![[Malinowski Picture]](Malinowski_01.JPG)
Rev. Jan Malinowski
(1919-1974)
Priest of the Sandomierz diocese, major, chaplain in the Polish Armed Forces in the West
He was born on June 14, 1910 in Jankowice near Opatow; the son of farmers, Michal and Katarzyna nee Klosowska.
He attended the Marshal Jozef Pilsudski High-School in sandomierz. In 1931 he passed his maturation exam and started studies at the local seminary. On June 28, 1936 he was ordained at the hands of Bishop Jan Kanty Lorka, the apostolic administrator of the Sandomierz diocese. He started his spiritual work as an assistant pastor in Libiszow near Opoczno. In 1937 he became assistant pastor in Blizyna near Skarzyska-Kamienna. He also took Polish Studies at Jozef Pilsudski University in Warsaw. On April 1, 1939 he was drafted into the Polish Army. He took the post of junior chaplain at Regional Hospital No. 1002 in Jaroslaw. On April 28, 1939 he was appointed a reserve chaplain (with seniority dating from January 1, 1939). In September 1939 he was the chaplain for the 39th Regiment of the Lwow Rifles, a part of the 24th Infantry Division which belonged to the "Karpaty" [Carpathian] Army. On September 8 he was wounded. On September 22, 1939, after a battle with Soviet units near the village of Debino near Halicz, he was taken prisoner. He was incarcerated in a prisoner of war camp in Szpietowka. In October 1939 he escaped and reached Sandomierz.
After returning to the diocese he took up his spiritual ministry in Blizyna. At the same time he started working in the underground as part of the White Eagle organization. On November 27, 1939, he was arrested and placed into prison at Skarzyska-Kamienna from where he escaped three days later. On December 20, 1939, he crossed the Hungarian border and was arrested and imprisoned at the Citadel in Budapest. After four days he was assigned as chaplain to Polish officers interned at a camp in Domos. In May 1940 he escaped from the camp and reached Syria through Yugoslavia and Greece. On June 10, 1940, he reached Bierut and joined the Polish Army. On July 9, 1940 he became the chaplain for a regiment of Carpathian Uhlans in the Independent Brigade of Carpathian Rifles. He was with the regiment on their way through Palestine, Egypt, Libya, and Tobruk. From August 25, 1941, to December 18, 1941 he took part in the defense of Tobruk where he was wounded.
From January 1944 he was involved in the Italian Campaign, and took part in the battle for Monte Cassino. During the fighting he accompanied the soldiers. He carried the Polish flag that was eventually placed on top of the ruins of the destroyed monastery. He was always with the soldiers. During the battle he carried to wounded on his back to first aid stations.
For his heroism in the Battle for Monte Cassino he received the Virtuti Militari Order, V class, number 9943, awarded by the Virtuti militari Commission in London.
In May 1948 he left for Argentina. He became the assistant pastor for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Buenos Aires. He worked among the Poles living in the Belgrano and Villa Lynch districts. He was the founder of the Society of Former Soldiers of the Independent Brigade of Carpathian Rifles. In 1953, after the imprisonment of Primate Stefan Wyszynski he organized the "Crusade for a Free Poland." He traveled by horse-drawn wagon through the countries of South, Central and North America, issued resolutions, proclamations and collected signatures to protest the domination of Poland. He managed to obtain resolutions from the governments of Chile, Uruguway, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, and Venezuela in support of the idea of liberation for the Polish nation. In January 1955, after arriving in the United States, he made speeches at the forum of the United Nations and in the United States Congress. He was received by President Dwight Eisenhower, with whom he lodged a protest against the resolutions of Yalta.
In August 1958 he left Argentina, and settled in the United States. He became assistant pastor at the Parish of St. Bruno in Chicago. He was active in Polonia and veterans' organizations. He organized pilgrimages to Poland for his parishioners.
He died on December 4, 1974, in Chicago and was buried there. In May 1975 his remains were exhumed and taken to Poland. His second burial took place at the cemetery in Przybyslawice near Sandomierz. The ceremonies were led by Bishop Piotr Golebiowski, the apostolic administrator of the Sandomierz diocese.
He was also decorated wit the Fighting Cross (twice), the Silver Cross of Merit with swords, the Polish Army Medal, and other Polish and British medals.
