The man who volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz - BBC REEL

In 1940, a Polish underground operative named Witold Pilecki volunteered to be imprisoned at Auschwitz.
His job was to gather intelligence about activities at the camp and establish a daring resistance network inside. Pilecki remained imprisoned for over two and a half years, and witnessed Auschwitz transform into the Nazi's most notorious death camp. He tried to warn the world of the horrors he was witnessing, but the world didn't listen.
Video by Adrian Hartrick & Dominika Ożyńska
More from BBC Reel's 'Unheard Of' playlist: www.bbc.com/reel/playlist/unh...
#bbcreel #bbc #bbcnews

[@kelvinlee8188]

Today, I learned about a new hero. The world was unkind to this man but his spirit never stopped doing what was right.

[@Romans15-13]

😢❤️✝️

[@damian_ski]

Please also keep in mind, that he wasn't alone. His escape and the overall plan to gather evidence for Allies (who ignored all that, learn about the Roosevelt meeting Jan Karski) was prepared by Home Army (AK - Armia Krajowa). Please learn about Ulma family. There are so many heroes, so much horror buried in the dark by the post-war propaganda and political needs.

[@GD-8]

Yes, a hero whom we never knew about. By the way, you might want to fix the spelling of "stopped". Thanks.

[@pettahines405]

Jesus

[@pettahines405]

Jesus.

[@MrKontekst]

True hero, it's a shame for modern world to talk abou celebrities instead of these kind of people...

[@massoud999]

Respect to this Polish hero. One of the most fascinating stories of WWII.

[@kianjones983]

@Xuěhuā I am British and can agree that Polish pilots and fighters/ soldiers in general were of the Elite, without the help from them, and so my other backgrounds, we wouldn't have stood a chance against the Nazi army so i thank all the Courageous heroes that sacrificed themselves in order for a better future for us today

[@CJ-xe2wi]

@@kianjones983 Why don't you thank those in the "Colonies" first? i.e. Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders? Without them, the Brits would be speaking German today!

[@ccg1984]

Wow.... Whatta touching story🙏🏼 Wish someone makes a Biopic or a movie on this guy. The whole story needs to be told to the world. This guy gave it all 👍🏼 the ultimate sacrifice

[@72marshflower15]

It was the US Capital Establishment that sponsored the nazis as controlled opposition to reestablish Israel for religious conservatives.. It’s why holocaust means “burnt offering/sacrifice”..

[@fugitive88888]

It doesn t fit the narrative

[@andrewsajdyk]

never will happen Pols have many episodes from world War 2 which can be used to create great movies but never will happen because world will know about there's sacrifice and big contribution and this not what sum people want

[@72marshflower15]

@@fugitive88888 I posted a response detailing why it doesn’t fit the narrative, but it was pulled by pro-Zionist thought police.. All the variables point to the US sponsoring the nazis as controlled opposition to reestablish Israel for religious conservatives. What is the “Bellamy Salute”? Nazis adopted it as a nod to the USCE that sponsored them. KZbin “a Night at the Garden” to find regular nazi rallies being held across the US in the run up before the war. Let see if this post sticks and I’ll post more on the history if we continue. Holocaust certainly happened, but not for reasons we were all told.

[@72marshflower15]

@@boleslavsavdax282 Zionism Strikes Again!!!

[@jp4431]

Let us not forget the unknown heroes who were part of his intelligence network. I will admit that I'm weak, and I'm most likely going to do whatever it takes to survive. I can never do what these people did. They were truly truly brave.

[@simonestreeter1518]

Do you think you are being some kind of cool antihero by 'admitting' that you are weak? If you are really weak, I am quite sure you will not survive.

[@jp4431]

@@simonestreeter1518 I know I won’t survive, that’s why I said I’m weak. What kind of edge lord are you?

[@jp4431]

@@simonestreeter1518 doing whatever it takes to survive doesn’t mean I will

[@MyNewEra2012]

@@simonestreeter1518 what kind of a*s are you to treat people like this? 👎🤮

[@simonestreeter1518]

@@jp4431 I'd be happy to tell you, but I've never heard of an edge lord.

[@lowket]

Mr. Witold Pilecki: i salute you, Sir. Your deeds and you yourself will never be forgotten. thank you for your services. Bless your family.

