WARSAW, Poland (JTA) — Two 17-year-old British boys face up to 10 years in prison for stealing items from the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum in Poland.
An indictment was filed Tuesday with the Regional Court in Krakow.
Museum guards stopped the teenagers in June while they were on a trip with the independent Perse School in Cambridge. The teens were found to have hidden in their bags fragments of a hair clipper, glass from the barracks and buttons taken from the area of the former Birkenau camp called “Canada,” where during the war stood warehouses filled with items looted from Jews.
The teens initially pleaded guilty and were levied a fine as punishment. They were allowed to return to Cambridge.
Polish prosecutors say the teens withdrew their admission of guilt, saying they were not aware that the items had special cultural significance.
The teens likely will have to appear in court to answer to the charges.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
