Alice Herz-Sommer (1903-2014) validation
The GRG announces the age validation of Alice Herz-Sommer. Alice was born in Prague, Czech Republic, although this was Austria-Hungary at the time, on November 26th 1903. She had four siblings, two brothers, two sisters, one of which was her twin. In 1931, Alice married Leopold Sommer and went on to have one child – a son. Alice, being a Jewish person at the time of the Nazi take-over, was arrested during the Second World War and sent to a concentration camp, along with her mother. Her mother was killed there, after which Alice was with her son in the camp. After the liberation of the camp by the Soviet forces, Alice and her son went back to Prague, but not long after moved to Israel to be with family. Alice stayed in Israel for 40 years. In 1986, Alice moved to London, where she would reside for the rest of her life. She is among the oldest survivors of the Holocaust.
Alice died in London, aged 110 years, 89 days, on February 23rd 2014. During her life she had been a keen piano player, practicing until the end of her life.
Alice’s age was verified by Stefan Jamin, Andrew Holmes and Waclaw Jan Kroczek, later accepted retroactively by the GRG as valid on March 20th 2016.