Politicians congratulate Margot Friedländer
Numerous politicians have congratulated Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer on her 102nd birthday. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "It is a great stroke of luck that she is living in Germany again today and bringing "Never again" to life." Friedländer has made dialog with young people in particular her life's work - including through visits to school classes and readings.
Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth said that she looked back on Friedländer's "impressive life's work" with "admiration, respect and great gratitude". She was a "strong voice for tolerance, respect, democracy and freedom".
Friedländer's life is "an impressive testimony to strength, resilience and an unshakeable hope that inspires many people", explained Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner. The 102-year-old is an honorary citizen of Berlin. And Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had his press spokeswoman Cerstin Gammelin say: "On the 102nd birthday of the Holocaust survivor, the Federal President sends all the best, thanks and respect for her lifelong commitment: "The younger generation in particular is dependent on accounts and memories."
"Thanks to contemporary witnesses like Margot Friedländer, decades after the atrocities of National Socialism, we too are witnesses to the truth," explained Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner.
Margot Friedländer lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She herself survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp. After the Second World War, she went to the USA, but then returned to Germany at the age of 88. She has received numerous awards for her work. Earlier this year, she was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class. On November 7 at 8:15 pm, ZDF will be showing a docudrama that tells the moving story of Friedländer's life and in which she herself has her say.
On the occasion of the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, Margot Friedländer recently said in an interview with "Die Zeit": "I couldn't believe that something like this could happen again after the Holocaust. The bitterness that it expresses. This hatred. I'm afraid we can see here how quickly people can be influenced. For right or wrong." She herself is always aware of the Holocaust and her experiences. "I can't get rid of it as if it were yesterday. And of course, after these murders, I see the images from back then again."
- Olaf Scholz highlighted Margot Friedländer's significant contribution to Germany, stating, "It's a blessing that she's living in Germany today and continuing to embody 'Never again' through her work."
- Kai Wegner, Berlin's Governing Mayor, celebrated Friedländer's 102nd birthday and her honorary citizenship, acknowledging her impact as a "testimony to strength, resilience, and hope."
- International acceptance of Margot Friedländer's life and work was demonstrated when Kai Wegner shared her perspective on the Hamas attack in an interview with "Die Zeit," discussing the Holocaust and her continued connection to her experiences.
Source: www.ntv.de
