A Holocaust survivor returns - Margot Friedländer in Germany | DW Documentary

German Jewish Margot Friedländer nee Bendheim survived the horrors of Nazi Germany. In 1946 she moved to the U.S. with her husband and lived there for many decades. She decided to return to Berlin in 2010 in order to tell her story in Germany.
Margot Friedländer is a remarkable woman. The Holocaust survivor is an honorary citizen of Berlin, a recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit and in November 2021 she celebrated her 100th birthday. Margot Friedländer wrote a memoir, is a public speaker, and has visited many German schools to talk with children and teenagers. Her hope is that by sharing her experiences and recounting her personal history, she can help prevent something like the Holocaust from ever happening again.
Born in 1921 as Margot Bendheim to Jewish parents, she experienced the full horrors of the Nazi regime in Germany and witnessed the persecution of Jewish people first-hand. Following the deportation of her mother and brother to Auschwitz, Margot Bentheim spent years in hiding until she was herself deported to Theresienstadt in 1944. There she found Adolf Friedländer, whom she already knew from Berlin. They survived the concentration camp, married and emigrated to New York in 1946. After her husband died in 1997, Margot Friedländer, following several visits to Berlin, decided to return to Germany for good in 2010.
Filmmaker Thomas Halaczinsky has spent years recording Margot Friedländer’s life and memories.
#documentary #dwdocumentary
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[@Magazinelady]

Thank you, Thomas Halaczinsky for giving Margot a platform to tell her story. This documentry is beautifully done. Margot, you may feel like you have done very little. The thing that struck me is that you are doing! You are such a great example to all of us. You have courage and inner strength. You could have quietly retired. Instead, you are educating the young people and well, all of us. You are a 102 now. May God continue to bless and protect you. Thank you for sharing your story!

[@user-km2sb5sb4o]

I admire her courage returning to her native city and educating young Germans about what happened in their country during the Hitler years. A remarkable woman.

[@javiersoto651]

Margot Bendheim (Friedlander), a German-Jewish survivor of the Nazi Holocaust: An extraordinary woman who has made her life a permanent crusade to keep the memory of this vile genocide alive for the current generation of Germans, so that they, in turn, pass on that message to future generations.

[@shaunmulligan8717]

“The only lesson from the Holocaust must be the unconditional defense of human rights for all.” (Deborah Feldman)

[@seemarajderkar3019]

Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander's life story from Berlin to New York and then back to Berlin for good, is very touching and very inspiring too !! Hats off to this super courageous lady!! Margot, the grand old lady, if still alive, must be 103 now !!

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Margot a beautiful strong woman 😊

[@hereandnow_2024_]

This precious lady is still alive - 102! We need to talk about the Holocaust, and all human tragedies, now more than ever... Our world needs a path to Peace. Thank you Margot for your valuable contribution to awareness.

[@daryl6957]

Agreed👍!!!

[@naturesdose]

Epic documentary and a huge round of applause for her endeavour. Her message is simple, those who don't learn from history are bound to repeat it.

[@DWDocumentary]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback!

[@christinereece7661]

What a life story. Thank you for bringing it to us.

[@orbitboi63]

She made the best decision ever to go back home.

[@KeefeL]

She's a boss. What a speech on her honorable title

[@Vikki_G_]

What a wonderful and inspirational woman. Her strength will go on through her words for generations to come.

[@kidmohair8151]

this bears witness to the reality that, it is people who are committed to truth, not states, that forge our collective history. and committed people who take the steps to correct the mistakes and crimes that states, in their ignorance, or hatred, or both, commit.

[@debbiemohiosen147]

Margot Freedlander is a beautiful, intelligent woman very brave .The heroes of our planet.💕

[@gonefishing167]

Brave woman. I don’t think I would have had the courage , or the strength, to return to Germany. Do you know what happened to the people who sheltered her? I know she sent them a postcard but why has she got the postcard, not them. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏👵🇦🇺

[@jokervinyl]

09:00 - Margot wears her mother's necklace at the ceremony of her returnment in Berlin.

