Engelmar Unzeitig was a German Catholic priest of the Mariannhill Missionaries who lived from 1911 to 1945. Born Hubert Unzeitig, he entered the religious order and was ordained shortly before the start of World War II. He was eventually imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp by the Gestapo for defending Jewish people during his sermons. Known as the "Angel of Dachau," he provided spiritual care to prisoners and studied Russian to better assist those from Eastern Europe. He died in the camp from typhoid in 1945.
Life and death
After completing his theological and philosophical studies in Würzburg, Unzeitig served as a parish priest in Austria. His arrest in 1941 led to his imprisonment in Dachau, where he acted as a pastor for the inmates. In 1944, he volunteered to assist those suffering from typhoid, which led to him contracting the illness. He passed away in the camp on 2 March 1945.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognized Unzeitig as a martyr because he died in hatred of the faith. Following a process that investigated both his heroic virtues and his martyrdom, Pope Francis approved his beatification. He is commemorated as a blessed, with his feast day observed on 2 March.