Noted Auschwitz survivor who returned to Germany dies at 101

"Born into a Jewish family in northwestern Germany, Weinberg and his two siblings were sent to Auschwitz in what was Nazi-occupied Poland when he was 18. All three survived but his parents were among more than 40 members of his family who perished in the Holocaust. Weinberg saw the end of the war in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, in a condition he described as "more dead than alive"."

"After the war he emigrated to the US with his sister and for decades didn't want to speak about Germany or the horrors of the camps. In 1985 Weinberg initially refused an invitation to visit from the town of Leer where he grew up. However he changed his mind about visiting Germany when a teacher sent him a photo of students at a Jewish school in the area."

"He eventually moved back to Germany permanently when he was already well into his 80s and became active in remembrance work, particularly with young people. He also published a memoir about his experiences. Weinberg attracted nationwide attention last year when he returned his Federal Cross of Merit, Germany's highest honour, in protest against centre-right MPs passing a motion on immigration policy with support from the far-right AfD party."

"Weinberg told AFP at the time that his experiences under the Nazis had been "dangerous and horrible for me". He spoke of his fears "that it's happening again, that I have to pack my bags and go to another country that would take me in"."

Albrecht Weinberg, a German Holocaust survivor, died Tuesday at age 101. Born into a Jewish family in northwestern Germany, he was sent to Auschwitz at 18 along with his two siblings, while his parents and many relatives were killed. He survived and later saw the end of the war in Bergen-Belsen in a condition he described as “more dead than alive.” After the war, he emigrated to the United States and avoided speaking about Germany for decades. In 1985 he returned after receiving a photo of students at a local Jewish school, later moving back permanently in his 80s to work in remembrance education. He also published a memoir and returned Germany’s Federal Cross of Merit in protest over immigration policy supported by far-right AfD.

Read at The Local Germany