[@vincentvanmeow]

The truth doesn’t fear investigation

[@bobbydennis8333]

“Been that way for 30 years.” - U.S. Justice Department on the lack of Human Rights in Oklahoma County Jail, 2020 “Makes me feel human again after this place.” - Oklahoma City Art Museum review after life in the local shelters (20+ years in the making), 2024 “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” - Nelson Mandela 🥂🥂

[@user-ij1me3os4y]

agreed

[@michaelram3411]

It is the best comment.Thank you and you are an honorable person who knows the truth

[@susannjarvis5587]

What a beautiful and moving story. We must talk about the past. We must remember

[@mohahaji3534]

It's happening live in gazzza

[@SolarEclipse1996]

​@@mohahaji3534 Stop gaslighting

[@sunitasangma3549]

We must lift humanity . It is only through people like Margot we come to learn that we've the potential to become unruly beast erase what we call human . ❤

[@jenniferseals3642]

Thank you for sharing your life. Thank you so much for sharing your tragedies with us. You are incredibly brave!

[@suvairin]

There is no single word that the Soviet soldier gave her the freedom

[@raquetdude]

Major respect to her for coming back to Germany. West and East Germany both failed these ppl and inturn the people that have ruled the country.

[@pissupehelwan]

Post was Germany was run by wolf in sheep's clothing. All of them blended into the society and turned up to work in suit and tie as if nothing happened.

[@Senacacrane]

Thank you for telling your story, that was beautiful. It is important that we learn from history. We will not do this again.

[@ingridarcher69]

What an Amazing, Resilient and Respectful Human Being💫❤️

[@johnishikawa2200]

Knowing about the holocaust , and of other genocides and of the persecution of people right here in America , like those of the KKK and what they have done to people and the hideous injustices perpetrated against African Americans , I have developemented a visceral loathing of ' tribalism ' and of bigoted people and of willfully ignorant people .

[@user-uz8qe2bo6w]

Thank you for telling your story.

[@chuki6545]

What a beautiful person and a a very very good documentary. I love her.

[@DWDocumentary]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@michaelram3411]

Watch Europa The Last Battle(documentary)

[@bentutsibensamale7520]

Germany today is a role model Never again will such evil happen there anymore

[@Jppx31]

Wish I could believe that.

[@feulholeclos9807]

Yet it's still happening

[@user-ln6cc4rf5z]

you are not only great human being but also "100 percent respectful beautiful lady". you will get a fine man in the heaven. amen

[@RJ-pd7je]

Japan : Forgive and Forget DE : No Forgive No Forget

[@arrolindark4877]

Never again can't be empty words. Vigilance... voice.... will lead to victory. I'm not a jew but their voice and storys were heard. Our generation must not falter for it can happen again.

[@bogantellectual]

And yet it is happening again in Palestine. Most of thee victims speak a different language and pray to a different God, but apart from that they are more similar than they are different.

[@lucianavieira2576]

DW stop deleting comments. Why do you only keep the recent ones (6 days old) ?

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi! If a comment doesn't appear, it may have been held by KZbin or removed because it violated our community standards and guidelines. Please read our netiquette policy here: p.dw.com/p/MF1G

[@angelahambley1113]

God bless her ❤

[@andrewwright.]

and the polish and russian dont matter ...30 sec into this....already know the content

[@mohahaji3534]

😂😂you're anti-.....?

[@elabuterin7150]

Two wrongs don’t make a right. History is history. Yet politicians keep making the same mistakes. Why? Why do you feel the need to point out certain groups? Oppression and persecution of any kind is wrong!

[@PatsyColetta]

A very touching testimonial and you have to wonder how she spent all those years in the US.

[@user-vu4pd5ci5z]

this documentary depicts the understanding of past is essential so that we don't make similar mistake...

[@tammyleath4964]

Imagine being in Israel and lived through the Holocaust only to hear sirens and bombs dropping.

[@TrueCrimeSurvivors]

No kidding. The images from October are absolutely horrifying.

[@1CFcooper]

Can I get this book in English?

[@dosang1953]

What happened was happened. No further mistakes? You never know that might be happening in the near future. DW developing a good sense of humors. Keep it up for the earthly Peace!

[@lucianavieira2576]

Yeah, maybe I didn't get it. Why didn't she forgive the US for ?

[@gitaamini2683]

She was unable to forgive the US who blocked immigration at the time of greatest need - she felt that if allowed to immigrate her mother and possibly her brother would have survived

[@mylifeasasociopath]

DW docs usually have tons of comments. The fact that there are so few means that most are getting removed.. interesting.

[@Kroogles]

I like how you use hard numbers to engage in your obviously bigoted conspiracy theory bullshit.

[@9mmsleepingpill851]

@@Kroogles Do you wear a tiny little hat perhaps?

[@Kroogles]

@@9mmsleepingpill851 No, bigot.

