Quote from The Talented Mr. Vance by George Packer, in The Atlantic.

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

And what does this mean for cultural exchange in the long run?

At 103 years old, she continues to warn against rising antisemitism. In 2023, she founded the Margot Friedländer Foundation, ensuring that education, tolerance, and memory live on.

Donate: margot-friedlaender-stiftung.de

Nie wieder. Never again.

📷 Pictures: Gedenkstätte Stille Helden

Since then, she has dedicated her life to remembrance, speaking at schools, universities, and public events. She has received Germany’s Federal Cross of Merit, stood alongside world leaders, and even appeared on the cover of Vogue.

For decades, she remained silent, carrying her memories alone. Then, in 2003, she returned to Berlin for the first time in nearly 60 years. At 88, she made an extraordinary decision—not out of nostalgia, but out of duty.

Margot went into hiding, relying on strangers to survive. In 1944, she was captured and deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp. Unlike her family, she survived. In 1946, she emigrated to New York, leaving behind everything she knew to start over.

For years, her family tried to escape, but visas were impossible to obtain. In 1943, her mother and brother were arrested and deported to Auschwitz, where they were murdered. Before leaving, her mother left her a final message:

"Try to make a life for yourself."

For years, her family tried to escape. America was a dream, but visas were impossible to obtain. By the time they realized there was no way out, it was too late.

She was just eleven years old when the Nazis took power. She saw Berlin change—fear in the streets, people disappearing, doors closing.