The Rediscovery of a Hidden Holocaust Story

As a child, Elizabeth Connolly played with toy soldiers which she found in her father’s drawer. Alongside the toys was an envelope of intriguing photos. Connolly recalled thinking the people in the photos seemed unfamiliar. Her curiosity was piqued by an image of a mother with a child and another emaciated woman.

These photos belonged to her father, Carrol Walsh, a World War II Army sergeant. Walsh received them from a fellow tank commander and kept them as a symbol of a poignant event. Walsh downplayed the significance, simply saying he encountered these people on a train.

The discovery of the photos led to a deeper investigation by Matt Rozell, Connolly’s son’s teacher. Rozell was researching veterans’ stories when he heard Walsh describe liberating a train full of Holocaust survivors.

“We were zooming through Germany on a beautiful April day and came across this train full of Holocaust victims,” Walsh recounted.

On April 13, 1945, American soldiers freed 2,500 Jewish prisoners near Magdeburg, Germany, in the war’s final weeks. The prisoners were en route from Bergen-Belsen to another camp. Rozell soon realized he was documenting an underreported historical moment. He published the interview online, leading to responses from numerous survivors and liberators.

Rozell organized reunions between the American soldiers and survivors, including Peter Lantos, a neuroscientist and author. Lantos was only five when aboard the train with his mother, fleeing Bergen-Belsen. They regarded any place as better than Belsen, where unburied bodies lay around.

Lantos remembers the liberation vividly, hearing shouts of “Americans!” He emphasizes the moral duty to share these experiences, as he is one of the last survivors.

James Bulgin of the Imperial War Museum highlighted the dire state of those onboard the train. He curated Holocaust galleries in London showcasing the train’s story. Bulgin noted that survival wasn’t guaranteed—plans existed for the prisoners’ execution if relocation failed.

Award-winning filmmaker Mike Edwards documented the story in “A Train Near Magdeberg.” His team uncovered photographs of a refugee with a picture depicting pre-Holocaust appearance.

Edwards has shown the film to students. When asked about the story’s impact, he replied, “It’s a story of humanity.” He hopes the narrative inspires people to show compassion in critical moments, akin to the train’s history.

Rozell, now retired, stresses the importance of education in understanding such events. He believes the train story holds significant lessons. “We say, ‘Never forget,’ but what if we never learned it?” he posed.

The trailer for the documentary is available through Matthew Rozell’s website, offering a glimpse into this poignant retelling.

The collective effort to unearth and share these histories ensures the memories endure. It educates new generations about resilient human spirit amidst horrific circumstances.