Remembering Rose Girone: A Testament to Resilience

Rose Girone, the oldest known Holocaust survivor, passed away at 113. Her life journey, from escaping Nazi Germany to enduring life in Shanghai's Jewish ghetto, serves as a powerful reminder of resilience and hope. Girone's story underscores the importance of preserving Holocaust lessons for future generations.

Rose Girone, recognized as the oldest Holocaust survivor, died at 113, as reported by the New York Times. Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Reha Bennicasa, who is also a Holocaust survivor. Girone passed away in a nursing home in North Bellmore, New York.

Born on January 13, 1912, in Janow, Poland, as Raubvogel, she was the daughter of Klara Aschkenase and Jacob Raubvogel. The family resettled in Hamburg, Germany, where they established a costume business. In 1938, Rose married Julius Mannheim in an arranged marriage, with whom she moved to Breslau, Germany. Her husband and father-in-law were later arrested and detained in Buchenwald concentration camp.

Fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, Rose Girone sought refuge in Shanghai with her husband and their child. There, they were confined to a cramped Jewish ghetto, living for seven years. Upon relocating to the United States, Rose supported her daughter through knitting and embraced life's challenges, often expressing gratitude with the phrase, "Aren't we lucky?"

Her secret to a long life, she claimed, was simple pleasures like dark chocolate and the love of good children. Currently, approximately 245,000 Holocaust survivors live worldwide, highlighting the importance of preserving these stories for future generations.

"Her passing underlines the urgency of keeping the lessons of the Holocaust alive while we still have firsthand witnesses," said Greg Schneider, the executive vice president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. He emphasized that the lessons from the Holocaust are vital and must be remembered as history takes its course.

(With inputs from agencies.)