Józef Noji
Józef Noji (born September 8, 1909 in the village of Pęckowo, near Czarnków, died February 15, 1943 in the Auschwitz concentration camp) was a Polish track and field athlete and participant of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
Together with Janusz Kusociński, Noji was the most famous long-distance runner of the Second Polish Republic. During the 1936 Olympic games, he participated in the 5000 meter run (finishing 5th) and 10000 meter run (finishing 14th). Also, he took part in the Track and Field Championships of Europe (Paris, 1938), where he was fifth in the 5000 meter competition.
Noji was a multiple champion of Poland in the 5000, 10000 and Cross country running. In 1936 he became an international champion of England in the 6-mile run, two years later he won the same title in the 3-mile run. He was twice elected to the prestigious List of 10 Best Athletes of Poland, in 1936 he was second, in 1937 - tenth.
He did not fight in the Polish September Campaign, but as early as late 1939 or early 1940, he joined the resistance movement. Noji was arrested by the Germans on September 18, 1940. After one year of imprisonment at Warsaw's notorious Pawiak prison, he was transported to Auschwitz. Noji was murdered on February 15, 1943, allegedly for trying to smuggle a letter. According to witnesses, he was killed by one of the SS guards (either Palitsch or Schopp or Stiwitz).
Sources
- (Polish) Ryszard Wryk, Sport olimpijski w Polsce 1919-1939, Poznań 2006
- (Polish) Andrzej Jucewicz, Wlodzimierz Stepinski "Chwala Olimpijczykom", Warszaw 1968 wyd sport i turystyka