A Haunting Discovery in Sobibor: Uncovering Names from the Past

Over 70 years have passed since they lay buried in the soil of the Sobibor extermination camp. In recent weeks, five tags bearing the names of Jews murdered on this ground have been discovered. This incredible find was made during an excavation led by Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Yoram Haimi, in collaboration with Polish archaeologist Witek Mazurek and Dutch archaeologist Ivar Schute. The trio uncovered the tags, serving as yet another somber testament to the harrowing events of the Holocaust that occurred here.

In an interview with "Israel Hayom", Haimi, whose two relatives perished in the Holocaust, shared: "It is incredibly moving to find these tags with names, because it is clear that there is a human story here." One of the discovered tags bore the name M. NUNES VAS. Through Yad Vashem's records, two potential matches were identified: Marcus and Meijer. Marcus was born in Amsterdam on May 19, 1899, and was murdered at Sobibor on June 4, 1943. Meijer, also from Amsterdam, was born on October 29, 1878, and perished on the same day. Haimi added in the interview: "This is evidence that the Jews brought to Sobibor thought they were headed to a place to start new lives. This showcases their innocence and the Nazi deception that led them to believe they were moving to new homes. Therefore, Jews brought these tags with their names on them."

Sobibor is one of the most infamous extermination camps of the Holocaust, operating with the goal of annihilating the Jewish people. It is estimated that at least 170,000 people were murdered in this area. The camp was situated in the Lublin district of the General Government in occupied Poland and was named after a nearby village. Later, the camp was completely destroyed to erase any trace of the atrocities committed there. Additionally, a forest was planted in its place. Haimi concluded the interview by stating that he and his colleagues are trying to locate the families of those named on the tags: "Perhaps, next year, they can hold a memorial for their relatives who were murdered at Sobibor."