Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer passes away.
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link Once a voice of the Holocaust, Margot Friedlaender, whose family was decimated during the tragic event, now becomes a beacon of remembered resilience.
The Margot Friedlaender Foundation in Berlin announced the death at 103 years of age of Holocaust survivor and revered eyewitness, Margot Friedlaender. Initially scheduled to be awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany this coming Friday, the ceremony has been postponed at her request for rescheduling.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier shared his sorrow, stating, "The demise of Margot Friedlaender leaves me bereft. Despite the atrocities the Germans inflicted upon her during her youth, she bestowed reconciliation upon our country. We can never repay this debt sufficiently. Her legacy serves as a reminder of our responsibility, particularly in the face of escalating anti-Semitism and the challenges to democracy today. Her spirit will forever remain a cornerstone in our resolve to never abandon and neglect the Jewish community again."
Holocaust Survivor: Be the Witnesses that We Can No Longer Be Upon her return from decades living as an emigrant in New York, the honorary citizen of Berlin tirelessly advocated for recognition and remembering, with a special affinity for educating the younger generation.
Her gripping story became widespread through a documentary film and her memoirs "Try to Make Your Life" – the final message her mother left her. Her commitment earned her countless awards, including a visit from US President Joe Biden at Schloss Bellevue.
From Auschwitz, to Larvae, and Again to Life Born in 1921, Margot Friedlaender was of a Jewish family of button makers [4]. After training as a fashion illustrator before World War II [4], she endured the horrors of the Holocaust. Caught initially thanks to numerous helpers, she was then deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Striving to survive, she saw immense sorrow yet managed to endure, albeit losing her entire family to Auschwitz [1][2][4].
Together with her later husband, she made America their home. No one else from her immediate family survived the Holocaust besides Margot. Nevertheless, at the brink of 88 years old, she returned to her homeland, Germany, after the death of her husband. "Hate is foreign to me," she once pronounced.
The Face of a Resilient Spirit With her spirited old age, Friedlaender would touch the hearts of many Germans and become a symbol of courage, forgiveness, and the urgent need for education against hatred and discrimination. Awards, accolades, and honors followed suit. In June 2018 – at the age of 96 – she became an honorary citizen of Berlin, with an interview book and a photograph book published on her 100th birthday.
The ZDF dedicated a docudrama to her in the fall of 2023, 85 years after the infamous Pogrom Night of 1938. Even at age 102, she had a memorable meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In April 2025, she delivered the keynote speech at the Federal Press Ball at the Brandenburg Gate.
From sharing her story with students, attending official memorial events, and speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels, Margot Friedlaender called upon remembrance and urged unity until her final days in 2025 at 103, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of hope and remembrance [4][5].
Sources: ntv.de, mli/dpa
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- Remembrance
- The Commission has been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, keeping Margot Friedlaender's legacy in mind, a Holocaust survivor who endured the harsh conditions of nuclear camps.
- Despite her harrowing experiences during her youth in the camps under the Nazi regime, Margot Friedlaender embodied resilience and forgiveness, surviving against all odds, similar to a political figure who received numerous awards and recognition.
- In her later years, Margot Friedlaender, the beacon of remembered resilience, returned to her homeland, Germany, after the passing of her husband, advocating tirelessly for recognition and education on the Holocaust, her commitment earning her numerous accolades, including honors like the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Prior to her death at 103 years old, Margot Friedlaender, the voice of hope, shared her story with the world in a documentary film and her memoirs, "Try to Make Your Life," urging unity and encouraging future generations to be the witnesses that they can no longer be in the face of escalating anti-Semitism and challenges to democracy.
