German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer dies at age 103
BERLIN: Margot Friedländer, a German Jew who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp and became a high-profile witness to Nazi persecution in her final years, died Friday. She was 103.
Her death was announced by the Margot Friedländer Foundation in Berlin on its website. Details about where she died, as well as the cause of death, were not immediately made public.
She died the week of the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender in World War II.
After spending much of her life in the United States, Friedländer returned to live in the German capital in her 80s. She was honored with Germany's highest decoration and with a statue at Berlin's City Hall.
'What I do gives me my strength and probably also my energy, because I speak for those who can no longer speak,' Friedländer said at an event at Berlin's Jewish Museum in 2018.
'I would like to say that I don't just speak for the 6 million Jews who were killed, but for all the people who were killed — innocent people,' she said.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences in a statement, saying she gave Germany reconciliation despite the horrors she went through here in her life. Steinmeier said the country cannot be grateful enough for her gift.
A report released last month said more than 200,000 Jewish survivors are still alive but 70% of them will be gone within the next 10 years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
D-Day demystified: June 6 explained — what happened, why it mattered, and why the world still remembers
Eighty-one years ago, the beaches of Normandy changed the course of World War II and world history. The biggest amphibious invasion in military history began on June 6, 1944. D-Day was a turning point that showed the Allies' strength, strategy, and willingness to sacrifice for their country. Today, it's been 81 years since D-Day, the initial day of the Normandy landings that set the stage for the Allies' triumph over Nazi Germany in WWII. What does D-Day stand for? "D-Day" was military jargon for the start of a major operation; the initial "D" stood for "Day." "D-Day" actually means "Day-Day" in this context. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Rich Man Keeps Annoying Royal Guard, But He Didnt Expect This To Happen Learn It Wise Undo The Royal British Legion reports that the term "D-Day" was in use frequently prior to the June 1944 Allied invasion. But after this, the two terms started to mean the same thing, and today most people think of D-Day as the start of Operation Overlord, as per a report by CNN. What's the history behind it? The operation, which had more than 150,000 soldiers, was very important in ending Hitler's rule in Europe. Operation Overlord was a success, even though many people died. It led to the liberation of France and the defeat of Nazi Germany, which changed the course of World War II forever. Live Events Under the cover of Operation Overlord, tens of thousands of soldiers from several countries, including the US, UK, and Canada, landed on five different beaches in Normandy, France: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. The Allies started plotting D-Day over a year before it really happened, and they used a lot of military trickery to make the Germans confused about when and where the invasion would happen. What happened on D-Day? In what became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history, the allied armies' land, air, and sea forces came together on June 6, 1944, for the D-Day operation. Under the code name OVERLORD, the operation sent five naval assault divisions to the French coast of Normandy. The code names UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO, and SWORD were assigned to the beaches. Over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied nations manned 7,000 ships and landing craft that made up the invasion force. On D-Day, nearly 133,000 soldiers from the US, the UK, and their allies touched down. 10,300 people from these nations lost their lives during the landing. 570,000 tons of supplies, 148,000 vehicles, and more than 850,000 men had touched down on the Normandy coast by June 30. German Nazi forces were defeated as a result of the valiant efforts of Russian forces on the eastern front and the allied forces ' soldiers, sailors, and pilots on the western front. General Alfred Jodl of Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Reims, France, on May 7, 1945, as quoted in a report by the Eisenhower Presidential Library. How did D-Day unfold? US troops were stationed at Omaha Beach on the northern end of the Normandy coast and Utah Beach at the foot of the Cotentin Peninsula. After that, the Canadians landed at Juno, then the British at Sword, the invasion's easternmost point, and finally the British on Gold Beach. The troops had moved farther inland from Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword by midnight, and they had secured their beachheads. But not all of the landings were successful; the invasion plan was delayed and hampered at Omaha Beach, where US forces suffered heavy losses as numerous landing craft were driven from their intended positions by strong currents. Casualties also resulted from heavy fire from German positions on the precipitous cliffs, which Prior to the invasion had not been adequately destroyed by Allied bombing. Why does it matter, and why does the world still remember it? Hitler's despotic rule came to an end on D-Day, a pivotal operation in World War II that also marked the Western Allies' greatest triumph. Normandy was taken over by the Allies, which allowed them to move into northwest Europe. France was freed as a result of Operation Overlord's success, which also made it possible for the Allies to combat the Germans in Nazi-occupied Europe. The failure of the operation, according to the US National World War II Museum, would have prevented another landing for at least a year, giving Hitler more time to build up the coastal defenses of Nazi-occupied Europe, develop aircraft and weapons, bomb the UK more heavily, and carry out his murderous campaign. FAQs Why is D-Day so important? It marked the beginning of the Allied campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe, which turned the tide of WWII. What exactly does "D-Day" mean? It simply stands for "Day-Day" and was used by the military to indicate the start date of any major operation.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
15 hours ago
- First Post
History Today: How Normandy landings changed the course of World War II
