Holocaust survivor Max Mannheimer, who dedicated his life to fighting anti-Semitism in Germany, has died at the age of 96.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel honored Mannheimer Saturday for his efforts to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive.
Her spokesman said on Twitter that Merkel is mourning his death and that “we owe him gratitude.”
Mannheimer spent two years being held in different death camps, including Auschwitz. Except for his brother, his entire his family was murdered during the Holocaust, including his new wife.
After the fall of the Third Reich and for decades, Mannheimer did not speak about his experiences, despite nightmares and depression.
In 1986, while traveling in the United States, he happened to see a swastika and the sight of it triggered a nervous breakdown. After that, he began to speak about his experiences at the hand of the Nazis, giving talks to young people and adults, at school and universities.
Mannheimer has won many honors and awards for his work. He also became the head of the community of former prisoners of the Dachau concentration camp.
In 2013, he invited Chancellor Angela Merkel to visit Dachau, making her the first chancellor to visit the former concentration camp.
By: World Israel News Staff
AP contributed to this report.