After the outbreak of WWII, Kolbe began providing shelters from the Nazi's, including 2000 Jews who he hid from Nazi persecution. On 17 February, 1941 Kolbe was arrested by a German Gestapo and taken to the Auschwitz camp as prisoner #16670. Kolbe was a heroic figure throughout his time there, suffering from tuberculosis and other illnesses yet never faltering in spirit and work ethic, such was his manner to love any human no matter their wrongdoings.
At the end of July, 1941, one prisoner escaped from Auschwitz, prompting deputy camp commander SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Fritzsch to select 10 prisoners at random to be starved to death in and underground bunker. What was to follow would be extraordinary...