The Allied forces launched mission D-Day on the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. It was the largest amphibious invasion in military history and marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in World War II. On this day in 1930, frozen foods hit retail stands for the first time in Springfield, Massachusetts read more US infantrymen wade through the surf as they land at Normandy in 1944. File image/AP It was June 6, 1944, when the Allied Forces launched mission D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in military history, storming the beaches of Normandy, France. This monumental operation marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in World War II. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On this day in 1930, frozen food hit retail shelves for the first time changing the ways foods were consumed and sold. Here is all that happened on this day. Allied Forces stormed Normandy More than 1,56,000 troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries stormed the beaches of Normandy in northern France on June 6, 1944 , during World War II to launch one of the largest amphibious invasions in military history. This invasion, named D-Day, marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in World War II. The troops crossed the English Channel, landing on five designated beaches namely Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. On the morning of June 6, thousands of paratroopers and glider troops had already infiltrated enemy lines, securing crucial bridges and exit routes. While British and Canadian forces met lighter opposition on Gold, Juno and Sword beaches, Omaha Beach proved a brutal exception for US forces, resulting in over 2,000 American casualties due to heavy resistance. Meanwhile, Utah Beach proved to be easier to overcome for the American troops. According to some estimates, the D-Day invasion claimed over 4,000 Allied lives , with thousands more wounded or unaccounted for. A US Coast Guard landing barge tightly packed with helmeted soldiers approaches the shore at Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. File image/AP The planning and execution of Operation Overlord were meticulous and complex. Under the supreme command of General Dwight D Eisenhower, the Allies conducted an extensive deception campaign to mislead the Germans about the actual landing site. Despite these efforts, the German forces had fortified the Atlantic Wall with bunkers, mines and machine gun nests. Less than a week later, on June 11, the beaches were fully secured and over 326,000 troops, more than 50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment had landed at Normandy. D-Day was a pivotal moment in World War II. It opened a crucial Western front and allowed the Allies to begin their liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe. In the weeks that followed, thousands more troops and equipment poured into France, leading to the liberation of Paris by August 1944. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Frozen food sold in retail stores for the first time It was on this day in 1930 when the way the world ate changed forever as frozen food was sold in retail stores for the very first time. This moment took place in Springfield, Massachusetts, where Clarence Birdseye, the innovator behind the freezing process, introduced his new line of frozen products under the brand name Birds Eye. Birdseye's flash-freezing method, characterised by the rapid freezing of foodstuffs at exceptionally low temperatures, offered significantly enhanced preservation of flavour, texture and nutritional value compared to preceding techniques. His conceptualisation of this process originated during his residency in Labrador, Canada where he observed indigenous populations employing natural freezing practices to maintain the freshness of fish. Drawing inspiration from these observations, Birdseye innovated a commercial freezing technique capable of mass-scale application. To overcome a logistical hurdle, Birdseye collaborated with the Goldman Sachs Trading Corporation and General Foods for crucial funding and distribution. Representational image/ Reuters Early frozen products from the brand included spinach, peas, fruits and various fish fillets. These hit stores in specialised display cases, a logistical hurdle given that most retail establishments at the time lacked freezers. To overcome this, Birdseye collaborated with the Goldman Sachs Trading Corporation and the Postum Company, later General Foods, for crucial funding and distribution. Consumer reception was initially cautious as some doubted the frozen food's quality while others were drawn to its undeniable convenience and extended shelf life. Over the subsequent decades, continuous advancements in refrigeration, packaging and transportation propelled frozen foods from a niche offering to a ubiquitous staple in homes across the United States and eventually, worldwide. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This Day, That Year On this day in 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon and subsequently defeated the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Syrian armed forces and assorted leftist Lebanese groups. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a US regulatory agency, was established on this day in 1934. In 1844, George Williams originated the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in London. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Time of India
Havildar Maj Dhatt, among last surviving Sikh soldiers who saw WW-II action, dies at 103
Punjab-born World War II veteran Havildar-Major Rajindar Singh Dhatt MBE has died in the UK aged 103. He was one of the last surviving Sikh soldiers who saw action during WW-II. Born in pre-Partition India in 1921, Dhatt had almost finished school when the war broke out. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "I asked my father that I wanted to go to college. He told me 'I don't have plenty of money to spend on you like that. You can join the army,'" he told the Royal British Legion in an interview before he died. After joining as a sepoy in Feb 1941, Dhatt was appointed to the Royal Indian Army Service Corps and was selected to become an army physical training instructor. He excelled and was promoted to havildar major (sergeant major) in 1943 before he was drafted to the Far East campaign to help the Allied forces fight in Kohima, Northeast India. "The Japanese were all around Kohima and Imphal and they had circled our two divisions, one Indian division and one British division." A British Lieutenant came up to him and told him: "You are in a theatre of war." "We were laughing, a theatre…we were thinking that it was a film or something. It was then after that that he said, 'we will defeat them.' He gave us a lecture like that," he recalled. "I stood up and said that we Sikhs were not afraid of fighting. It doesn't matter, we came here to fight and we will do that." After the liberation of Kohima and Imphal, he spent the rest of the war fighting in Burma. "We were very happy when on Aug 15, 1945, the Japanese surrendered. We said 'Thank God we have won the war'." After the war, he returned home to India and worked as a physical training instructor at a school and on his family's land. "They announced in 1962 that people who fought in the war can apply for a voucher to go to Britain. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now I applied and they gave it to me," he said. He came to Britain in 1963 and settled with his family in Hounslow where he co-founded the Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association, which aims to unite British Indian veterans. On April 12 at Windsor Castle, King Charles invested the 103-year-old as an MBE for services to the South Asian community in the UK. He died on May 21. The Royal British Legion said: "We are deeply grateful for Rajindar's contributions to the Royal British Legion's work in supporting the armed forces community. His life and legacy serve as a poignant reminder of the invaluable sacrifices made by those who served from across the Commonwealth during the Second World War."
