Maximillian Maria Kolbe (born Rajmond Kolbe) was a Polish Catholic priest and Conventual Franciscan Friar. He was born 8th January 1894 and died in Auschwitz, the German death camp on the 14th August 1941.
In July of 1941, ten prisoners were condemned to death because of an escape attempt from the camp. Among the condemned was Francizek Gajowniczek, a Polish Sergeant. Kolbe stepped out of line and offered his life in place of Gajowniczek’s. The Nazi commandant accepted the exchange and sent Kolbe to a camp starvation bunker where he was deprived of food and water for nearly two weeks. Of the ten prisoners only he survived. The guards wanted the bunker emptied, so they gave Kolbe a lethal injection of carbolic acid. Kolbe is said to have raised his left arm and calmly waited for the deadly injection.
On the 10th October 1982 Pope John Paul II canonised Kolbe and declared him a martyr of charity for volunteering to die in the place of a stranger he met in the Auschwitz camp.
The history of Kolbe’s life and the story leading to giving his life for a stranger may be found in Wikipedia and Catholic Online.
Kolbe is the only radio amateur to be canonised. His callsign was SP3RN. Details of his radio activities may be found on Ham Gallery. There is also interesting information at saintmaxnet.