4 days ago
Man Visits 90-Year-Old Aunt, Horror at What Dogs Are Drinking out Of
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A Polish man was "surprised" to discover his elderly aunt using a piece of Nazi Germany-era tableware as a drinking bowl for her dogs.
Max, who originally shared what he found to social media, but has now asked that his username be omitted from this story, was tipped off about the bowl by another family member.
"I heard from my cousin that in her house there is this piece made by Germans," Max told Newsweek. "But I'd never encountered it until a couple of days ago. A bowl for dogs isn't something you pay attention to while visiting relatives."
The discovery of the bowl was a shock to Max. "I was just surprised," he said. "It may sound bad but I think I was surprised in a positive way because it's not every day you get your hands on something that you'd rather see in a museum."
Max's aunt is in her 90s and has lived in a remote part of Poland for all her life. He said her family "wasn't that impacted" by Adolf Hitler's invasion and occupation of Poland in September 1939.
"Their house is in a place that back then was a literal forest, more than hundred kilometers from the state capital so I doubt that occupants had interest in that place," Max said.
As for how the bowl ended up in his aunt's possession? Max isn't sure. "I don't think I'll ever have an answer," he said. "My aunt is 90 years old with signs of dementia. From what I can deduce it's either her father's trophy or something that was left in a hurry by Germans nearby."
He's almost certain, however, that the bowl has been in the family for some time.
"I doubt that she got it second hand," he said. "We only recently replaced the tiled stove that was like her age and literally crumbling, yet she still insisted that it's good and there's no need to replace it. Her house is full of things that she's too sentimental to get rid of. She's not the kind of person to go and buy a bowl, it was passed down to her."
Though Max was in the dark about the bowl's origins, by posting a picture to online, he was able to discover exactly where it was produced. The bowl is listed on the website Germania International, a Georgia-based antique shop focusing on military, political, and cultural collectibles usually with a German origin.
It's described as a "Wehrmacht Mess Hall Porcelain Bowl" and, according to the website, one such bowl was previously sold by them for $250.
Max's aunt, and her dog for that matter, have no plans to sell anytime soon though.
