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Polish police retrieve damaged Auschwitz gate sign

Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:34 PM EST
world-news, eu, poland, stolen, sign, auschwitz, macht-frei"
Monika Scislowska, Associated Press

This two photo combination shows above: a Polish Police handout showing the entrance to the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz Birkenau, without the Nazi infamous iron sign inscription declaring "Arbeit Macht Frei", German translated to "Work Sets You Free", which was stolen from the entrance of the former Auschwitz death camp, Polish police said, in Oswiecim, southern Poland, Friday, Dec. 18, 2009. The photo below shows an exact replica of the sign, produced when the original received restoration work years ago, which was quickly hung in its place, Friday Dec. 18, 2009. (AP Photo)

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WARSAW — Polish police found the infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign that was stolen from the gate of the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz after an intensive three-day hunt and arrested five suspects, police said early Monday. The sign was found cut into three pieces.

Police spokeswoman Katarzyna Padlo told The Associated Press that the sign was found Sunday night in northern Poland, the other end of the country from the southern Polish town where the Auschwitz memorial museum is located and where it disappeared before dawn Friday.

Padlo said police detained five men between the ages of 25 and 39 and took them for questioning to Krakow, which is the regional command of the area that includes the Auschwitz museum.

Another police spokesman, Dariusz Nowak, said the 16-foot (5-meter) sign, made of hollow steel, was found cut into three pieces, each containing one of the words. The cruelly ironic phrase means "Work Sets You Free" and ran completely counter to the purpose of Auschwitz, which began as a concentration camp for political prisoners during the Nazi occupation of Poland and evolved into an extermination camp where Jews were gassed to death in factory-like fashion.

The police refused to divulge any details of the circumstances in which the sign was found or to speculate on the motive of the perpetrators. They were expected to disclose more at a news conference in Krakow planned for 0800 GMT (3 a.m. EST) Monday.

The sign that topped the main gate at the Auschwitz memorial site was stolen early Friday, setting off an international outcry at the disappearance of one of the most chilling and best known symbols of the Holocaust. State authorities made finding it a priority and appealed to all Poles for assistance.

Museum authorities welcomed the news with huge relief despite the damage done to the sign. Spokesman Pawel Sawicki said conservation experts will have to determine how best to repair it and that the museum authorities hope to restore it to its place as soon as possible.

Sawicki said the museum staff did not yet know who carried out the theft or why and were themselves waiting for more information from police.

More than 1 million people, mostly Jews, but also Gypsies, Poles and others, died in the gas chambers or from starvation and disease while performing forced labor at Auschwitz, which Nazi Germany built in occupied Poland during World War II. The camp was liberated by the Soviet army on Jan. 27, 1945.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Poland to act to find "these twisted criminals that desecrated the place where over a million Jews were murdered."

"The sign is of the deepest historical importance to the Jewish people and the whole world, and is a tombstone for more than a million Jews," Netanyahu said.

_____

Associated Press Writer Vanessa Gera contributed to this report.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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  • Monika Scislowska's Column, All of Newsvine
  • Groups: none
  • Regions: Poland
  • Public Discussion (28)
Eric AlbertDeleted
Rixar13

The police refused to divulge any details of the circumstances in which the sign was found or to speculate on the motive of the perpetrators.

Rumor is the Republican National Committee was holding it for Ransom as Anti Union Propaganda......?

  • 9 votes
Reply#2 - Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:10 PM EST
Eric AlbertDeleted
taao

More likely in that type of scenario it would have been the DNC. What better way to get a free handout, and then you can cover the evidence by arbitrarily exterminating said evidence, then take all the credit for the hard work of others. Sounds like their modus operandi almost to the letter.

  • 2 votes
#2.2 - Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:56 PM EST
Elistra

Oh... my... god...

This is the Arbeit Macht Frei sign, found defaced by thieves, and what do you say? Not that you're glad it was found, not that its theft was an outrage, not that you hope they throw the book at the thieves, not that it is one of the most infamous relics of WWII and the Holocaust.

Instead, you stand there slinging partisan mud... indulging in the very same sort of ego-masturbatory Us vs. Them games that got the camps (including that sign) erected in the first place!

How disgusting! For shame!

  • 5 votes
#2.3 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:22 AM EST
Buckeye Voter

Instead, you stand there slinging partisan mud...

Welcome to Newsvine. You must be new.

  • 4 votes
#2.4 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:22 AM EST
taao

Yeah for shame!

    #2.5 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:31 AM EST
    LTKiwi

    Elistra you'll find on the Vine that there is always some numb nut, brainless, idiotic morons that have no free will that turn every thread into some partisan politic crap. You'll also find that this country would be fine if we could just weed them out of existance as they are a fine example of the problems we are having.

