Blessed Alfons Tracki

Alfons Tracki (2 December 1896 – 18 July 1946) was an Albanian Catholic priest of German origin, who died as a martyr as a result of the religious persecution by the regime of Enver Hoxha in communist Albania. Tracki was born in Bleischwitz, German Empire (now Poland) on 2 December 1896, born to Josef Tracki and Martha (née Schramm), of mixed Polish-German ancestry. Alfons grew up in a village in Upper Silesia. When he attended school, he had contact with the Christian School Brothers. He requested to be admitted to the community at their provincial school in Vienna at age 14. He was accepted, and after a novitiate of two years became a member on 16 August 1913, with the religious name Gebhard. He was sent to Albania before World War I and taught at the Xaverian College in Shkodër. With the outbreak of the war, he returned to his home village. He served in the military for two years. He also completed his vows during the war. After the war, he returned to Shkodër, where he studied philosophy and theology. He was ordained as a priest on 14 June 1925 by Lazër Mjeda, the archbishop there. He exercised his ministry in Northern Albania, teaching in the schools and organizing sports for the youth. Tracki became chaplain at the St Stephen's Cathedral in Shkodër. He founded a Catholic youth organisation, Viribus unitis ("With joined powers"). After his time as chaplain, he became the parish priest of Velipoja. Tracki is remembered, in Zef Pllumi's memoirs Live to tell, as a good priest and crucial in the upbringing of other priests, such as would-be martyr Ejëll Deda. Further, he was heavily involved in the eradication of the Gjakmarrja (Northern Albanian blood feuds), by offering a Christian solution of peace to them. Communist partisans under Enver Hoxha fought against the Italian and German occupying forces. After the Albanian Communist Party came to power, conspirators with the former rulers were prosecuted, which included Catholics in general.