When this German woman moved into her grandaunt's house, she started going through her belongings in hopes of finding some photos of her. But the only thing she found was a big rusty box in her attic.
And what she discovered inside the safe made her hair stand on end...
A Mysterious Box
It didn't take long for her to find the key to the mysterious safe. When she opened the rusty box, she noticed something strange laying on the bottom.
All she could see was an empty tray, but she knew that something could be hidden beneath it. And she was right.
Strange Objects
When she picked up the tray, she noticed some other strange objects that made her question her grandaunt's sanity. Why would she hide them in a safe?
Surely she didn't have to put an old bottle of moisturizer in such a secure location. But was it really just a moisturizer?
Books, Photographs, and Postcards
Inside the safe were some old books, photographs, and postcards. After examining these items closely, the woman began to understand why her grandaunt had to put them under lock and key.
In the 1940s, her aunt fled Russia and moved to Hamburg. However, she never felt safe in the new country and had to hide her past from her family and friends for decades. But what the woman discovered next left her at a loss for words...
"Mein Kampf"
The woman didn't recognize most of the faces in the photos, but she did recognize the title of one of the books, Adolf Hitler’s "Mein Kampf."
Although publications of this book are easy to find and are not limited, the fact that her aunt had it concerned the woman.
It Was Published In 1943
The woman did some research and discovered that the book was published in 1943, just before WWII ended.
Her aunt could have auctioned this book for its historical context and could sell it for at least $350. So why did she decide to keep it?
She Felt Torn About Selling It
Since the book represented the brutality and terror of Europe when Hitler was in power, her aunt felt torn about selling it. So, she decided to keep it in a safe.
While looking through her aunt's possessions, the woman also discovered a copy of the classical novel "Rob Roy" by Sir Walter Scott.
“Lady and the Tramp”
Her grandaunt also had a copy of the novella "Lady and the Tramp."
The copy was published in German in 1953, just two years before the film was released.
She Was Shocked
It shocked the woman to realize that this Disney classic was actually hidden away with Nazi paraphernalia.
While looking through her grandaunt's photographs, she noticed the same young girl in several photos. Who was she?
She Felt Emotional
She guessed that the girl was her grandmother, whom she never got the chance to meet.
The woman felt emotional while looking through the photos of her extended family from the 50.s.
Strange Photographs
While looking through her aunt's belongings, the woman also spotted a few photos of young boys who appeared to be a part of Hitler Youth, an organization for boys within the Nazi Party.
She was confused about who these boys were and why her aunt had photographs of them in her safe. And suddenly, it all made sense.
Other Findings
Trying to figure out who these young boys were, the woman assumed they could've been her aunt's family members because of how many photos she had of them in her safe.
She also found a huge collection of war-related documents and images, such as media articles, political propaganda, and war-related postcards.
A Heartbreaking Photograph
Her aunt had a postcard from 1916 of a woman kissing a soldier goodbye before he left to fight in the war.
Most of the belongings her niece found in her safe were related to war, showing how heartbreaking it was for everyone living in Europe during that time.
Postcards With The Nazi Government Stamp
The woman also found many postcards with the Nazi government stamp on the back.
These stamps were necessary when sending mail, meaning that the government always knew who you were sending it to and what you sent.
In Touch With The Reality
Going through her aunt's belongings brought the woman to tears.
She still doesn't know why her grandmother hid these items in a safe, but nonetheless, they brought her in touch with the reality of the 1940s in Europe.