From: Szwedo, Boguslaw, Zawsze w Pierwszej Linii [Always in the Front
Line]; Chaplains decorated with the Virtuti Militari Order 1914-1921, 1939-1945. Oficyna Wydawnicza Rytm, Warsaw
Sources: ADS, personnel files; Archive of the Franciscan Fathers at Martin
Coronado in Argentina, religious sygn. 37/18; IJP documentation of the
Crusade for a Free Poland, Rev. Malinowski personal information and
correspondence VII/4/C; IPiMS, recommendation for advancement
A.XII.86/30/13, recommendation for the Fighting Cross A.XII.85/4/3; Biegun
Arcypaster [Archpastor], p. 75; Humenski, Duszpasterstwo wojskowe
[Military Ministry] p. 269; Kapelani Wrzesniowi [Chaplains of September] per
index; Krucjata Wolnosci [Crusade for Freedom] GP, no. 2403, 16.04.1954,
p. 3; Ks. Jan Malinowski nie zyje [Rev. Jan Malinowski has died] "Ulan
Karpacki" [Carpathian Uhlan], 1975, R. XXVIII, vol. V, no. 81, P. 151-154; Ks.
J. Malinowski nie zyje [Rev. J. Malinowski has died] GP, 3.01.1975, p. 11;
Lukomski, Polak, Suchcitz, Kawalerowie Virtuti Militari [Cavaliers of the
Virtuti Militari Order] p. 460; Emil Memtel, Stanislaw Radomyski, Pulk ulanow
karpackich [Regiment of Carpathian Uhlans], Ajaks, Pruszkow 1993, p. 66,
109, 121; Odziemkowski, Sluzba duszpasterska [Service Ministry] per index;
Podlewski, Wierni Bogu i Ojczyznie [Faithful to God and Country] per index;
"Przeglad kawalerii I Broni Pancernej" [Review of Cavalry and Armored
Weapons] vol. X, 1975, no 77, p. 508; Jozef Rell, Konspiracyjna Organizacja
"Orzel Bialy" w Skarzysku-Kiamiennej [White Eagle Underground Organization
in Skarzysk-Kiamienna] Muzeum Regionalne w Skarzysku-Kiamiennej, 1991,
per index; Schematysm sandomierski [Church schema in Sandomierz] 1937,
1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1951,
1953,1956, 1958, 1960, 1972, per index; Stanaszek, Duchowienstwo
diecezji sandomierskiej [Religious of the Sandomierz diocese], per index;
Studzinski, Wspomnienia [Memoirs] per index; Eligiusz Tomkowiak, Jan
Malinowski, in Kawalerowie Virtuti Militari 1792-1945 [Cavaliers of the Virtuti
Militari 1792-1945] vol. Iv, part 1, p. 85-86; Ulani karpaccy [Carpathian
Uhlans] ed. by Jan Bilelatowicz, Zwiazek Ulanow Karpackich [Union of
Carpathian Uhlans] London, 1966, p. 463, 486; Wankowicz, Bitwa o Monte
Cassino [Battle for Monte Cassino] per index; Wankowicz, Kopelani wojskowi
[Army Chaplains] p. 6-8; Wesolowski, Order Virtuti Militari, p. 585, 671; Rev.
Antoni Herculan Wrobel, Historia duszparterstwa polskiego w Argentynie w
latach 1897-1997 [History of the Polish spiritual ministry in Argentina during
1897-1997], University of Warsaw, Warsaw 1999, p. 340; Rev. Antoni
Herculan Wrobel, OFM, Duchowienstwo polskie w Argentynie. Historia i
wspolczesnosc [Polish priests in Argentina. History and modernity.] in
Duchowienstwo polskie w swiecie [Polish priests in the world], p. 377;
Wspomnienia wojenne kapelanow wojskowych [War Memoirs of Military
Chaplains] p. 547; Wykaz osob odznaczonych [Listing of Decorated Persons]
p. 379; Wywiad z ks. J Malinowskim [Interview with Rev. J. Malinowski], GP,
no. 2448, 25.02.1955, p.1; information from sister, Irena Jakobczak.
Translation by: Peter J. Obst, January 3, 2007