A Life Remembered: Margot Friedlander (1921-2024)
The world lost a remarkable woman last week. Margot Friedlander, a Holocaust survivor who dedicated her life to ensuring the horrors of the Nazi regime would never be forgotten, passed away at the age of 103. It felt particularly poignant, coming just a week after the 80th anniversary of Germany’s surrender in WWII. Her passing is a stark reminder of the ongoing importance of remembering, of listening to the voices of those who lived through unthinkable times.
From Berlin Tailor to Global Voice
Margot Bendheim was born in Berlin in 1921. Her early life was idyllic, until the insidious creep of Nazism shattered it. Her father, a WWI veteran, initially dismissed the growing threat. “They don’t mean *us*,” he’d said. “We’re Germans.” But things escalated quickly. Margot, a budding designer, was working as a tailor when anti-Semitic laws began to tighten their grip, silencing her dreams.
After her parents’ divorce in 1937, Margot, her mother, and younger brother moved in with her grandparents. By 1941, they were crammed into a “Jewish apartment,” and Margot endured grueling night shifts at a metal factory. You can only imagine the exhaustion, the fear, the ever-present dread.
Then, in 1943, just as they were planning to escape Berlin, her brother Ralph was arrested by the Gestapo. Her mother made an agonizing choice: she went with him, leaving Margot with a simple, heartbreaking message: “Try to make your life.” Those words would later become the title of her autobiography.
Alone, Margot went into hiding, even dyeing her hair red to disguise herself. She relied on the kindness of sixteen different people, a testament to the quiet acts of bravery in the face of unimaginable evil. But her luck ran out in April 1944, after an air raid led to her arrest.
In June 1944, she arrived at Theresienstadt concentration camp. She chose to reveal her Jewish identity. There, seeing the emaciated survivors from Auschwitz arrive, she finally understood the fate of her family – her parents and brother had been murdered there. Her father, who’d fled to Belgium and France, was also deported to Auschwitz in 1942. It’s a tragedy too immense to fully grasp.
After the liberation of Theresienstadt, Margot reconnected with Adolf Friedlander, an acquaintance from Berlin. They married and immigrated to New York City in 1946, becoming US citizens. They lived a relatively quiet life in Queens, with Margot working as a tailor and running a travel agency. Who could have imagined the extraordinary woman she would become?
A Legacy Forged in Resilience
After her husband died in 1997, Margot’s life took an unexpected turn. She started to share her story, a decision that led her back to Germany in 2003. She moved back permanently in 2010, becoming a powerful voice against antisemitism and a champion for reconciliation. Germany honored her with its highest award, the Order of Merit, and even erected a statue in her honor at Berlin's City Hall.
Through the Margot Friedlander Foundation, she tirelessly worked to combat antisemitism and promote democracy. “What I do gives me my strength and probably also my energy, because I speak for those who can no longer speak,” she once said. That statement perfectly captures the essence of her life’s work. Her testimony touched countless lives, leaving an enduring mark on Germany and the world.
Margot’s passing leaves a tremendous void, but her legacy of resilience and unwavering determination will continue to inspire us. Her commitment to remembrance and her belief in human connection serve as a beacon of hope in the fight against hatred and intolerance. Her final message, a testament to her extraordinary life, is a powerful one: “Be human.”
