In an emotional statement, King Charles paid tribute to Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg following his death at 95.
Manfred had met the king at Buckingham Palace earlier this year. He has passed away aged 95 this week.
Manfred Goldberg dies aged 95
Manfred, who was originally from Kassel, Germany, was deported at 11 by the Nazi’s to Riga Ghetto in Latvia. This was along with his mother, Rosa, and younger brother, Herman, in December 1941.
As the Red Army approached Riga in August 1944, Manfred and his family were moved to Stutthof concentration camp, near Gdansk in Poland.
Goldberg spent eight months as a slave at Stutthof, where tens of thousands of Jews were killed, as well as its subcamps, Stolp and Burggraben.
He was 15 when the camps were liberated by the British Army in May 1945.
Manfred’s story
In September 1946, he moved to the UK with his mother, where they reunited with his father, Baruch. Baruch had escaped Europe just before the war broke out in 1939.
After learning English, Manfred completed an engineering degree. He went on to share the story of what happened to him, his family, and the Jews of Europe.
In 2018, he returned to Germany to lay a memorial stone for Herman, who was killed during the Holocaust.
Manfred was married and had four children, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Earlier this year, he met King Charles at Buckingham Palace for Holocaust Memorial Day.
In September, Manfred was made an MBE by the king for his services to Holocaust remembrance and education.
King Charles pays tribute
Following the announcement of Manfred’s death, the king has paid tribute.
“My wife and I were most deeply saddened to hear the news of Manfred Goldberg’s recent death and, together with everyone present, mourn his great loss in our hearts and souls,” he said.
“Above all, it meant more to me than I can ever say to have been able to wish the fondest of farewells, a few weeks ago, to a truly special human being, in whose eyes shone the light of true redemption and humanity.
“As a survivor of the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, I am so proud that he found refuge in Britain, where he would later tell the world of the unimaginable atrocities he had witnessed as a young boy — an enduring reminder for our generation, and generations as yet unborn, of the depths of depravity and evil to which humankind can fall, when reason, compassion and truth are forsaken.”
The king ‘deeply saddened’ by Manfred’s death
The king’s tribute continued.
“Indeed, I was profoundly moved to hear Manfred’s recollections at this year’s reception to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and, more recently, during his investiture ceremony. Together with other Holocaust survivors, he became an integral part of the fabric of our nation; his extraordinary dignity, resolve and courage an example to us all, which will forever be remembered.”
King Charles concluded his tribute by saying it was the “greatest privilege and joy to have known him and my prayers are with his dear family and those who grieve with them”.
RIP, Manfred.
Read more: Prince William delivers emotional speech on behalf of King Charles
So, what do you think of this story? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.