The long-lost personal belongings of Poles persecuted by the Nazis have been returned to the victims' families after being tracked down by a German archive.
Included among the possessions handed over by the Arolsen Archives, were a watch and earrings belonging to Stanisława Mordes, who was just 21 when she was seized by German troops during the Warsaw Uprising and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp.
Other effects returned included a broach and a powder compact belonging to Anna Tomczyk, who was also arrested at the end of the Uprising and imprisoned in Ravensbrück.
Although both women survived the horrors of the women’s camp following the intervention of Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte, who managed to have them released, neither woman saw their prized possessions again.
But following the efforts of the Arolsen Archives, which from its HQ in the small German town of Bad Arolsen aims to retrace the fate of the Third Reich’s 17.5 million victims, the artifacts were returned on Tuesday at a moving ceremony in Warsaw.
Receiving his aunt’s watch and earrings, Stanisława’s nephew Jacek Mordes said: “The last time I saw her, I was four-years-old.
“Although the watch is not an expensive Swiss watch, and the earrings are probably not expensive either, they are of great value to me, they belonged to Stasia.”
Other effects returned included a broach and a powder compact belonging to Anna Tomczyk, who was also arrested at the end of the Uprising and imprisoned in Ravensbrück.
Although both women survived the horrors of the women’s camp following the intervention of Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte, who managed to have them released, neither woman saw their prized possessions again.
But following the efforts of the Arolsen Archives, which from its HQ in the small German town of Bad Arolsen aims to retrace the fate of the Third Reich’s 17.5 million victims, the artifacts were returned on Tuesday at a moving ceremony in Warsaw.
Receiving his aunt’s watch and earrings, Stanisława’s nephew Jacek Mordes said: “The last time I saw her, I was four-years-old.
“Although the watch is not an expensive Swiss watch, and the earrings are probably not expensive either, they are of great value to me, they belonged to Stasia.”
Anna’s granddaughter, Grażyna Malenka, who received a brooch and a powder compact, told the Polish Press Agency: “I can't say anything, my emotions won't let me. There's a lump in my throat and tears coming to my eyes.”
Since 2016, the Arolsen Archives have been running its #StolenMemory campaign, which works on tracking down the descendants of Nazi victims and returning their properties.
The latest discoveries come as part of the Archive’s cooperation with the Warsaw Uprising Museum’s ‘Stolen Memories’ campaign ahead of this year’s 80th anniversary of the uprising to find relatives of those whose possessions the Archives have uncovered.
Ewelina Karpińska-Morek from the Arolsen Archives said: “We believe that together we will be able to return a hundred belongings of the inhabitants of Warsaw and their loved ones and tell a hundred unknown stories.
“Each found family and each returned item is a gateway to reconstructing the fate of the victims and restoring their memory.”
Since 2016, the Arolsen Archives have been running its #StolenMemory campaign, which works on tracking down the descendants of Nazi victims and returning their properties.
The latest discoveries come as part of the Archive’s cooperation with the Warsaw Uprising Museum’s ‘Stolen Memories’ campaign ahead of this year’s 80th anniversary of the uprising to find relatives of those whose possessions the Archives have uncovered.
Ewelina Karpińska-Morek from the Arolsen Archives said: “We believe that together we will be able to return a hundred belongings of the inhabitants of Warsaw and their loved ones and tell a hundred unknown stories.
“Each found family and each returned item is a gateway to reconstructing the fate of the victims and restoring their memory.”
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