Margot Friedländer turns 102, Roth: voice for tolerance
Ahead of Margot Friedländer's 102nd birthday this Sunday, Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth has paid tribute to the role of the Holocaust survivor. "As a highly respected contemporary witness, Margot Friedländer has for many years conveyed to young people in particular what it means to be exposed to the persecution, terror and crimes of an inhuman regime," said the Green politician in a statement on Friday.
"But their commitment against anti-Semitism, racism and exclusion does not end there." With the awarding of the Margot Friedländer Prize and the foundation named after her, she is continuing her life's work, Roth said. Friedländer was a "strong voice for tolerance, respect, democracy and freedom".
Born in Berlin, Friedländer's Jewish family had already planned to flee from the Nazis when the Gestapo came for her younger brother Ralph. He was murdered together with her mother Auguste Bendheim in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Friedländer hid in various places for a long time until she was caught in 1944 and transported to Theresienstadt concentration camp. She survived the camp with her future husband Adolf Friedländer and emigrated to New York in 1946. At the age of 88, she returned to Berlin after decades in the USA. Since then, she has been appearing at schools in her old home country to tell her story as one of the last contemporary witnesses.
The life and experiences of Margot Friedländer serve as a powerful reminder of the horrors of National Socialism and the importance of combating anti-Semitism and exclusion. Her tireless work in sharing her history with young people demonstrates the role of individuals in promoting tolerance, respect, democracy, and freedom.
Source: www.dpa.com
