The long-lost personal possessions of a Polish family persecuted by the Germans during WWII have been returned to the victims’ families after being located by a German archive.

Among the items handed over by the Arolsen Archives were a watch and earrings that belonged to Stanisława Mordes, who was just 21 when she was captured by German troops during the Warsaw Uprising and sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp.

Other belongings returned included a brooch and a powder compact that belonged 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 after Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte intervened and secured their release, neither woman ever saw their cherished possessions again.

Since 2016, the Arolsen Archives have been running their #StolenMemory campaign, which aims to locate the descendants of Nazi victims and return their belongings.

These recent discoveries are part of the Archive’s collaboration with the Warsaw Uprising Museum’s “Stolen Memories” campaign ahead of this year’s 80th anniversary of the uprising, in an effort to locate relatives of those whose possessions the Archives have uncovered.

Image: X (@ArolseArchives)

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen