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| Two British teenagers released over Auschwitz theft | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two British teenagers have "apologised unreservedly" for "picking up items without thinking" from the former Auschwitz death camp, their Cambridge school says. | Two British teenagers have "apologised unreservedly" for "picking up items without thinking" from the former Auschwitz death camp, their Cambridge school says. |
| The Perse School says the 17-year-old boys "attempted to keep some items which they had found on the ground". | The Perse School says the 17-year-old boys "attempted to keep some items which they had found on the ground". |
| They were detained at the site on Monday and released with suspended sentences on Tuesday. | |
| Polish police said the boys denied any wrongdoing, and were spared a fine. | |
| The teenagers could have been jailed for up to 10 years, and they were not given a fine because they were "not working". | |
| The pair were spotted acting suspiciously near a building where Nazi German guards had stored prisoners' confiscated belongings, a spokesman for the museum which now operates on the site told Reuters news agency. | The pair were spotted acting suspiciously near a building where Nazi German guards had stored prisoners' confiscated belongings, a spokesman for the museum which now operates on the site told Reuters news agency. |
| The items found were part of a hair clipper, buttons, and pieces of spoons and glass. | The items found were part of a hair clipper, buttons, and pieces of spoons and glass. |
| The Perse School said the boys, who were on a history trip to Poland, were being supported by the deputy head and had co-operated fully with the Polish authorities. | |
| A spokesman said: "We understand they have explained that they picked up the items without thinking, and they have apologised unreservedly for the offence they have given, and expressed real remorse for their action". | |
| Headmaster Ed Elliott said: "It is still too soon to comment on the details of this case. But it is particularly sad that a situation of this kind had arisen in the course of a visit to a location such as this. | Headmaster Ed Elliott said: "It is still too soon to comment on the details of this case. But it is particularly sad that a situation of this kind had arisen in the course of a visit to a location such as this. |
| "The whole party was deeply aware of the scale of the tragedy associated with Birkenau and the other camps of the Holocaust. Removal of historical artefacts is clearly wrong and a very serious matter. We apologise for any thoughtless and offensive behaviour by these two pupils." | "The whole party was deeply aware of the scale of the tragedy associated with Birkenau and the other camps of the Holocaust. Removal of historical artefacts is clearly wrong and a very serious matter. We apologise for any thoughtless and offensive behaviour by these two pupils." |
| The UK Foreign Office confirmed two British nationals had been arrested. | The UK Foreign Office confirmed two British nationals had been arrested. |
| "We are in contact with the Polish authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance," a spokeswoman said. | "We are in contact with the Polish authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance," a spokeswoman said. |
| 'Tells a story' | 'Tells a story' |
| Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Education Trust said: "Every single artefact found at Auschwitz-Birkenau tells a story of the more than a million people who were ruthlessly murdered by the Nazis there and this incident serves to show why our work is crucial now more than ever. | |
| "We have a duty to educate the next generation to prevent ignorance and hate, and in over 15 years of organising for thousands of British teenagers to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, we have never known of such an incident." | "We have a duty to educate the next generation to prevent ignorance and hate, and in over 15 years of organising for thousands of British teenagers to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, we have never known of such an incident." |
| The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was founded in 1947 and has more than 80,000 British visitors each year. | The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was founded in 1947 and has more than 80,000 British visitors each year. |
| Curators say some visitors try to take artefacts as souvenirs. | Curators say some visitors try to take artefacts as souvenirs. |
| In 2010, a Swedish man was jailed for plotting the theft of the "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work sets you free") sign from the entry gate of the Auschwitz site. | In 2010, a Swedish man was jailed for plotting the theft of the "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work sets you free") sign from the entry gate of the Auschwitz site. |
| Auschwitz-Birkenau, located near the city of Krakow in southern Poland, was the largest camp established by the Germans during World War Two. | Auschwitz-Birkenau, located near the city of Krakow in southern Poland, was the largest camp established by the Germans during World War Two. |
| Some 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed there between 1940 and 1945, when Soviet troops liberated it. | Some 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed there between 1940 and 1945, when Soviet troops liberated it. |
| Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp | Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp |
| Life in the city of Auschwitz | Life in the city of Auschwitz |