[@DianaKazimiera-]

Absolutely!YES...great and absolutely true Hero. Great respect and memory 🕯️🙏🕊️

[@highlander4731]

I’m so proud that my blood is Polish and I’m so proud that I’m Polish because we comes from great nation we sacrifice so much and we rebuild and raised from ashes Polska Kochanie Moje tesknie starsznie za toba najbardziej brakuje mi zapachu chleba z babci pieca masła krowiego mleka zapachu słoneczników zapachu lasu

[@palmthief339]

Też Cię kocham kuzynie.

[@sarahgodsmark5654]

The Polish Freedom Fighters in WWII were so brave, they played a massive role in the airforce & helped us defeat the Nazis 🇵🇱

[@RafalKontrym]

My grandfather's brother Boleslaw Kontrym was arrested few years after Pilecki. He was kept and tortured for 4.5 years in the same prison. Sentenced in a fake trial to death, shot and buried in mass grave. I wonder if they knew each other, they both fought in Warsaw uprising.

[@mexicanusrex9418]

A proud salute to this great Polish hero! Bless his family!

[@Donknowww]

I will never ever complain about my hard work ever. What this man took on his shoulders is beyond everything i ever heard... What a hero... Sadly that we even in Europe, most of us haven't heard of him till now... Thank you so mich for this video. Its truly an eye opener...

[@elabarycka8367]

To date, his body has not been found. I recommend the story of Wojtek the bear.

[@andilynnoyes923]

I’m so happy this guy has been recognized! I learned about Witold from the book The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather. It’s a crushing story, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more. This man was amazing, and we should all try to share his story.

[@1odelicious]

Yes! I read the book the last year and highly recommend!

[@chnalvr]

He is the definition of a pure and total selfless hero.

[@jennyhughes4474]

I'm speechless & crying watching this - what an amazing brave man, yet STILL the world refused to hear him & his network and the horrors they were exposing. All those who knew but did nothing are guilty of these crimes: their silence & inaction allowed the atrocities to continue. We must all stay alert so that nothing anything like this ever happens again but from what I read it IS happening around the world & we all feel helpless & don't know what to do, but may each do our tiny bit, what we can...

[@PinkSparklerToontown]

Nothing even remotely close to the holocaust is happening around the world. There are stories about what China is doing and they've been completely misconstrued, if that's what you mean. China has rounded up people for re-education, that's it. USA is telling their people its a Chinese holocaust though which is wrong

[@vern0018]

@@PinkSparklerToontown What a beautiful bubble world you live in.

[@carolcoopertaylor]

Why have I not heard of this man before now. He was a hero, a true hero.

[@priemeee]

It's due history is written by the winners. Poland lost IIWW in every possible aspect you can imagine. To be quite honest with you last time when my country was sovereign was 1939.

[@elabarycka8367]

I know the answers. I will answer privately.

[@piekut170]

You not heard about this man, because he was... Polish :/ Jewish Hollywood dont want made good movie about him and his amazing story, because he was Polish. It'a not a joke ( !!! ) They will accept the script only then if he made him a Jew :o You know... Jewish Propaganda (Holocaust Company) tell us, that Jewish people are only victims of Nazi-Germans Death Machine and bullshits about it, that Polish people are in a form of alliance with Germans during WWII......... Poland is the only one country were for helping jews people was... Death. Death for whole family, if someone from that family will help Jews ! That is a historical fact... So many polish people was die try helping to jewish people... That is so unfair that elite of jewish people made us anti-semitis now, after whole that help. They are find safe azyl in our country (Polish King Casimir III The Great take them and protect them our laws in XIV century) after whole centuries when other europen kings and lords throw away them from their countrys... After robbing them at first, of course. They dont have honor ! That's all.......

[@nikolairomanoff6969]

I read a book about him and his underground comrades in Auschwitz. He is indeed a war hero, a Polish hero, a world hero 👍 And who would volunteer to go to Auschwitz? That is true courage and heroism.

[@thesupersonicstig]

They didn’t know what Auschwitz was at the time so he was a lot less likely to hesitate than if they knew.

[@gf4453]

A true hero. A true human being.

