Sigmund Sobolewski facts for kids

Sigmund Sobolewski (May 11, 1923 – August 7, 2017) was a Polish Catholic who survived the Holocaust. He became an activist, working to teach others about the terrible events he witnessed.

He was one of the very first prisoners sent to Auschwitz on June 14, 1940. He was prisoner number 88. Sigmund stayed in the concentration camp for four and a half years during World War II. He strongly spoke out against people who denied the Holocaust happened. He was important because he was a non-Jewish person who saw these events and stood up to groups like neo-Nazis. His story is told in the book Prisoner 88: The Man in Stripes.

Early Life in Poland

Sigmund Sobolewski was born in Toruń, Poland. His father was the mayor of a small town in Poland.

Life in Auschwitz (1940–1944)

Sigmund was sent to Auschwitz when he was just 17 years old. This happened because his father was against the Nazis. Sigmund spoke German very well. Because of this, he was made to work as a translator in the camp.

Sigmund later said he survived because he was young. He did not fully understand how serious everything was. Many survivors were simple workers or farmers. They were used to very hard work.

On October 7, 1944, a group of Jewish prisoners tried to escape. They blew up one of the crematorium buildings at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Sigmund was part of the fire brigade. He was ordered to put out the fire. He saw 450 Jewish prisoners killed as punishment for the revolt.

In 1999, he shared his thoughts. He said he survived but always wondered why he lived when others did not.

Fighting for Holocaust Awareness

After the war, Sigmund Sobolewski traveled around the world. He moved to Canada in 1949. In 1967, he started working as an activist. He spoke out against neo-Nazism.

While living in Toronto, he joined a large protest. About 6,000 people gathered to speak out against neo-Nazis. He also traveled 7,000 miles across Europe. He demanded that West Germany pay money to former Nazi camp prisoners. He even wore a copy of his Auschwitz prison uniform. He did this to protest a German neo-Nazi leader on Canadian TV.

In 1983, Sigmund owned a hotel in Fort Macleod, Alberta. He offered to pay for a trip to Auschwitz for Jim Keegstra. Keegstra was a teacher who taught that the Holocaust was a lie. Keegstra did not accept the offer.

In 1989, Sigmund organized a special service in Edmonton. It was held at a Polish Catholic Church. Jewish leaders also attended. He told a reporter that being Catholic in Auschwitz was bad. But being Jewish there was "hopeless." He worried that Nazi crimes would be forgotten. He tried to find help to write his memories. He found that many people had not heard of Auschwitz.

In 1990, he walked the same path he took to Auschwitz 50 years earlier. He wanted to create "meditation gardens" at the camp. That same year, he protested a neo-Nazi festival in Alberta. In 1991, he was in Chicago. He spoke out against a Polish Cardinal. He felt the Cardinal was not sensitive enough to Holocaust survivors.

Later Years and Legacy

Sigmund Sobolewski traveled the world. He gave talks about his time in Auschwitz. He warned people about Holocaust denial. In 2009, he spoke to high school students in Alabama. In 1995, he was in Jerusalem for a ceremony. He joined 3,000 other Auschwitz survivors. They marked 50 years since the camp was freed.

Sigmund Sobolewski passed away on August 7, 2017. He was 94 years old. He died at his home in Bayamo, Cuba. He had pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease. He is remembered by his wife, Ramona, and their three sons.