With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Auschwitz note leads to survivor

Auschwitz survivor Albert Veissid does not know who put his name on a list that remained hidden inside a bottle for more than 60 years.

Builders working near the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp found the bottle recently. It had been left in a cement wall by inmates.

"I'm surprised by all of this," the 84-year-old told BBC News from his home in a village in the south of France.

The note bears Mr Veissid's name along with those of six Polish prisoners.

He only learnt about the message in a bottle when his grand-daughter told him what builders had found at the site in southern Poland.

"I wouldn't have survived if I hadn't worked in that construction team at Auschwitz," said Mr Veissid. "I was very lucky. I was friendly with the Poles and they gave me some of their soup. And what they stole from the Germans I hid in the bunker - jam and other food."

But Mr Veissid has no idea who added his name and camp identification number to the Polish names on the note.

Over the years he has stayed in touch with other survivors and every year he goes back to visit Auschwitz. This year he went with a group of schoolchildren - to keep the memories alive for the next generation.

Read entire article at BBC