Bishop Franciszek Barda was born in Mszana Dolna, he was educated in Cracow and Rome. In 1930 he became the rector of the seminary in Cracow in 1933 – Ordinary Bishop of Przemyśl. During the German occupation he intervened with the German authorities for release of neophytes (baptized Jews) from the Przemyśl ghetto In the records of the criminal case conducted after the war by the District Court in Przemyśl against Bernhard Giesselmann, the mayor of Przemyśl within the years 1941–1944 there are information about the attempt to rescue the neophytes by the bishop Franciszek Barda. In the protocol of hearing of the witness, Father Jan Kwolek, who spoke on behalf of the bishop Barda with the German authorities is written:
I met with Giesselmann twice during the intervention for release of neophytes […] placed in the Przemyśl ghetto. […] I was informed by Giesselmann that the baptized Jews were free and could go out from the ghetto. After receiving that message I went to […] to the ghetto and sought out familiar baptized Jews and I informed them that they could […] leave the ghetto after the presentation of a certificate of baptism, what the Jews concerned also did being released from the ghetto without any difficulties.
After some time the German authorities have arrested those baptized Jews on the charge of arbitrary, unlawful leaving the ghetto. After a few days after the detention of neophytes bishop Barda intervened with Giesselmann asking for their release, using mediation of the lawyer Zygmunt Szłapacki. Giesselmann promised to settle the matter within two days. After some time it appeared that bishop’s interventions had no effect. All the arrested neophytes were shot.
Bishop Franciszek Barda (Aug. 21, 1880 – Nov. 13, 1964)
From collections of the Archdiocesan Archives in Przemyśl.