Manfred Goldberg’s Holocaust Survival: A Story of Resilience \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Manfred Goldberg, a Holocaust survivor, recounts his harrowing journey through Nazi labor camps, where a whispered piece of advice saved his life. Surviving unimaginable loss and brutality, Goldberg eventually rebuilt his life in England, sharing his story to honor the millions who perished and to combat rising Holocaust denial and antisemitism.
Manfred Goldberg’s Story: Quick Looks
- The Whisper That Saved Him: At just 13, Goldberg followed a whispered suggestion to lie about his age, saving him from death.
- Life in Camps: Goldberg endured five labor camps, losing his younger brother and witnessing unspeakable horrors.
- Liberation: A British tank column ended his nightmare during a death march in 1945.
- Bearing Witness: For decades, Goldberg remained silent, but he now dedicates his life to sharing his story.
- A Legacy of Life: Goldberg’s home is a tribute to his family and survival, while honoring his lost brother, Herman.
Deep Look
Manfred Goldberg’s life story is a harrowing yet inspiring testament to survival, resilience, and the unbreakable will to bear witness. Born in Kassel, Germany, in 1930, Goldberg was just a child when Adolf Hitler’s rise to power set in motion the events that would engulf Europe in war and lead to the Holocaust. Stripped of his childhood, his family, and his freedom, Goldberg endured unimaginable horrors in Nazi labor camps, surviving against all odds. Now, at 94, he dedicates his life to ensuring that the memories of those who perished are never forgotten, especially as Holocaust denial and antisemitism rise globally.
A Childhood Shattered by Hatred
Goldberg grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Kassel, a city in central Germany. His father, a respected businessman, and his mother, Rosa, provided a loving home. But in 1933, when Goldberg was just three years old, Adolf Hitler came to power, and the Nazis quickly began implementing antisemitic laws and propaganda.
At first, the changes were subtle to a young child. But by the time Goldberg started attending a Jewish primary school, the atmosphere of hatred had become inescapable. The Hitler Youth, a Nazi organization that indoctrinated German children, regularly targeted Jewish students. Goldberg recalls being ambushed, cursed, and assaulted on his way to school.
As the Nazis systematically excluded Jews from public life, the Goldbergs’ world grew smaller. Manfred’s father narrowly avoided deportation thanks to an emergency visa obtained by Frank Foley, a British diplomat and undercover agent who saved thousands of Jews. But the reprieve was temporary. In September 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland, plunging Europe into war and tearing the Goldberg family apart.
Life Under Oppression
With the onset of war, the Nazis intensified their persecution of Jews. Manfred and his family were forced to wear yellow stars marking them as Jewish and could only shop at designated stores. Food became scarce, and Rosa took desperate measures to feed her children. Goldberg recalls how, at just seven or eight years old, he was sent into a non-Jewish bakery with a handful of coins to buy bread while his mother watched anxiously from across the street.
By 1942, the Nazi regime had implemented the “Final Solution,” a systematic plan to annihilate Europe’s Jewish population. The Goldbergs were among those targeted. One night, SS officers banged on the door of their modest flat, giving Rosa just 10 minutes to pack a suitcase. The family was forced onto a train bound for Riga, Latvia, crammed into cattle cars without food or water for three days and nights.
The Nightmare of the Camps
Upon arrival in Riga, Goldberg’s life became an unrelenting struggle for survival. He was separated from his younger brother, Herman, who was deemed too young to work and was taken away by the SS. Goldberg never saw his brother again, a loss that haunts him to this day.
At just 12 years old, Goldberg was assigned a prisoner number: 56478. Stripped of his name and identity, he was sent to work alongside his mother at Precu, a sub-camp near Riga. The conditions were brutal, and every day was a battle against starvation, disease, and the constant threat of death.
Goldberg recalls the moment a stranger whispered life-saving advice to him. “If they ask your age, say you are 17,” the man said. Following the advice, Goldberg was placed in the group selected for slave labor. Only later did he realize the younger children were sent to their deaths because they were deemed unfit to work. “I sometimes think of that man as an angel who was sent to save me,” Goldberg reflects.
Stutthof: The Gateway of Death
As the Eastern Front shifted and the Soviet army advanced, Goldberg was moved westward to Stutthof, a camp near Gdansk, Poland. Stutthof became notorious as a site of mass extermination, with over 60,000 deaths recorded. Prisoners succumbed to typhus, starvation, lethal injections, and the gas chambers, where the Nazis used Zyklon B, the same chemical deployed at Auschwitz.
Goldberg and his mother endured unspeakable horrors at Stutthof, including forced marches and near-starvation. Yet, amid the dehumanization, Goldberg clung to his will to survive. As the war neared its end, the Nazis forced prisoners onto death marches toward central Germany. Goldberg and his mother were among hundreds herded onto barges and held offshore without food or water.
When the SS abandoned the barges, prisoners used wooden planks to paddle ashore. But as they landed, the guards returned, executing the weakest and forcing the rest to march. Liberation came suddenly when a British tank column arrived, causing the SS guards to flee. “We’re free! We’re free!” Goldberg recalls the overwhelming joy of that moment.
Rebuilding a Life
After the war, Goldberg and his mother were reunited with his father in England. Despite the scars of his past, Goldberg built a successful career as an engineer, married his wife Shary, and raised four children. For decades, he remained silent about his experiences, determined to shield his family from the horrors he had endured.
It wasn’t until his 70s, when his synagogue asked him to participate in a remembrance service, that Goldberg began to share his story. Encouraged by his wife, he embraced the role of educator, speaking at schools, community centers, and commemorative events.
A Legacy of Bearing Witness
Today, Goldberg’s mission is to ensure the Holocaust is never forgotten. “Silence never helps the oppressed,” he says. “It always helps the oppressors.” In a time when Holocaust denial and antisemitism are on the rise, Goldberg’s testimony is a powerful reminder of the consequences of hatred and indifference.
Goldberg’s home in London reflects both his resilience and his loss. Family photographs line the walls, celebrating the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who represent his triumph over the Nazis’ attempts to erase his lineage. But one photograph stands apart: a painting of his younger brother, Herman, who was taken from him so many years ago.
“For me, Herman represents all the children who never had the chance to live,” Goldberg says. His commitment to sharing his story ensures that their memories—and the lessons of the Holocaust—will endure.
Manfred Goldberg’s
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