Vilmos Apor
Encyclopedia
Blessed
Baron Vilmos Apor de Altorja (February 29, 1892, Segesvár, Hungary
– April 2, 1945, Győr
, Hungary) was the Bishop of Győr during World War II
who became famous for protesting against the persecution of the Hungarian Jews. He became a bishop only at the end of his life.
In the summer of 1944 he wrote to the Hungarian Primate
Jusztinian Serédi
to persuade him to take a strong stance against the government. He also appealed to Gestapo
headquarters in Berlin
in an attempt to free the Jews of Győr from the ghetto
and negotiated with the Nazi military command to spare the town from a siege.
On Good Friday
March 28, 1945 as Soviet troops reached Győr he offered sanctuary to numerous women and children in his residence. When Red Army troops wanted to storm his residence he was shot trying to protect the women from rape. He died from his injuries but the women were saved.
Today, there stands a statue in District XII of Budapest in Hungary in his honour and the place itself has been named Apor Vilmos tér according to the Hungarian standard of name order. He was beatified
by Pope John Paul II in 1997.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Baron Vilmos Apor de Altorja (February 29, 1892, Segesvár, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
– April 2, 1945, Győr
Gyor
-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...
, Hungary) was the Bishop of Győr during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who became famous for protesting against the persecution of the Hungarian Jews. He became a bishop only at the end of his life.
In the summer of 1944 he wrote to the Hungarian Primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
Jusztinian Serédi
Jusztinián György Serédi
Jusztinián György Serédi OSB was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Esztergom and Primate of Hungary....
to persuade him to take a strong stance against the government. He also appealed to Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
headquarters in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in an attempt to free the Jews of Győr from the ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
and negotiated with the Nazi military command to spare the town from a siege.
On Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
March 28, 1945 as Soviet troops reached Győr he offered sanctuary to numerous women and children in his residence. When Red Army troops wanted to storm his residence he was shot trying to protect the women from rape. He died from his injuries but the women were saved.
Today, there stands a statue in District XII of Budapest in Hungary in his honour and the place itself has been named Apor Vilmos tér according to the Hungarian standard of name order. He was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
by Pope John Paul II in 1997.