Orthodox Jew Buys Mengele’s Diaries at Auction
An American Orthodox Jewish man reportedly bought the diaries of notorious Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele in a controversial auction.
The buyer, who was not named, is said to be a collector of World War II-era artifacts.
News outlets variously reported the value of the sale at between $245,000 and $300,000. The sale was run by the Connecticut-based Alexander Historical Auctions, which did not identify the seller.
Mengele, who died in 1979, was notorious for conducting ghastly experiments on prisoners at Auschwitz. His notebooks were written after the war in South America, where he fled to escape justice.
The sale of the diaries was strongly criticized by some Holocaust historians and some in the Jewish community.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
