German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer, revered for her strong voice against antisemitism, dead at 103

One of Germany’s astir salient Holocaust survivors died astatine nan property of 103 connected Friday — conscionable 1 time aft nan state marked nan 80th day of nan extremity of World War II.

Margot Friedländer, who was 23-years-old erstwhile she was captured aft 15 months successful hiding and sent to nan Theresienstadt attraction camp, died successful Berlin connected nan aforesaid time she was honored pinch nan Grand Cross of Merit, Germany’s highest honor, her instauration announced.

The origin of her decease was not instantly clear.

“Margot Friedländer was 1 of nan strongest voices of our time: for serene coexistence, against anti-Semitism and forgetting,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz posted connected X Friday.

“She entrusted america pinch her story. It is our task and our work to walk it on. We mourn pinch her family and friends.”

Friedländer was calved Margot Bendheim connected Nov. 5, 1921, successful Berlin, and was an aspiring dressmaker and manner designer until she changed her quality and went into hiding successful January 1943 aft her mother and relative were hauled distant and later murdered astatine Auschwitz.

Her father, a dressed up warfare seasoned who fought successful World War I, was killed by nan Nazis successful 1942.

Friedländer was captured successful April 1944 and arrived astatine Theresienstadt, successful what is now nan Czech Republic, 2 months later, wherever she witnessed nan emaciated prisoners who had been forced connected decease marches from Auschwitz up of its liberation. 

There she besides met Adolf Friedländer – and they joined soon aft nan campy was liberated. 

The brace moved to New York successful 1946 and became US citizens. She worked arsenic a tailor and later ran a recreation agency until she decided to return to her autochthonal state 64 years later.

Friedländer visited Germany for nan first clip successful 2003 — six years aft she was widowed — and yet moved backmost to Berlin successful 2018, and spent her remaining years speaking retired against nan atrocities, dislike and antisemitism she witnessed and experienced.

“She gave our state nan gift of reconciliation – contempt everything nan Germans had done to her arsenic a young person,” German President Frank-Walter Steimer said successful a statement. 

“We cannot beryllium grateful capable for this gift.”

With Post wires