TELLING
SECRETS — At left, PEF member Chris Nicola signs copies of his book for readers
in New York city. Above, are shown the book and a photo from it of Nicola
studying topographical maps. Photo by Bill Sachs
Member’s story of discovering Holocaust cave
survivors now a book
By SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF member Chris Nicola, 56, is back in the public spotlight.
In 2004, National Geographic Adventure Magazine, The Communicator and news media
around the world reported Nicola had made an extraordinary international
discovery of how several Jewish families “buried” themselves for a year and a
half in caves to survive the Holocaust in eastern Europe.
A PEF Division 349 steward and a senior professional conduct investigator for
the state Education Department (SED) in New York City, Nicola stumbled on the
mystery in 1993 while exploring an immense system of caves known as the Giant
Gypsums in a part of the Ukraine which belonged to Poland until Hitler ceded it
to Russia in 1939 (only to invade Russia in 1941 and occupy the area until
1944). During the Holocaust, 14,000 Jews from the Korolowka community died,
leaving less than 300 by war’s end.
Just three families remain today.
That historical background sprang to life when Nicola found evidence that humans
had been living in the Priests’ Grotto — a 77-mile-long labyrinth of passages,
and the 10th largest cave in the world.
Nicola tracked down the Holocaust survivors (now living in Montreal) who had
hidden in the caves until the end of WWII.
With writer Peter Lane Taylor, Nicola tells their story in a book titled, “The
Secret of Priest’s Grotto; A Holocaust Survival Story.”
Aimed at young adult and adult readers, the well-illustrated book is published
in both soft and hard covers by Kar-Ben Publishing.
The initial printing of 8,000 copies has already enjoyed brisk internet sales,
and Nicola said the film rights have been purchased.
“This story has taken on a life of its own,” said Nicola, whose personal time is
now consumed with book signings and appearances at events such as a May
conference in Pennsylvania on the Holocaust.
“The book focuses on discoveries and events up to 2004,” Nicola said. “But there
have been more developments in the last three years.”
For example, the news coverage triggered a contact from a friend of the families
from the cave.
“I was able to reconnect them with old friends they hadn’t been in touch with
for 64 years,” Nicola said.
In another case, Nicola had discovered the location of buried, mutilated remains
of a man and his 14-year-old son who had been executed during the Holocaust and
left in the cave’s entrance as a warning to Jews. Nicola was recently contacted
by a daughter/sister of these two victims and he was able to help her locate the
person who had buried her relatives decades ago in unmarked graves.
Not everyone has been grateful to Nicola for the light of world attention he has
shown on this painful and previously secret history.
“There are conflicting perspectives on what I’ve done,” Nicola said.
Nevertheless, he is bent on pursuing the truth, wherever it takes him.
“I hope someday to return to the caves,” he said, “and participate in an
archeological study of what happened there.”
The Communicator June 2007
Features
A
'heads-up' on the candidates
PS&T
talks with 'new' GOER
U.S.
presidential survey: vote
SED hourlies bonus
snafu fixed
Under Attack:
OMH Part 2
Helen Hayes
Hospital: Golfability
GOER program
helps PS&T...
Departments
President's
Message
Legislative
Action
You Said It:
Letters To The Editor
Health
and Safety
Retirees
In Action
Getting To Know
PEF
Member
Mobilization
Health Notes
Member
Highlights
Membership
Benefits &Travel
Union
Matters
Two
E. Board seat filled...
Nurses take a bow
Parole: Investigate
our agency
Workers' Memorial
Day honored
Member
honored for politicking
Convention
sites selected
Direct
deposit your convention $
Member's Holocaust
find published
DOH:Keeping New
Yorkers healthy
RN's in
NYS western counties get $
Somos El Futuro
Other Links
Professional
Directory
Members'
Classified
Communicator
Feedback
Prefer
The Online Edition?
How
To Advertise with PEF
The
Communicator Staff
Website
questions ?
Communicator
Webmaster