Friday, October 1

The Concentration Camp Romantic Coincidence

WWII concentration campFor the romantics out there - I'm sure there must be a few - this is coincidence story which is also doubles up as a love story.

It goes back to 1944. A young man, Antonin Nowak, just 14 years of age was in a concentration camp in Poland, one of the many injustices of World War II. Through the high fence he often saw a young girl of a similar age and, over the weeks, they became on talking terms. She was Polish and asked him if he was hungry. He told her he was.

The following day she brought him an apple, which she managed to squeeze through the fence and barbed wire. They chatted until the girl had to go home.

After this the girl would try to walk past the camp fence most days looking out for Antonin. She always had an apple in her pocket for the young man and he to looked forward to their conversations. It became his strength to get through each day.

After many visits, with tears in his eyes, he told her not to come to see him any more as he was being transferred to another concentration camp. They said their sad goodbyes and Antonin believed he would never see her again. He realised, as she walked away for a final time, that he didn't even know her name.

He called after her and asked what she was called. She said it was Antonina and he realised the similarity to his own.

Eventually the war ended and Antonin was released from the camp. He didn't really keep in touch with any of his camp comrades. Once he was of the right age he decided to emigrate for a better life. He was unsure where to go: England or the USA. Finally he chose USA.

He settled into the American life but never found romance. In 1957 his new found friends were so frustrated at his lack of success that they fixed him up with a blind date.

He had never met the young woman, Anita, before and during dinner he told her about his life in the concentration camp in Poland. It was as if he knew those pale blue eyes.

She in turn told him how she was in Poland about that time and used to take a tall, thin boy apples most days.

Straight away they realised their connection and immediate feelings for each other flowed. Tears of joy followed and Anita told him how she had changed her name from Antonina.

That night, after just seeing Antonina for a few hours, Antonin proposed to her and said he never wanted to lose her again.

She must have felt the same because a few short weeks later they married. They are now in their early 80s and have lived happily together, as was intended, raising a family and a new dynasty in the US.

Coincidences can change lives and sometimes place us back on the road we should have travelled.

Further Reading:
World War 2 Code names Fourd In Crosswords By Coincidence
Photo Taken Of Father Showed His Missing Daughter
The Meeting That Led To Her Soul Mate

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11 comments:

  1. Wonderful story. I love that apple detail. It seems that people who are destined to be together somehow find each other despite wars, famines, and whatever else life throws in their way.

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  2. Anonymous16:27

    I'm a romantic and this story is the perfect post because I'm leaving today to attend a romance writers conference. There's nothing I love more than stories where a connection is made that prompts tears of joy and begins a new journey, happily together.

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  3. Amber20:38

    That was a wonderful post, it was very touching and actually made me cry. Thank you for you amazing blog.

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  4. Anonymous21:02

    A lovely story. I think if you really check your facts you'll find out this is another where the truth was stretch ... a lot. The couple was outted and the gentleman admitted his wrong-doing. It was in NY Times and Daily News among others.

    Had to say, because you have much here that is good. One false one like this will not enhance credibility.

    :-)

    Good job. I read you all the time...

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  5. The idea that truth might be stretched really isn't the point. It's that anything like this ever happens at all. That's the magic.

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  6. Thanks all for the comments.

    As to 'anonymous' comment there could well be embelishments to any story but, as Trish & Rob write, it's still a wonder that such things happen - even if it turns out to be the basic story. Appreciate what you say though.

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  7. Anonymous01:48

    Forever alone!

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  8. awwww, hitler the matchmaker ...

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  9. Anonymous01:57

    Yeah, this is the Rosenblat story, which was found to be false. Too bad this was presented as a true story by the Rosenblats, because it's beautiful, romantic fiction which would draw a nice audience.

    There must be stories like this which are true, but this one didn't happen.

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  10. I have goosebumps!!

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  11. Anonymous00:35

    brilliant story.

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