[@africanlipplateandbonenose3223]

How so? Look at Europe and America today. We certainly didn't win. The bankers did.

[@Russianboyz95]

@@africanlipplateandbonenose3223 huh?

[@Halrand]

It feels so great when you listen to foreigners admiring hero of your people, who is celebrated in your own country not without a reason. He's probably one of the greatest heroes of modern Poland's mainstream.

[@dbaider9467]

I heard about this extremely brave and selfless man on Irish radio and had to look him up. He is not forgotten, at all.

[@thatoneguy7506]

Fellow Irish

[@dbaider9467]

@@thatoneguy7506 What a guy!

[@eveeliz6478]

I have heard many times people say " Polish Concentration Camps", this is completely wrong. These were German Concentration Camps in Poland. This is very simple, and very important to know the difference. I had people argue with me and call me uneducated and a liar simply because they never read about the actualy history of what happened.

[@joxp6971]

Poland has many camps,gross rosen is just 40 k from auschwitz and the list goes on but they were german camps

[@aaavvv9525]

Human Concentration Camps

[@exoticwrappingtv7066]

You should make episode on another polish badass who escaped from this camp in ss uniforms with his friends in a car that belonged to the camp comander. His name was Kazimierz Piechowski.

[@swetoniuszkorda5737]

* Polish

[@peterlpool1387]

If this man was American, he’d have a number of films done about him. He should be recognised better.

[@magdaty1815]

Julien Bryan was an American photographer who documented the Siege of Warsaw in September 1939. Where is the movie about him? It could be interesting too. His Siege can be found on yt - worth seeing.

[@mareksicinski3726]

There’s two films about him, another (foreign) one being made

[@byrne1916]

But then sports stars get knighted... History should never forget this dude.

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

Or sports stars get treated like traitors if they take a knee for others. History should never forget the privileged Kaepernick, the mother of kneeling, too.

[@warrengday]

Thank you so much for sharing so much detail about this heroic man.

[@Zosia.B]

75 years after his death, the greatest Polish hero, a Polish soldier (from allied troops with the UK), had a ten-minute film on the BBC.

[@mikshinee87]

Maybe in the next 75 years, he can have 60 minutes. Now that would be grand.

[@Zosia.B]

@@mikshinee87 As long as the world is ruled by people of the "trade religion," this truth will not see the light of day. As well as many other things, such as the fact that Auschwitz was built for Poles and that 300,000 murdered people were of Polish nationality (which constituted 35% of those murdered). The first transport of Polish political prisoners reached the Auschwitz camp on June 14, 1940. There were 728 people brought by the Germans from the prison in Tarnów. Also the knowledge that Poland under the German occupation was the only country where helping Jews was threatened with death (whole families, including children, died for helping them). Nevertheless, Poles helped these people by risking their own lives and the lives of their relatives.

[@mireklalas]

A hero for the ages, standing up numerous times for basic human dignity and decency, never fearing to risk his life. But his story is as much the story of unflappable courage, but also of human wickedness and hypocrisy demonstrated not just by his enemies, but also by his superiors, the "liberators" of Poland, and the very people whose lives he saved.

[@peterh3213]

Witold Pilecki is one of the greatest idols in my life. I lived in Warsaw back in 2018 when it was 70th anniversary of his murder. I think it was 25th May 2018 and I took a bike and rode to Pilecki street in Mokotow to salute the hero. I was really surprised there was no monument or any festivities reminding him and his sacrifice for Polish people. I learned Polish that year by watching Czas Honoru which is inspired by similar heroic stories about Polish underground fighters.

[@NalesnikiLubie]

Yup, there’s still a lot of communist propaganda degrading him and his comrades prevalent in Polish society…

[@viktor-reznov]

What a hero this guy was... Much respect!

[@JaegerLeMaserati]

what an incredible man. so much respect for him

[@ryanh3635]

This guy's story is the opening to the book Everything Is F****d by Mark Manson. And honestly one of the greatest stories of resistance. I would give all worldly possessions to shake his hand.

[@kasperchristensen8416]

A true hero. Rest in Peace, -inmate 4859- Witold Pilecki!

