Stefan Kosinski

Teofil Stefan Kosinski was born in Torún, Poland, on January 1, 1925.

At just 17 years old, he fell in love with a young Austrian soldier named Willi, daring to dream of a future together after the war. But fate intervened when the Gestapo intercepted a love letter he had written.

For his identity as both a gay man and a Pole, he was brutally tortured by the Nazis and spent five years in concentration camps, where he endured relentless persecution because of his sexual orientation.

Against all odds, on May 15, 1945, Stefan escaped, stealing a boat with three fellow prisoners. Upon reaching the other side of the river, they were rescued by British and Polish soldiers, securing his survival.

For decades, he searched for Willi, hoping to reunite, but he never found him or learned of his fate.

Even after the war, Stefan faced discrimination, yet he refused to stay silent. He fought for compensation for the horrors he endured, but, like other gay survivors, his demands were continually denied.

His bravery extended beyond survival, he was one of the few gay victims to give a full testimony to the USC Shoah Foundation in 1995, ensuring that his story would never be forgotten.