Warsaw, Poland – Polish officials say they detained two Canadian men after visitors to the former Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp reported seeing them pick up loose nails from a railway track at the memorial.
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Prosecutor Mariusz Slomka said the men are 30-year-old teachers but he did not have more details.
They were released after questioning Saturday in which they said they wanted souvenirs, and are being allowed to leave Poland.
Authorities will decide whether to bring charges.
Local police Chief Robert Chowaniec said Monday the men could face up to 10 years in prison if the nails _ lying along tracks that the Nazis used to transport trainloads of Jews to the gas chambers _ prove to be historic artifacts.
Officials said the nails were recovered from the men’s backpacks.
This is no different from picking up seashells at a national seashore or picking flowers or rocks from a national park…you DON’T do it…these articles belong to us all and taking them home as a souvenir is mamash ganavah.
Its a few nails. Sure, maybe it wasnt the smartest thing, but I dont think its worth jail time. make them do some community service in their hometown and write a letter of apology. It was not malicious.
Imagine if everyone would take home just one piece of rock from the kosel
ok haha that is the dumbest thing in the world. first of all if they’re artifacts, then just give the guys a fee to pay. I mean they can face 10 years in prison? That just goes to show how this world is messed up, because men who murder or rape sometime get let off with shorter time. Stupid !!!