The Stolen Children of Poland

The Nazi Child Abductions in Poland exposes one of World War II’s most overlooked atrocities—the systematic kidnapping and “Germanization” of tens of thousands of Polish children—through the words of survivors who have spent a lifetime searching for their stolen identities.

The Nazi Child Abductions in Poland

The relationship between Germany and Poland is still shaped by the crimes committed by Nazi Germany during World War II. One of the lesser-known atrocities is the abduction of tens of thousands of Polish children, who were selected based on racial criteria, taken from their families, and forcibly “Germanized.” Many people in both countries remain unaware of this dark chapter of history.

Few topics in German-Polish historical research have as many gaps as this one. Even today, many of those affected live without knowing their true identities.

For the first time, this book brings together a collection of harrowing testimonies from abducted children—an unprecedented record of their experiences. The Polish editorial team of Deutsche Welle and the Polish news portal Interia launched a multimedia project titled Stolen Children to shed light on this forgotten tragedy.