Holocaust Survivor And Soldier Who Rescued Her Spend More Than 70 Years Together
When 23-year-old John Mackay saved 20-year-old Edith Steiner from Auschwitz in 1944, neither were to know that they’d spend the rest of their lives together.
John, who once escaped from an Italian prisoner of war camp in Tobruk, Libya, after impersonating an Italian soldier, was part of a Scottish commando unit that liberated Edith, known as Eci, and many others from the daily horrors of the Jewish Holocaust concentration camp. They faced a regular threat of execution, and they were also at the camp at the same time as Josef Mengele AKA The Angel of Death, a notorious SS officer, and physician renowned for his sadistic experiments. Edith, who was born in the Székesfehérvár region of Hungary, lost 39 members of her family during the World War II Holocaust, and only she and her mother survived.
At a dance to celebrate the liberation, John asked a friend to ask Edith if she would dance with him, but she sent his friend back with the message that she would only accept the invitation if it came from John himself. Plucking up the courage to approach her, that first dance was the beginning of a love story that would last over 70 years. They married on July 17, 1946, and after returning to Scotland, Edith and John owned the Atholl Arms Hotel in Pitlochry before retiring to Dundee. The cute couple also had two children, Sharon and Peter. The pair made headlines earlier this year after celebrating their 71st Valentine’s Day together, but three weeks before their married life anniversary, Edith sadly passed away aged 92 with John right by her side. Although she’s no longer with us; however, their incredible real love story will live on forever as a heartwarming reminder of what long term relationships and love really are. (h/t: vintageeveryday)
John Mackay saved Edith Steiner from Auschwitz in 1944
Image credits: Deadline news
Little did they know that they would spend the rest of their lives together
Image credits: Deadline news
John, who was a soldier, liberated Edith and many others from the concentration camp
Image credits: Deadline news
At a dance to celebrate the liberation, John asked a friend to ask Edith if she would dance with him
Image credits: Scotsman
She sent his friend back with the message that she would only accept the invitation if it came from John
Image credits: Deadline news
John found the courage to ask her himself
Image credits: Mirror
That first dance was the beginning of a love story that would last over 70 years
Image credits: Deadline news
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Share on Facebook...Love between two human beings, forged in the nazi hell eventually stronger and more long lasting than the horrific regime who claimed would rule the world "for a thousand years"... And in any case: Nazis can f*k off forever!
Nice love story, but Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian Army in January 1945. Perhaps another camp?
from another article about them, "John Mackay, 96, rescued a column of Jewish prisoners from the horrors of Auschwitz as they marched with their Nazi guards to another concentration camp."
Load More Replies...Lovely story...but, Day of liberation Soldiers of the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front opened the gates of Auschwitz Concentration Camp on January 27, 1945. The prisoners greeted them as authentic liberators. It was a paradox of history that soldiers formally representing Stalinist totalitarianism brought freedom to the prisoners of Nazi totalitarianism.The Red Army obtained detailed information about Auschwitz only after the liberation of Cracow, and was therefore unable to reach the gates of Auschwitz before January 27, 1945.About 7 thousand prisoners awaited liberation in the Main Camp, Birkenau, and Monowitz. Before and soon after January 27, Soviet soldiers liberated about 500 prisoners in the Auschwitz sub-camps in Stara Kuźnia, Blachownia Śląska, Świętochłowice, Wesoła, Libiąż, Jawiszowice, and Jaworzno. Over 230 Soviet soldiers, including the commander of the 472nd regiment, Col. Siemen Lvovich Besprozvanny, died in combat while liberating the Main Camp, Birkenau...
Yup. You mentioned details and made sense to this article. But hell, the Westerners don't give a damn about Eastern Europe during WW2...
Load More Replies...The story is wanderful, but Auschwitz whas liberate by soviet forces, please, don't change the true history of WWII.
It wasn't just Soviet forces. Maybe he was an American that was with the soviets. Don't always assume that people are changing history.
Load More Replies...Wonderful story, but Aushwitz was released by Soviet Army not American...
