Fri Feb 28 06:57:49 UTC 2025: ## Oldest Known Holocaust Survivor, Rose Girone, Dies at 113
**New York, February 28, 2025** – Rose Girone, believed to be the world’s oldest living Holocaust survivor, passed away at the age of 113, the Claims Conference confirmed Thursday. Girone, a tireless advocate for sharing the stories of Holocaust survivors, dedicated her life to ensuring the lessons of the Holocaust were never forgotten.
Born in Poland in 1912, Girone’s family moved to Germany before the rise of Hitler. Her life was irrevocably altered by the Nazi regime, witnessing firsthand the persecution and eventual deportation of her family. She narrowly escaped death during her pregnancy, recounting how her unborn child saved her from immediate capture. The family later fled to Shanghai, surviving the war in a Japanese-occupied ghetto under harsh conditions. After the war, they immigrated to the United States.
Girone’s extraordinary resilience and determination to build a new life in America are a testament to her strength. She opened a knitting store and was reunited with her brother after a 17-year separation. Her message, “Nothing is so very bad that something good shouldn’t come out of it,” encapsulates her unwavering spirit.
Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference, mourned Girone’s passing, emphasizing the urgent need to preserve Holocaust survivor testimonies while they are still available. With the dwindling number of survivors – approximately 245,000 remaining worldwide, according to a recent Claims Conference study – the urgency of sharing their experiences is paramount. Girone’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering its victims.
First Piper 