[@fiona1036]

It's so hard to comprehend what happened back then. What the people in my country did to those innocent people is sick, disgusting, inhumane and I don't have the words to describe what I am feeling and can't imagine what the victims and their families now must still feel. I know I can't apologize for the things Germans have done, nor can I stop the agony those people are feeling and I also can't bring the dead back, as much as I would love to. But the one thing I can do is make sure it doesn't happen again. Make sure my future children are educated as much as I am and make sure that every teenager in school learns about the horrors and visit the museums in the old concentration camps to show them what people had to go through. And I promise that I will. May every victim rest in peace, may the victims be never forgotten and the heroes like Mr Pilecki praised forever.

[@Bibblesupremacy1992]

Google Residential schools

[@swetoniuszkorda5737]

Yes, the Germans know only about Russians and Jews. Let us in peace. Do not disturb our development. Take back Mr Tusk to Brussels.

[@kobirelf97]

This is what you call a true hero this brought a tear to my eyes

[@Artichoke4Head]

the irony of surviving Nazi death camp to be murdered by communists! and I'm sure he wasn't the only one either

[@cimg9673]

u're definitely right

[@05KAR]

Thousands of them. Not ironic if you're living between Germany and Moscow.

[@adrianw6536]

@Shafigh Khalili Sanitarism too.

[@quety7016]

a lot of polish soldiers after WW2 was killed by comunists, and during WW2 they killed a lot of them, look about Katyn massacre

[@BlueBaron3x7]

A truly brave man.

[@luisgranados9992]

A real hero ,a real Man.!!! Am glad I was able to hear his story...much,much respect and admiration "..

[@luisgranados9992]

Wait!!?? What?? So where is his statue, a real recognition to this Man,doing the unthinkable, going beyond.!!??... first time seeing this video...much respect to this man and his journey...!!

[@DrRobato]

It is here: aleja Wojska Polskiego 32, 02-495 Warszawa, Poland

[@luisgranados9992]

@@DrRobato am surprised that his name and story is not really mentioned or personified in a much bigger spectrum.. thank you

[@DrRobato]

@@luisgranados9992 Thanks to the internet now you and many other people know the story about this awesome guy :)

[@UnknownBeats]

He is here in our hearts and memories, that is the most important thing.

[@FLP90]

A George Floyd statue was made instead

[@smurfylee]

Wow how interesting and eye opening, have learnt something new about an important piece of history . God Bless this man, what a genuine warrior he was!

[@miro5633]

He still doesn't have his grave. His remains haven't been found.

[@f.d.6667]

Wow. Could it be that the BBC is finally finding it's way back to proper reporting, stories that have relevance and facts that can be validated?

[@Usulovski]

An unimaginable hero...

[@Pablo123.]

Cześć i Chwała Bohaterom

[@kurtwollermann2210]

a truly heroic man.............my polish uncle spent four years in a camp ...........truly shitty experience

[@DrRobato]

My grandmother managed to escape from Auschwitz. She told my mother is was a hell on Earth

[@-comment]

What an incredible man.

[@TheKoKsOnePL]

Us Poles have the bar set high as a result of such people’s martyrdoms. We hate dictatorships.

[@cones914]

I am shocked. Such a great man.

[@lady0shady]

I'm glad more and more people outside Poland are getting familiar with the person of Witold Pilecki. His story and himself are very famous here, in Poland.

[@NormanJaxx]

Always sad stories will come from this times... but the lesson remains ✌🏻

[@grzegorzwalas4125]

Wow, it's such a wonder that BBC made this document to pass it on to world and it's so competent and true. If someone would say it to me I wouldn't believe. Thank you. UK, you're in these times one of not very numerous countries who can say word of truth.

[@nouseforanamelucky13]

Sabaton's "Inmate 4859" is based on this story.. absolutely incredible 🤘🏼

[@jdmmg4904]

what an hero and what a tragic story... the family picture were really heartbreaking in this context

[@andrewjackdaw2511]

He is a true Hero! Should never be forgotten!

[@kathyh4804]

What a brave man! I had never heard of him before, thank you for sharing this information

[@paradigm_sh1ft532]

"I have been trying to live my life so that in the hour of my death I would feel joy, rather than fear..."

[@famousbowl9926]

Now i understand how this could ever had happened. Its happening again now!