    All you can do is pitty these poor fools and hope that someday they grow a brain and start thinking for themselves. Or hold them in the same regard as spore mold. Whichever you would like. Personally, I find it incredible that they can turn on a computer or even read and write without some pundit or politician telling them how. After all, these little lemmings wait to be told how to think and what to say. Sometimes it's cute when they think they are smart, but usually it's just sad and pathetic. It happens when the average intelligence of the group is that of the contents of an outhouse.

    As far as the subject of this thread; I'm glad they found the sign and hope it can be repaired. I am very curious on the motive. What would drive someone to steal anything from that place? The only thing I can think of is some neo-Nazis that wanted to "honor the Reich", but even then, why? It's a great way to get millions of people around the world pissed with them and it's not like they could show it off or make any money from it.

    • 1 vote
    #2.6 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:19 PM EST
    Rixar13

    Elistra you'll find on the Vine that there is always some numb nut, brainless, idiotic morons that have no free will that turn every thread into some partisan politic crap. You'll also find that this country would be fine if we could just weed them out of existance as they are a fine example of the problems we are having.

    LTKiwi

    With all due respect as a Vietnam Veteran I have earned my right to be sarcastic and voice my opinion. Perhaps you are talking about the GOP and the party on NO...? Is so, my apologizes....? Just remember one thing, I still have some fight left in me. I'm glad they have their symbolic sign back with all respect to the Jewish people who are my friends.

    • 1 vote
    #2.7 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 4:33 PM EST
    LTKiwi

    There are threads where politics do not belong. This is one of them. I'm getting tired of people on the Vine putting politics into every single thread and just trying to start an argument. That's called trolling.

    I wasn't speaking of the GOP, or the Democrats. I see you inserted another partisan dig in your response. Again, it doesn't belong in this thread. There is a politics section of News Vine. Go there. I thank you for your service to this country but that doesn't excuse you from trolling.

    • 2 votes
    #2.8 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:14 PM EST
    Reply
    Pazalea

    What was their motive is what I'm thinking & how did they think they could possibly get away with such a crime?

    • 3 votes
    Reply#3 - Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:28 PM EST
    daMamma

    That is my thought as well. What on earth would motivate anyone to do such a thing. What happened at this camp just boggles the mind. Over a million people died of starvation, disease or were outright murdered.

    This camp and others like it serve as a reminder of the horrors that humans can perpetrate upon one another.

      #3.1 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:16 AM EST
      Reply
      Eric AlbertDeleted
      Ed-1318959Expand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

      Spoken like true lefty democrat slanderers

      • 1 vote
      Reply#5 - Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:59 PM EST
      Eric AlbertDeleted
      daMamma

      Ed,

      While I do not always agree with Eric, he did put forth a couple of valid possible reasons.

        #5.2 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:20 AM EST
        glitchmavenXL

        haha! Ed is right! BO probably made them steal it because he hates Isreal and he wants to use the sign when he makes Christians go to camps!

          #5.3 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:11 AM EST
          worldcurmudgeon

          Again, this sign, which represents the most criminal and barbaric side of human behavior, would be a target of Holocaust survivors now, seventy years after the fact? To promote this kind of rhetoric would, in itself be supercilious.

          However, at the same time, Eric does not cut comments as others do, he brings up a point because I believe he knows that someone out there in Newvine landia would concoct this cock a mamie idea up anyway.

          Eric is not a fascist, nor is he a communist, I am not sure if the man is a leftist. However, I know that he is against established governments so ingrained into the military/business/banking complex that they no longer represent the people who elect them. Their babble, as we see in Obama, placates the voter with no intention of every fulfilling a campaign promise. Obama has given billions to wall street, banks, insurance companies, and auto manufacturers and has done nothing more than slap them on the wrist.

          Which, before I get to carried away, where was the security for this piece of Nazi horror? Do the Polish feel that no security was needed at this most damning place. This act proves they are still Judeophbic. They are at fault here for not providing proper security for Auschwitz. However, for this lack of security, they should be held fully responsible for what is a desecration of a genocidal killing field and mass grave site.

            #5.4 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:21 PM EST
            worldcurmudgeon

            Again, this sign, which represents the most criminal and barbaric side of human behavior, would be a target of Holocaust survivors now, seventy years after the fact? To promote this kind of rhetoric would, in itself be supercilious.

            However, at the same time, Eric does not cut comments as others do, he brings up a point because I believe he knows that someone out there in Newvine landia would concoct this cock-a-mamie idea up anyway.

            Eric is not a fascist, nor is he a communist, I am not sure if the man is a leftist. However, I know that he is against established governments so ingrained into the military/business/banking complex that they no longer represent the people who elect them. Their babble, as we see in Obama, placates the voter with no intention of every fulfilling a campaign promise. Obama has given billions to wall street, banks, insurance companies, and auto manufacturers and has done nothing more than slap them on the wrist.

