Alfons Tracki

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18 July

Alfons Tracki (2 December 1896 – 18 July 1946) was an

communist Albania.[1]

Life and martyrdom

Tracki was born in Bleischwitz, German Empire (now Poland) on 2 December 1896, born to Josef Tracki and Martha (née Schramm), of mixed Polish-German ancestry. Alfons grew up in a village in Upper Silesia. When he attended school, he had contact with the Christian School Brothers. He requested to be admitted to the community at their provincial school in Vienna at age 14. He was accepted, and after a novitiate of two years became a member on 16 August 1913, with the religious name Gebhard. He was sent to Albania before World War I and taught at the Xaverian College in Shkodër. With the outbreak of the war, he returned to his home village. He served in the military for two years. He also completed his vows during the war. After the war, he returned to Shkodër, where he studied philosophy and theology. He was ordained as a priest on 14 June 1925 by Lazër Mjeda, the archbishop there.[2] He exercised his ministry in Northern Albania, teaching in the schools and organizing sports for the youth.[3]

Tracki became chaplain at the

Gjakmarrja (Northern Albanian blood feuds), by offering a Christian solution of peace to them.[3]

Communist partisans under

Extreme Unction to a fatally wounded soldier, he was arrested. He was in a prison in Shkodër from 13 February 1946, and was sentenced to death on 17 July for performing an illegal priestly act.[a] He was executed on 18 July 1946.[1][2] According to witnesses, his last words were: "... I do not regret dying, as long as I'm dying together with my brothers, and I have contributed, as much as they have, for your own good, and for the religion of Christ."[3]

martyr by the Catholic Church and commemorated with the other martyrs of Albania on 18 July, the date of his execution.[5]

Literature

Footnotes

  1. ^ According to Arbnori, the charges were: preparation of an Austrian occupation of Albania, founding of a pro-fascist association, and recruitment of a person for the Gestapo.

References

  1. ^ a b Radovani, Fritz. "Një monument nën dhé". Zemra shqiptare (in Albanian). Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ a b c Gazeta Tema (5 November 2016). "Vatikani lumnon 38 kleriket shqiptare rane per fe e per atdh" (in Albanian). Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. ^ Flocchini, Emilia. "Beati Martiri Albanesi (Vincenzo Prennushi e 37 compagni)" (in Italian). Santiebeati. Retrieved 6 October 2017.

External links and other literature