[@snowflakemelter1172]

It's not, take your meds.

[@ericmorrison8772]

@@snowflakemelter1172 it's not mass murder camps BUT they are building camps and putting people in them. So there is some truth there....

[@rhino5100]

@@snowflakemelter1172 It is and we can see it on satellite and nobody gives a damn. Uyghurs, for one. Enjoy your Chinese Olympics. The Nazis used the Olympics as a big distraction and for PR Rehab, too.

[@damianhoratiu2287]

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Polish spirit.

[@tebbienoudan5291]

If there ever was a true hero… and then to be cowardly executed by the new government of the country he tried to save. Nothing but awe and respect for this man.

[@12ppa27]

Wieczna pamięć Bohaterom

[@mikeymike7738]

He’s a hero. So many people fight for freedom and most of us Americans take it for granted

[@bmaraujo]

"Inmate in hell or a hero in prison? Soldier in Auschwitz we know his name Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison Hiding in Auschwitz he hides behind 4859" Inmate 4859 - Sabaton

[@kaikooru]

Lets go, i was waiting for someone to reference this

[@lordcanmore87]

His did so much for his country. Fought the Nazis, survived a concentration camp, and his subsequent arrest after the warsaw uprising. Survived WW2, and liberated by the Allies. Only to be executed by his own country he fought for with his life.. Such a shame. A true hero. Anti Nazi and anti communist.

[@chaoticserpent]

He was fighting Germans, nobody was calling them "Nazis" during the October Campaign.

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

@@chaoticserpent It sounds more heroic if you say that he fought Nazis. Even though there were literally German kids fighting who had no fkn clue.

[@MrDruzbicki]

No but his own country. It was the Russians who killed him. Poland was occupied by the Soviets until 1990

[@gregoriodia]

@@MrDruzbicki well 1993... that's the year last soviet soldier left Poland.

[@thatoneguyRyan1]

Imagine how many scalps he’d give to Aldo.

[@MissMilkaa]

Thank you so much for sharing his story. He's a true hero.

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

This man's suffering may have prevented many others pain & suffering.

[@sammnew]

What a true hero! Thank you for highlighting this mans incredible selflessness ❤️

[@SuperReyand]

Thanks for sharing this - astonishing character, inspirational!

[@barbaradazier8890]

I read the book The Volunteer about this man. If only Roosevelt and Churchil had believed there would have been fewer deaths. It’s a great book. Another book I read was The Auschwitz Photographer which is so beautifully written about something so ugly.

[@ctcole77]

What was "Roosevelt and Churchil" supposed to do? Hundreds of miles away.........fighting two front wars. Russia could have helped. But Stalin refused to assist any Polish causes.

[@pissiole5654]

@@ctcole77 The western allies could have bombed the railways leading to the camps with that air superiority they achieved. They had no problems bombing oil fields in Romania so its not like they couldnt reach Eastern Europe. The soviets on the other hand were dealing with taking on a good 80% of the Wehrmacht and losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers along the way while the western allies waited for the Soviets to soften the Nazis up enough for them to feel comfortable to invade France

[@barbaradazier8890]

@@ctcole77 Please read the book The Volunteer, both Churchil and Roosevelt were advised of what was happening in Auschwitz particular to the Jews and both either didn’t believe it or they were antisemitic. The book explains so much. Russia was the country to liberate Auschwitz not the Americans or British.

[@ousarlxsfjsbvbg8588]

@@ctcole77 you don’t even know what you are talking about. Hundreds of miles away fighting two front wars? Certainly not. The USSR, on the other hand, was too busy single-handedly fighting off an invasion and defeating Germany, no thanks to Roosevelt and Churchill. I would love to see you squirm when confronted with the phrase “Stalin won WW2.”

[@ctcole77]

@@ousarlxsfjsbvbg8588 And you would squirm when I tell you............. STALIN STARTED WWII That's right, Russia made a secret alliance with the Nazis in 1939 that split Poland in half, gave the Baltics to Russia, and included a very mutually beneficial trade agreement. Nazis tanks that invaded France were fed with Russia oil.

