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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)
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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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Valentina 7 years ago
...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!
Alberto Alves 7 years ago
Nice love story, but Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian Army in January 1945. Perhaps another camp?
Francie Traschen 7 years ago
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."
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Valentina 7 years ago
...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!
Alberto Alves 7 years ago
Nice love story, but Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian Army in January 1945. Perhaps another camp?
Francie Traschen 7 years ago
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... Related on Bored Panda
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