Political Prisoner
The Czech Prisoner, survived two concentration camps, but died at the end of war on the boat. Buried in Denmark
A forgotten life, a grave on a Danish island, and a mystery we are still trying to solve. Can you help us?
In May 1945, the body of a young Czech man washed ashore on the Danish island of Lolland. His name was František Bařinka. He was born in 1911 in Valašské Klobouky, a small town in Czechoslovakia. In 1940, he was arrested by the Nazis and subsequently imprisoned in concentration camp Dachau and then Neuengamme nearby Hamburg. On 3 May 1945, just days before the end of the war in Europe, he died in the Cap Arcona disaster in Lübeck Bay. His body was eventually buried in the cemetery of Sandby, Denmark. Bařinka has unmarked grave.
But why had František been arrested? What happened to the people he loved? And who were the Danes who gave him a final resting place?
A detective story across three countries
I am investigating František's story together with Søren Rasmussen, a Danish historian from the University of Southern Denmark. Our research takes us through archives, family collections and personal memories in the Czech Republic, Germany and Denmark.
In František's hometown, I recently met his niece, who still remembers stories passed down through her family. In Germany, we have been in contact with the son of a woman who was once in love with František. Her family has been searching for answers for decades.
What began as an investigation into an almost forgotten prisoner is becoming a story of families separated by war, unanswered questions and unexpected connections.
The missing pieces
We are particularly interested in finding out:
Why was František arrested in 1940?
Where did he live and work before his arrest?
Are there any surviving photographs, letters or family documents?
What happened on Lolland in May 1945, when victims of the Cap Arcona disaster washed ashore?
Are there families in Denmark who still remember these events?
Can you help us?
We would love to hear from anyone whose family has connections to Sandby, Lolland, the Cap Arcona disaster or František Bařinka himself.
Perhaps your parents or grandparents told you a story about May 1945. Perhaps you have an old photograph, a letter or a document that has remained in your family for generations.
Sometimes a single photograph or a seemingly insignificant memory can change everything.
If you have any information, please contact us at [email address].
Follow the investigation
We will regularly update this page with new findings, archival photographs, documents and links to articles about František's story. Our aim is not only to reconstruct one man's life, but also to reconnect people and families across borders, and to preserve memories that might otherwise disappear.