[@9mmsleepingpill851]

@@Kroogles Thank you for the compliment, tiny hat wearer.

[@bastianpate-uc5hd]

Winners write history

[@lindacosta5688]

And your point is….?

[@cheetabis]

why does british royal is silent about the holocaust?

[@user-sz5yw1pb3b]

Wonderful Lady. !

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

A thrilled watching documentary,

[@dasreich5126]

And now Anthony Blinken is a war criminal. What irony.

[@warager4753]

And now you're an idiot. No irony.

[@moshing4christ754]

My 106 year old great-grandfather died of 'Covid-19', recently. He faught against the Russians during WW2 and helped found NASA when he returned after the war. His biggest dying regret was refusing to get the 'jew Jab' (That's what he called it) ..It's sad that so many people like him like to deny 'climate change'! I stand with Ukraine, etc.

[@dosang1953]

What a difference between East and West, NHK for the Peace? Let them learn from you DW..

[@sujumongge6987]

❤️

[@vincentvanmeow]

How did so many people survive?

[@TheStockwell]

What do you consider "many people"? 🧐 There are 200,000 American veterans of WWII living in the United States. Is THAT "many people"? 🤔

[@fatimaperez9181]

They went to Palestine

[@pissupehelwan]

Did you mean the blond hair blue-eyed ones who escaped to Argentina?

[@vincentvanmeow]

@@TheStockwell how did so many people survive? They were in the camps and trapped. The Germans had them. How did so many survive?

[@vincentvanmeow]

@@TheStockwell How did so many people survive? I mean, the Germans had them, why let them go?

[@johnrees7706]

What an inspiration and a reminder of the ATROCITIES once again committed on October 7th 2023. Let us ensure that this hatred will be brought to justice this time

[@bobbydennis8333]

Updated: “Been that way for 30 years.” - U.S. Justice Department on the lack of Human Rights in Oklahoma County Jail, 2020 “Makes me feel human again after this place.” - Oklahoma City Art Museum review after life in the local shelters (20+ years in the making), 2024 “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” - Nelson Mandela 🥂🥂

[@abdulahaduygur6811]

Why did you delete the documentary you made about Uyghurs?

[@heathercontois4501]

The platform may have taken it down because it can claim anything in order to do it.

[@frogdogink4415]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@michaelbatarick9617]

Maybe some Palestinian will have some documentary about themself walkin around Gaza one day.

[@feulholeclos9807]

I was wondering that too. 😢

[@RGRGJKK]

Porque no hacen documentales sobre el infierno que viven los palestinos en el campo de concentración de Gaza y como los testimonios del holocausto tiene un mensaje vacío de cero enseñanzas por el respeto y tolerancia a la vida de los demás sin importar su cultura o religion para el estado genocida de Israel :(

[@rodolfo5022]

Ok anti-semita na_zi

[@heathercontois4501]

​@@rodolfo5022 You do know the Arab nations are Semitic in language and national origin...right? Seriously, you can look it up. No one will ever deny the cultural and religious unrest between the countries, but that is totally different than the conflict between Israel as a nation and Palestine as a nation. Both contain all three of the major religions that originated in the same areas all claim is theirs.

[@andrzejbiesiadecki9192]

Do not forget about Poles, Ukrainian and Russian!!!!!

[@cameopearls]

The 27 million died during ww2 through Operation Barbarossa and also through Stalins gulag and the camps

[@Icanbacktrailers]

The dude at 13:37 . Lol

[@joslynandcarltonramsubhag1836]

Very interesting❣️ love learning of holocaust survivor stories👍

[@DWDocumentary]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@kelliv2995]

❤❤❤

[@carolisherwood493]

Poignant. Sad. Happy

[@Daveisalegendperiod]

So many survivors huh? 🤔

[@FMmffmFM]

Very few. Many died. Get an education

[@Daveisalegendperiod]

@@FMmffmFM youuu liiiie! Really?

[@FMmffmFM]

@@Daveisalegendperiod I Wish i could live a life in total ignorance as you do

[@0o0o0o0o.8]

That's the right, kids! Take in immigrants!

[@julioalbertoherrera1339]

Take in immigrants and give them jobs.

[@newbleppmore7855]

@@julioalbertoherrera1339 lol no they dont work

[@julioalbertoherrera1339]

@@newbleppmore7855 They won't work if you give them sozialism.

[@hourbee5535]

Freedom independence and sovereignty for Palestine now

[@jennbeth1]

Heartless.

