Man finds his mom's Holocaust letter years after refusing to read it — and breaks down in tears

Trigger Warning: The following story deals with themes of loss and grief. 

No matter how much we cherish our loved ones, it’s easy to take them for granted—only realizing their true impact once they’re gone. Misa Grunwald, now known as Frank Grunwald, learned this lesson in the most painful way. As a child, he refused to read a letter his mother had written before she was killed in the Holocaust. But years later, when he finally stumbled upon the heartfelt letter—written to his father—he broke down in tears. That extraordinary farewell note is now preserved at a museum in Washington, D.C., as reported by IndyStar.

Frank’s father, Kurt Grunwald, told him about the letter shortly after the war, but at just 11 years old, Frank couldn’t bring himself to read it. "I was scared of the letter. I was curious about the letter but at the same time afraid, I think, for its sadness," he added. Notably, Frank's late mom, Vilma Grunwald, had written the letter right before she and her elder son, along with hundreds of other Jews, entered the gas chamber on July 11, 1944. After writing the letter, she folded the paper in half and asked a German guard to hand it over to her husband, who was also a prisoner at the Nazi concentration camp. 

After seven months of losing his mother and brother, Grunwald finally reunited with his surviving father when Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated. When Kurt mentioned his late wife's letter, his son was too hesitant to read it. "I didn't want to see it, I was too upset," said Frank. In 1951, the father-son duo moved to New York City and started their fresh life, where Frank completed his education in industrial design at Pratt Insitute, got a good job, married his wife, Barbara, and was even blessed with two kids. Unfortunately, he lost his father in 1967 at the age of 67. After his demise, the Holocaust survivor was skimming through his Dad's belongings when he stumbled upon the letter. "He had it on a desk in his bedroom. The paper had turned yellow. I saw it and knew what it was right away. I recognized my mother's handwriting," Frank revealed. 

When he read the note, he was stunned when he noticed not a single word of anger or hatred against the Nazis; rather, the letter only focused on Frank and his father. For the first 20 years, he did not show the letter to anyone, not even his wife. However, he eventually gave it to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "I thought, 'Why not expose it so that others can see it?' One of my biggest concerns has always been, 'Once I'm gone, who will remember my mother?' Now I believe that fear is neutralized,'" Frank shared.

Since the Grunwald family was Czechoslovakian, Vilma had written the letter in their native language. A part of the letter's translated version, as per the outlet, read, "I am completely calm. You — my only and dearest one, do not blame yourself for what happened, it was our destiny. We did what we could. Stay healthy and remember my words that time will heal — if not completely — then — at least partially. Take care of the little golden boy, and don’t spoil him too much with your love. Both of you — stay healthy, my dear ones. I will be thinking of you and Misa. Have a fabulous life, we must board the trucks." The letter was also shared by Letters of Note.