[@cam7minus1]

God bless this man... this gives me chills to think about

[@abeelvago]

Bravery should be measured in fractions of 1 WP (Witold Pilecki) unit

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Very brave man! Fighting for freedom...

[@alessandrofirmani700]

What a leyend! He should have a movie made, is so sad he had to die like that, he deserved so much better

[@joshuawhittaker1197]

So many unknown heroes from the past. I'm glad he received his memorial.

[@yingyang6080]

A very rare, interesting and commandable character who should have world recognition. A free soul who went on to fight all "-ISMs" (nazism/fascism and communism) irrespectively, showing what an ethical man he was so much different and elevated than the too many who either convenientely switched from one regime to another or chose Communism as a cure all ideology. Unfortunately, though quite significatively, he was killed by the "saviour" communists. Quite a lesson still to be learned by too many who still consider and look up to communism as a solution to all evils.

[@joylives_4her668]

What a courageous man/ people in one of the worst times/environment in human history. 💪

[@olik6142]

Bless your soul Witold

[@sinafahmy8890]

A true hero, truly heartbreaking

[@davepowell7168]

World Of Wonder ! What a brave man, the odds of being discovered increasingly exponential with every 5 group

[@hilltopvt]

Even after he was beaten and his teeth smashed, he still did his work, amazing and brave man

[@Nico_r08]

This is a freedom fighter, he was imprisoned by the Nazis and then killed by the communists only because he wanted to see his country freed from opretion, a national hero indeed

[@jak3589]

That is incredible story I didn't know about him what a true hero thank you

[@uflux]

Incredible

[@ranya6266]

الله يرحمه ان شاء الله في الجنة ونعيمها ... His acts were beyond heroism god bless his soul

[@discomfortzone]

Decided to watch this, not knowing who it was about. Then I saw his name pop up. Instantly remembered it from History class or something. What an incredible person.

[@omgsolikevalleygirl]

wow.... the end is so heartbreaking. What a hero!!! Incredible that they managed to escape Auschwitz - it seems only very very few people were able to do that.

[@pannanikt333]

Where are men like that today?

[@maciej5866]

There are always people capable to things like this, but they only reveal when they are needed.

[@dawid8716]

Great hero, great content!

[@jakeflo8477]

Thank you BBC for this broadcast!

[@nh4ci295]

The least they could do.

[@w.a.9655]

Shockingly sad - RIP ALL THOSE SOULS 🙏🏻😇

[@christiangarcia3403]

Wow did not know that this thank you

[@asiriperera7735]

KZbin algorithm brought me here. I am glad. What a fascinating, courageous man!

[@morganp.harris6335]

A Man searching for meaning is a great book that talks about the survival instinct many prisoners faced

[@amandahirschfeld7382]

So sad but what an amazing Hero he is❤

[@notmenotme614]

5:10 What he meant to say is when people are starving due to insufficient food, it’s a fight for survival. By taking food and resources off each other, one way or another.

[@tonobehnke5885]

I knew his story. Wiltold was an incredible man., incredible!!! A hero among heroes.

[@skarseth6130]

today we all discovered a new hero, you will never be forgotten Witold Pilecki

[@hiimdominic3780]

I think we the people need to watch this part of world history more often. So we never forget what happened to these poor people. My mom every once in a while has me watch for example, Schindler's List with her every so often. God bless and Merry Christmas ☃️🎄 🙏❤️💙❤️🙏✝️

[@XxStonedImmaculatexX]

Just when you thought you heard it all! Has a movie ever been made about him? #RESPECT!

[@mr84simon41]

Hoolwod chciało nakręcić o nim film. Ale chcieli w nim powiedzieć, że był Żydem. Rodzina Pileckiego się nie zgodziła. O polskich bohaterach się mało mówi, np Kościuszko itp.

[@fffffffff5715]

very interesting, good job BBC!

[@charlottedowling2241]

What a brave man god be with him 🙏🙏🙏

[@EuanWhitehead]

What an amazing man

[@cesarrosales1959]

The industry of cinema owes this man a movie, maybe for once we can watch stories of these real heroes and less of Batman’s and the like.

[@flyonthe7013]

And the world stood and watched.... Now, Poland is fighting the eastern border and the the World is watching again...

[@hadimansour3529]

Fighting who.