Saint Maximilian Kolbe Collectors Edition Maximilian Maria Kolbe was born on the 8th of January 1894. At a young age Maximilian had a vision of the Virgin Mary that presented him with two crowns, one red and one white. One represented purity and the other martyrdom and he was asked if he would accept both, which he did. Maximillian went to Rome to attend university where he founded the Militia Immaculatae. He later became a Priest. During the second world war he was arrested and sent to Auschwitz as prisoner number 16670, where he continued to act as a Priest and for that reason he was subjected by the Nazis to very harsh treatment. One day three prisoners escaped from the camp and 10 prisoners were randomly selected by the Nazis to be starved to death.