Manfred Goldberg: 'Truly extraordinary' Holocaust survivor dies aged 95
Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg has passed away at the age of 95. Born in April 1930 into an Orthodox Jewish family in Germany, he endured severe persecution under the Nazi regime.
Early Life and Persecution
At just 11 years old, Manfred was deported to a ghetto in Latvia, where life was marked by hunger, forced labor, and constant fear. According to the Holocaust Educational Trust, prisoners were often chosen for mass shootings in forests outside Riga.
Deportation and Liberation
In 1944, he was transferred to the Stutthof concentration camp near Gdansk, Poland, where he worked as a slave laborer for eight months. He was liberated at Neustadt, Germany, on 3 May 1945, and reunited with his father in Britain a year later.
Legacy and Reflection
“I'm amazed that hundreds of thousands of people are denying that the Holocaust ever happened while survivors like me, who can speak in the first person, are still alive.”
In this 2023 statement to Sky News, Goldberg expressed disbelief at ongoing Holocaust denial and underscored the importance of firsthand testimony.
Tribute and Impact
The Holocaust Educational Trust described him as a man devoted to ensuring “the atrocities of the Holocaust would never be forgotten, and antisemitism in all its guises would be confronted.”
Author’s Summary
Manfred Goldberg’s life stands as a lasting reminder of humanity’s resilience and his commitment to preserving Holocaust memory remains profoundly influential.