Rose Girone, believed to be the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor, has died at 113.
She passed away on February 24, 2025, at a nursing home in Long Island, New York according to The Associated Press.
Born Rose Raubvogel on January 13, 1912, in Janow, Poland, Girone’s early life was marked by upheaval. In 1938, she married Julius Mannheim and moved to Breslau, Germany. Shortly after, the Nazis launched Kristallnacht, during which Mannheim was arrested and sent to Buchenwald concentration camp. Girone, pregnant at the time, secured his release by agreeing to leave Germany.
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In 1939, Girone and her infant daughter fled to Shanghai, China, the only country still accepting Jewish immigrants. They endured severe hardships, including living in a cramped, rat-infested room in a ghetto under Japanese occupation. Despite these conditions, Girone supported her family by knitting and selling garments.
In 1947, the family emigrated to the United States, settling in New York City. Girone later divorced Mannheim and married Jack Girone in 1968. Together, they opened two knitting stores in Queens, New York. Girone continued to work and teach knitting until nearly 102.
Throughout her life, Girone was known for her resilience and positive outlook. She often said, “Through it all, mother always said we’re lucky.”
Girone is survived by her daughter, Reha Bennicasa, and granddaughter, Gina Bennicasa.
Her passing underscores the urgency of preserving Holocaust survivors’ testimonies for future generations.