of the death of Fr Stefan Sunday. 1 of the members of the Independent Social Movement. Jerzy Popiełuszko said that a loop is besides tightening around him. He most likely found out at the time that 1 of his closest associates was reporting esbecia. This information was provided by Captain Tomasz Marowicz of the Białystok SB. The officer died a fewer days after Fr Sucholowiec. During the last hours of his life, Fr Suchowolec behaved very strangely and was very afraid erstwhile talking to his friends from the anti-communist opposition.
Circumstances of the Death of Fr Suchololec
He died overnight from 29 to 30 January 1989 at the age of 31. As a origin of death, the authorities almost immediately reported the smoke. The investigation into the circumstances of the death of a priest conducted by the territory Attorney's Office in Białystok ended on 16 June 1989 with the uncovering that the origin of the fire in the rectory was a broken electrical radiator; as no crime was found to have occurred, it was decommissioned. However, the investigation completely omitted the political subject and the fact that there had previously been threats to the clergyman due to his activities in the opposition at the time and that the safety Service was curious in him. Contrary to the results of the blood tests, the public was besides informed that the priest's dog had died as a consequence of smoking poisoning. The priest's blood confirmed the presence of alcohol, even though a fewer weeks earlier he swore that he would not drink until he acted in the anti-communist opposition.
On 3 February 1989, the ceremony of Fr Stanisław Sucholowiec was held, which was a large patriotic manifestation. He was buried next to a church on the Dojlids. There were 2 bishops, 160 Catholic priests (including Fr Sylwester Zych) and Marianna Popieluszko, parent of Fr Jerzy.
Investigation of the death of Fr Suchololec
The proceedings resumed on 22 October 1991. After proceeding a fresh opinion from the Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Białystok, she assessed that the rectory fire was a “criminal arson” and that there was a murder. On 23 August 1993, however, she again dropped this investigation, this time due to the undetected perpetrators of the crime.
IPN investigation
New evidence that would let this investigation to be reopened has for many years been looking for an IPN investigative unit in a wider investigation into the existence of criminal structures in the erstwhile MMA from 1956 to 1989, which is attributed, among others, to attacks on clergymen and opposition activists, constituting communist crimes.
As of April 2017, six threads of this extended investigation, concerning a criminal union operating in the Ministry of abroad Affairs, were analysed in the Investigative study in Bydgoszcz – the Branch Committee on the Investigation of Crimes against the Polish Nation in Gdańsk. Prosecutor Mieczysław Góra of the Investigative Paper in Bydgoszcz informed PAP that in the case of the death of Fr Suchowolc, the alleged investigations were carried out prior to the possible re-investigation of the communist crime (in the sense of the provisions of the Act of 1998 on the IPN – Crime Investigation Commission against the Polish Nation). However, the grounds for reopening the investigation were not found.
On 8 August 2008, Fr Suchowolec was posthumously decorated by president Lech Kaczyński with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
For: naje.pl
