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- Jan 26, 2003
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This story of "treasure" found at the Maidanek concentration camp seems singularly a propos to a political forum on Pricescope, where we discuss gems and jewelry all the time. As the story tells, people facing death buried the items precious to them not because they would ever see them again, but to keep whatever they could from going to their tormentors, the Nazis. It was a last act of defiance.
As an American and a human being I dislike racism and prejudice, but I no longer fear for the Jews. The Jews now have Israel. The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) is full of strong, able men and women who will never again let Jews be the objects of genocide. The Israeli commandos did what no one thought possible at Entebbe when an airliner was hijacked and the passengers held hostage.
The legacy of World war II is what makes me a proponent of Israel. I dislike some of their right wing policies, but the existence of Israel is necessary.
Some excerpts are below.
"LUBLIN, Poland, Oct. 31 - Adam Frydman shut his heavy-lidded eyes and vividly recalled his first glimpse of this unplowed field 62 years ago. He was 20 and had just arrived from the Warsaw ghetto with his father and brother. He imagined hundreds of Polish Jews huddled behind barbed wire fences. He heard barking dogs. He inhaled the unmistakable smell of death. When he got his bearings, he pointed unambiguously.
'There,' he said.
So there is where they dug. Barely beating the season's first frost and oblivious to a punishing wind, a team of archaeologists transformed the former Maidanek death camp into a crime scene, complete with victims, witnesses and evidence.
After carving only a fraction of the 1,100-by-164-foot field into checkerboard plots that resembled shallow graves, they found about 20 women's rings, a heavy gold bracelet, 2 watches, gold-framed eyeglasses, a miniature Roman Catholic religious medallion and 15 valuable American Eagle gold coins. Even after the very first find, a tiny cut stone - maybe glass or a garnet - they declared their mission a success.
...
'These people realized help was not coming, that they were the last Jews in the world,' said Mr. Svoray, who was joined here by his wife, Mikhal, and their two teenage children.
He and Mr. Mazer explained that they were not treasure hunters, not in the conventional sense.
'We've spent a million dollars so far to find rings worth maybe $100 retail,' said Mr. Mazer, who organized the expedition and won the museum's cooperation. 'But the objects tell a powerful story. There is no way that a modern person can understand the experience, but looking at an object, understanding the circumstances of how it got here and being involved in its rescue gives us all an opportunity to connect with the people here and their sacrifice.'
...
After three days of digging with guidance from Mr. Frydman and an assist from a metal detector, Mr. Mazer presented Mr. Kranz with the unearthed objects, which perhaps will go to Israel and elsewhere as part of a traveling exhibit. The team arranged to secure the site and hopes to return next spring."
Treasures Emerge from the Field of the Dead at Maidanek
Deborah
As an American and a human being I dislike racism and prejudice, but I no longer fear for the Jews. The Jews now have Israel. The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) is full of strong, able men and women who will never again let Jews be the objects of genocide. The Israeli commandos did what no one thought possible at Entebbe when an airliner was hijacked and the passengers held hostage.
The legacy of World war II is what makes me a proponent of Israel. I dislike some of their right wing policies, but the existence of Israel is necessary.
Some excerpts are below.
"LUBLIN, Poland, Oct. 31 - Adam Frydman shut his heavy-lidded eyes and vividly recalled his first glimpse of this unplowed field 62 years ago. He was 20 and had just arrived from the Warsaw ghetto with his father and brother. He imagined hundreds of Polish Jews huddled behind barbed wire fences. He heard barking dogs. He inhaled the unmistakable smell of death. When he got his bearings, he pointed unambiguously.
'There,' he said.
So there is where they dug. Barely beating the season's first frost and oblivious to a punishing wind, a team of archaeologists transformed the former Maidanek death camp into a crime scene, complete with victims, witnesses and evidence.
After carving only a fraction of the 1,100-by-164-foot field into checkerboard plots that resembled shallow graves, they found about 20 women's rings, a heavy gold bracelet, 2 watches, gold-framed eyeglasses, a miniature Roman Catholic religious medallion and 15 valuable American Eagle gold coins. Even after the very first find, a tiny cut stone - maybe glass or a garnet - they declared their mission a success.
...
'These people realized help was not coming, that they were the last Jews in the world,' said Mr. Svoray, who was joined here by his wife, Mikhal, and their two teenage children.
He and Mr. Mazer explained that they were not treasure hunters, not in the conventional sense.
'We've spent a million dollars so far to find rings worth maybe $100 retail,' said Mr. Mazer, who organized the expedition and won the museum's cooperation. 'But the objects tell a powerful story. There is no way that a modern person can understand the experience, but looking at an object, understanding the circumstances of how it got here and being involved in its rescue gives us all an opportunity to connect with the people here and their sacrifice.'
...
After three days of digging with guidance from Mr. Frydman and an assist from a metal detector, Mr. Mazer presented Mr. Kranz with the unearthed objects, which perhaps will go to Israel and elsewhere as part of a traveling exhibit. The team arranged to secure the site and hopes to return next spring."
Treasures Emerge from the Field of the Dead at Maidanek
Deborah
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