Albrecht Weinberg, a survivor of multiple Nazi concentration and death camps who lost most of his family in the Holocaust, has died at the age of 101. He passed away in Leer, northwestern Germany, just weeks after celebrating his birthday and the premiere of a documentary about his life, titled Es Ist Immer in Meinem Kopf (It Is Always in My Head).
A Life Dedicated to Remembrance
Weinberg spent his final years tirelessly educating students about the horrors of the Nazi regime. Leer's mayor, Claus-Peter Horst, stated on Tuesday: "Since returning from New York to his east Frisian home 14 years ago, Albrecht recounted tirelessly and with incredible energy his terrible experiences during the Nazi era and warned again and again against forgetting."
Born on 7 March 1925 in Rhauderfehn, near Leer, Weinberg survived incarceration at Auschwitz, Mittelbau-Dora, and Bergen-Belsen, as well as three death marches at the end of the Second World War. He dedicated himself to teaching high school students and others about the atrocities he endured.
Haunted by Memories
Speaking last year, Weinberg revealed that his wartime experiences still tormented him: "I sleep with it, I wake up with it, I sweat, I have nightmares, that is my present." He expressed concern about what would happen when survivors like him were no longer alive to bear witness. "When my generation is not in this world any more, when we disappear from the world, then the next generation can only read it out of the book," he said.
Return of the Order of Merit
Weinberg was awarded Germany's Order of Merit in 2017 but returned it last year after a parliamentary vote passed with the support of a far-right party, calling for more migrants to be turned back at Germany's borders. The motion was proposed by Friedrich Merz, who is now the country's chancellor.
Tributes from Officials
Israel's ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, paid tribute on X, describing Weinberg as "a bridge – between past and present, between pain and hope, between the dead he could never forget and the young people whom he encouraged to seek the truth."
A Legacy of Warning
Weinberg's story serves as a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the importance of remembrance. His efforts to educate future generations will continue to resonate long after his passing.
