At the age of 21, Zygmunt Spiegler was to be deported from Borysław to Belzec extermination camp in the summer of 1942. He was taken to the station and locked inside a train car. Also at the station was Berthold Beitz, the commercial director of Karpathen-Öl AG in Borysław. He was attempting to get the company’s workers released. Although they did not know each other, Beitz claimed Spiegler was one of his workers and was essential. Spiegler was able to leave the train and actually became a forced laborer at Beitz’ company. In October 1942, Beitz retrieved Spiegler from a deportation train a second time.
From March 1943, Zygmunt Spiegler worked in the factory kitchen. He possessed the vital R badge for armaments workers, which protected him from deportation. After October 1943, Jews were no longer allowed to work in camps’ food and supplies departments. Spiegler now risked losing his workplace and the R badge. The Langguths, who ran the factory kitchen, turned to Berthold Beitz for help. He transferred Spiegler to the construction department on paper. He therefore kept his R badge but was able to continue working in the kitchen. Zygmunt Spiegler survived and became a sports journalist.