[@edgarmwanguhya]

​@@jennbeth1Margot should tell bibi to stop doing what was done to her. It's a genocide now

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

How is wanting freedom for oppressed people heartless? ​@@jennbeth1

[@JamesHughes-ku1dm]

Virtue signaling😂

[@scm98]

@@edgarmwanguhya it's not a genocide or even Germany was genocided during WW2 when the allies attacked

[@user-qi9bl9hd9l]

Save GaZa children now!

[@lindacosta5688]

Tell that to Hamas

[@dafnimbus]

I am a German Jew and a liberal Jew and a progressive Democrat. I am a zionist from Massachusetts who is going to be 72 years old on April 29th. In June we are going to Israel for a wedding and perhaps to Petra.

[@alikhanmoazzam]

Congrats on bringing disgrace to ur Ancestors sacrifice

[@bogantellectual]

real 'progressive' supporting a state that's literally in the middle of committing Genocide* with your tourism dollars. *Yes a Genocide. Yes, exactly like the one Margot talks about surviving in this documentary. Never Again or Never Again (with conditions)

[@FoundingStockNZ]

Seems like they all survived

[@FMmffmFM]

A bit difficult for the deads to speak

[@hankochai]

Not a lot of gratitude to America for giving her a home for 60 years.

[@fobbitguy]

She never could forgive America for not letting her in earlier? I guess it was America's fault and not the nazis

[@debbiemohiosen147]

What on this earth do you mean? "Gratitude"??? She owes nothing to nobody after how she had been treated by humanity WE OWE her, humanity owes her and can never begin to compensate for what she endured ,and yet she continues to make brave effort and generosity to present her story. What's wrong with YOUR head it lacks respect for the suffering heroic brave.Shame.

[@dg1006]

@@debbiemohiosen147”We” don’t owe her anything. The US didn’t have to let in a refugee after WW2. She could have went back to battle/scarred Germany to exist or Palestine, America doesn’t and didn’t owe her anything.

[@sojedoje]

Are u joking?

[@bogantellectual]

Insensitive much? They declined her family's refugee visa application before they were sent to concentration camps, where her whole family except Margot died. So it's understandable that she felt some resentment at only getting a visa afterwards.

[@j1st633]

If she resided in America for 64 years, why not speak English?

[@dasreich5126]

She dislikes America but lived there for 64 year. She's Quite arrogant

[@Magazinelady]

The documentary was set in Germany. German was and is her mother tongue. I don't fault her at all for speaking German. Plus, she is showing that a German-Jewish woman is a survivor. The impact of her story, when she visits the schools, would be greater when told in German.

[@immaggiethesenilegoldenret7918]

Because she’s back in her native country.

[@mistertjon]

Getting a bit tired hearing about this

[@heathercontois4501]

Then apply this "boring account of history" to different areas of the world today. It gets a lot more interesting.

[@user-jf1ft2tv3w]

AM YISRAEL CHAI 🇮🇱💙🇮🇱💙

[@user-cy3ce1gy7o]

There will be millions margot alike in gaza if someone chose to write. The irony of it all

[@AnonymousanonymousA]

wasn't it started by the Aktion T4 program run by psychiatrist like Ernst Rudin and 2 other psychiatrist from Switzerland.. isn't the W.H.O. hq'd in Switzerland along with the W.E.F.?

[@leea3531]

Free Palestine 🇵🇸

[@andrewreynolds912]

Free palestine this could not have come out at a much more stranger time

[@jennbeth1]

How inappropriate of you to post this here. It speaks volumes about you and your cause.

[@andrewreynolds912]

​​​ how? Germany said they support Israel to try and make up for what they did back then but they learned nothing and are supporting a gen'ocide on the palestinians so sh'ut tf up because this person has a right and this vid was posted at such a strange time for what is happening right now if you say we shouldn't care for what's happening in Israel than we shouldn't care about the holo'caust being a'nti zion'ist isn't a'nti Sem'itic or an'ti Je'wish mind you Israel litterly stated on camera what they were gonna do it is rare to see a state be so open about what it's gonna do with its cri'mes

[@Wildrover82]

Not relevant to this story at all really. If you think about it...

[@siemhussain7550]

I see no problem

[@gwenketterman2405]

NEVER AGAIN IN YESHUAS HOLY NAME..........

[@childkillers_shouldve_NoState]

😂

[@ModernAffairs.]

You have the right to claim your return back to homeland

[@patrickhenry6695]

She does not believe in Jesus.