            Which, before I get to carried away, where was the security for this piece of Nazi horror? Do the Polish feel that no security was needed at this most damning place. This act proves they are still Judeophbic. They are at fault here for not providing proper security for Auschwitz. However, for this lack of security, they should be held fully responsible for what is a desecration of a genocidal killing field and mass grave site.

              #5.5 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:24 PM EST
              worldcurmudgeon

              Again, this sign, which represents the most criminal and barbaric side of human behavior, would be a target of Holocaust survivors now, seventy years after the fact? To promote this kind of rhetoric would, in itself be supercilious.

              However, at the same time, Eric does not cut comments as others do, he brings up a point because I believe he knows that someone out there in Newvine landia would concoct this cock-a-mamie idea up anyway.

              Eric is not a fascist, nor is he a communist, I am not sure if the man is a leftist. However, I know that he is against established governments so ingrained into the military/business/banking complex that they no longer represent the people who elect them. Their babble, as we see in Obama, placates the voter with no intention of every fulfilling a campaign promise. Obama has given billions to wall street, banks, insurance companies, and auto manufacturers and has done nothing more than slap them on the wrist.

              Which, before I get to carried away, where was the security for this piece of Nazi horror? Do the Polish feel that no security was needed at this most damning place. This act proves they are still Judeophbic. They are at fault here for not providing proper security for Auschwitz. However, for this lack of security, they should be held fully responsible for what is a desecration of a genocidal killing field and mass grave site.

                #5.6 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:24 PM EST
                worldcurmudgeon

                Again, this sign, which represents the most criminal and barbaric side of human behavior, would be a target of Holocaust survivors now, seventy years after the fact? To promote this kind of rhetoric would, in itself be supercilious.

                However, at the same time, Eric does not cut comments as others do, he brings up a point because I believe he knows that someone out there in Newvine landia would concoct this cock-a-mamie idea up anyway.

                Eric is not a fascist, nor is he a communist, I am not sure if the man is a leftist. However, I know that he is against established governments so ingrained into the military/business/banking complex that they no longer represent the people who elect them. Their babble, as we see in Obama, placates the voter with no intention of every fulfilling a campaign promise. Obama has given billions to wall street, banks, insurance companies, and auto manufacturers and has done nothing more than slap them on the wrist.

                Which, before I get to carried away, where was the security for this piece of Nazi horror? Do the Polish feel that no security was needed at this most damning place. This act proves they are still Judeophbic. They are at fault here for not providing proper security for Auschwitz. However, for this lack of security, they should be held fully responsible for what is a desecration of a genocidal killing field and mass grave site.

                  #5.7 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:25 PM EST
                  Reply
                  Leafydebater

                  At least it was recovered.

                  • 3 votes
                  Reply#6 - Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:02 PM EST
                  Satori-1437991

                  While none us know at this time why the sign was stolen, I think the common thought is that it was stolen by the neo Nazi's attempting to rewrite history in their own feeble way. We are having the same problem in the U.S. Right wing extremists are marvels of Orwellians doublespeak and are in the process of re-writing the historical and economics events of history within the U.S. They are convinced that they are the embodiment of the American spirit yet they violate everything the Constitution stands for right to the rule of law.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#7 - Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:49 PM EST
                  daMamma

                  Yes, there are so many that deny the reality of what happened. These people feel if they deny hard enough it would become the truth. As much as I would like to say this never happened, it would not be true. The truth of the matter is it did happen. I wish it didn't.

                  And if wishes were pennies we'd all be rich.

                  Humans can be so horrible and cruel to each other for the stupidest of reasons.

                  • 1 vote
                  #7.1 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:25 AM EST
                  Reply
                  worldcurmudgeon

                  Again, this sign, which represents the most criminal and barbaric side of human behavior, would be a target of Holocaust survivors now, seventy years after the fact? To promote this kind of rhetoric would, in itself be supercilious.

                  However, at the same time, Eric does not cut comments as others do, he brings up a point because I believe he knows that someone out there in Newvine landia would concoct this cock-a-mamie idea up anyway.

                  Eric is not a fascist, nor is he a communist, I am not sure if the man is a leftist. However, I know that he is against established governments so ingrained into the military/business/banking complex that they no longer represent the people who elect them. Their babble, as we see in Obama, placates the voter with no intention of every fulfilling a campaign promise. Obama has given billions to wall street, banks, insurance companies, and auto manufacturers and has done nothing more than slap them on the wrist.

                  Which, before I get to carried away, where was the security for this piece of Nazi horror? Do the Polish feel that no security was needed at this most damning place. This act proves they are still Judeophbic. They are at fault here for not providing proper security for Auschwitz. However, for this lack of security, they should be held fully responsible for what is a desecration of a genocidal killing field and mass grave site.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#8 - Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:26 PM EST
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