A Powerful Message from the Past: WWII Discovery on a Dutch Door

The original wooden door with the engraved message

In 2015, American contractor Jayel Kapitein discovered a significant find on an old apartment door in a Dutch village. Engraved in Dutch on the door was the following message: "Search the roof for my last personal belongings and try to find our family after the war to give them these items. Oh God of Israel, have mercy on Your humble brethren. Signed: Levi Segjet, born 1.8.1881 in Nijmegen, and his wife, Esther Silberstein, born in Stettin 28.7.1889."

The date 23.4.1942 was also etched on the wooden door, further confirming its connection to the Holocaust era. "It was a complete surprise," expressed the New York contractor who uncovered the find. While renovating an apartment in the village, Kapitein found the message on the back of an old wooden door that he intended to replace. "It's very sad to discover such a story 73 years later," said Kapitein, who added that his efforts to locate the couple's relatives were unfortunately in vain.

The door is currently in Kapitein's possession. However, curators from Yad Vashem in the Netherlands have already contacted him, expressing interest in verifying the discovery and negotiating terms for transferring the "priceless artifact" to the museum. "This is a testament to the fate of Dutch Jews during the Holocaust, and we would be glad to receive the door if Mr. Kapitein wishes to donate it," said a curator from the Dutch museum.