[@anitatenaud3297]

Never again, for jews and palestinians

[@mylifeasasociopath]

But... it -is- happening again. Matter of fact... Right Now.

[@mohahaji3534]

She must think israel is the 4th Reich

[@SolarEclipse1996]

How would you know what she thinks?

[@mohahaji3534]

@@SolarEclipse1996 because of what she says...

[@AA-xd9fg]

The history repeated again in Gaza.. What do we learned in this documentary?

[@mohahaji3534]

Germans never learn i guess😂

[@joelleschachter2867]

Although it is terrible what is happening in Gaza the Holocaust was very different killing factory sometimes10000 a day and 1 and half children died

[@skyavalanche]

We learn that Jews will survive those who wish to destroy them, and the ones who passively support the Evil perpetrators like Hamas will end up in the dust bin of History. Am Yisroel Chai 🇮🇱 🤍💙

[@lindacosta5688]

Gaza started a war with Israel on October 7, 2024. So what’s your point??

[@poppylover200]

That people need to protect themselves from opressors. What was learned from stalin, polpot, rawanda, join the bad guys (Hamas)...end up paying with your family's blood?

[@rustynail2648]

The victims of yesterday are the predators of today.

[@shaunmulligan8717]

Die Verfolgten werden zu Verfolgern / The persecuted become persecutors.

[@saulalexander3586]

Why blacks care what happened we was not there 😮

[@fatmah5673]

What about Gaza?

[@fobbitguy]

?????

[@lindacosta5688]

Gaza needs to learn a lesson, not to mess with Israel😂😂😂

[@fatmah5673]

@@lindacosta5688 may GOD show you a bad lesson for making fun of the civilians🤲🏼..Ameen

[@ecuadorexpat8558]

This woman has nothing to do w Gaza so STOP IT !

[@fatmah5673]

@@ecuadorexpat8558 im saying nothing about this woman, im just reminding people that the same thing is repeated in GAZA NOW!!!

[@Gop101]

Don't mess with the Jews . . God chosen people 🇮🇱🔯

[@mohahaji3534]

Are you like 8 years old?😂😂

[@Gop101]

@@mohahaji3534 no but sure ain't a terrorist

[@ModernAffairs.]

Fascist DW is Deleting my comments

[@TheStockwell]

Another possibility: people are reporting your comments as hate speech, or encouraging violence, or misinformation - that sort of stuff. Judging by the content of your own channel, that's highly likely. Best wishes from Vermont ❄️

[@TheStockwell]

Another possibility: people are reporting your comments as hate speech, or encouraging violence, or misinformation - that sort of stuff. Judging by the content of your own channel, that's highly likely. Best wishes from Vermont ❄️

[@redditsucksyo]

(((they))) auto-censor certain words.

[@NickVennlig]

If you want attention just say so little guy.

[@weareparamore1597]

ok 👌

[@IngePotzuweit-rb8ui]

enough of this

[@DM_Laf]

Please stop with propaganda!

[@LORENZOoBIBLEe]

I LOVE ISRAEL🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 AND THEM GODDDD JESUS CHRIST

[@nastybartender4081]

Guess when they handed out brain matter you were last in the line, poor you.

[@ewaz6600]

What about Ukraine ? Bugger Gaza

[@gwenketterman2405]

YES IGNORENCE KILLS.......KNOW YOUR MESSIAH DEAR ONES........

[@Daveisalegendperiod]

You keep deleting my comments coz you fear to hear the truth!

[@JamesHughes-ku1dm]

You're not as important as you think you are

[@Daveisalegendperiod]

@@JamesHughes-ku1dm Same goes for you!

[@DWDocumentary]

If your comment doesn't appear, it may have been held by KZbin or removed because it violated our community standards and guidelines. Please read our netiquette policy here: p.dw.com/p/MF1G

[@9mmsleepingpill851]

@@JamesHughes-ku1dm Juden

[@9mmsleepingpill851]

You know what's crazy? They never teach why they were put in work camps. They just start their history that they were thrown in work camps "for no reason at all."

[@pissupehelwan]

There is no good reason at all. None whatsoever.

[@iuliailiana2443]

Because they were put in camps for no reason at all.

[@9mmsleepingpill851]

@@iuliailiana2443 Nope. There was a good reason.

[@lindacosta5688]

@@9mmsleepingpill851 Do tell….. Then hurry back to your village.

[@ikkelimburg3552]

What reason would there be to throw babies and toddlers into ‘work’ camps?