Edith was rescued by John while being transported from Auschwitz to another camp. This isn't revisionist history it's a love story.
https://www.google.ca/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/14/auschwitz-survivor-spends-valentines-day-scots-commando-rescued/amp/
Load More Replies...Pipe down, people, and stop getting upset on behalf of Rodina Mat. The article clearly states John Mackay was Scots and not - heaven forbid - an American. The article does not contradict the fact that Russia liberated Eastern Europe and invaded Germany. And if you're wondering what a soldier with a non-Russian sounding name was doing there at that point in the war, he was there with his Commando unit. Maybe do some research on what a commando unit is...
This is such a beautiful story. To the person cutting onions, please stop!
That's a terrific story. May he be happy for all the years they had together rather than sad that she's gone.
This is such a beautiful story... I wish I could say something really profound right now, but I'm not that poetic, so I'll just say that this is just amazing and I'm glad they found each other.
Their love just shines out of their faces-what a wonderful story.....!
Wow what an amazing story and Photos. You amazing man, this is such amoving story. Let's please remember the evil that happened Amen
Poland knows no less heroic story. Bielecki's and Cybulska's run's worth mentioning.
Article does not say he pulled her out of Auschwitz, it states he saved her, could have taken whatever city she was from.
Uhm, the author didn't mention some details available on websites.
Load More Replies......Love between two human beings, forged in the nazi hell eventually stronger and more long lasting than the horrific regime who claimed would rule the world "for a thousand years"... And in any case: Nazis can f*k off forever!
Nice love story, but Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian Army in January 1945. Perhaps another camp?
from another article about them, "John Mackay, 96, rescued a column of Jewish prisoners from the horrors of Auschwitz as they marched with their Nazi guards to another concentration camp."
Load More Replies...Lovely story...but, Day of liberation Soldiers of the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front opened the gates of Auschwitz Concentration Camp on January 27, 1945. The prisoners greeted them as authentic liberators. It was a paradox of history that soldiers formally representing Stalinist totalitarianism brought freedom to the prisoners of Nazi totalitarianism.The Red Army obtained detailed information about Auschwitz only after the liberation of Cracow, and was therefore unable to reach the gates of Auschwitz before January 27, 1945.About 7 thousand prisoners awaited liberation in the Main Camp, Birkenau, and Monowitz. Before and soon after January 27, Soviet soldiers liberated about 500 prisoners in the Auschwitz sub-camps in Stara Kuźnia, Blachownia Śląska, Świętochłowice, Wesoła, Libiąż, Jawiszowice, and Jaworzno. Over 230 Soviet soldiers, including the commander of the 472nd regiment, Col. Siemen Lvovich Besprozvanny, died in combat while liberating the Main Camp, Birkenau...
Yup. You mentioned details and made sense to this article. But hell, the Westerners don't give a damn about Eastern Europe during WW2...
Load More Replies...The story is wanderful, but Auschwitz whas liberate by soviet forces, please, don't change the true history of WWII.
It wasn't just Soviet forces. Maybe he was an American that was with the soviets. Don't always assume that people are changing history.
Load More Replies...Wonderful story, but Aushwitz was released by Soviet Army not American...
Edith was rescued by John while being transported from Auschwitz to another camp. This isn't revisionist history it's a love story.
https://www.google.ca/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/14/auschwitz-survivor-spends-valentines-day-scots-commando-rescued/amp/
Load More Replies...Pipe down, people, and stop getting upset on behalf of Rodina Mat. The article clearly states John Mackay was Scots and not - heaven forbid - an American. The article does not contradict the fact that Russia liberated Eastern Europe and invaded Germany. And if you're wondering what a soldier with a non-Russian sounding name was doing there at that point in the war, he was there with his Commando unit. Maybe do some research on what a commando unit is...
This is such a beautiful story. To the person cutting onions, please stop!
That's a terrific story. May he be happy for all the years they had together rather than sad that she's gone.
This is such a beautiful story... I wish I could say something really profound right now, but I'm not that poetic, so I'll just say that this is just amazing and I'm glad they found each other.
Their love just shines out of their faces-what a wonderful story.....!
Wow what an amazing story and Photos. You amazing man, this is such amoving story. Let's please remember the evil that happened Amen
Poland knows no less heroic story. Bielecki's and Cybulska's run's worth mentioning.
Article does not say he pulled her out of Auschwitz, it states he saved her, could have taken whatever city she was from.
Uhm, the author didn't mention some details available on websites.
Load More Replies...
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