Oldest Known Holocaust Survivor Rose Girone Dies at 113 in New York

NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2025 — Rose Girone, aged 113 and the world’s oldest known Holocaust survivor, passed away on Monday morning at a nursing home in Bellmore, New York. Her daughter, Reha Bennicasa, confirmed the cause of death to be old age.

Girone, who celebrated her birthday on Jan. 13, was a beloved figure in the knitting community and ran a successful knitting shop in Forest Hills, Queens. She was known for her resilience and strong spirit, which she exemplified throughout her lifetime.

Born as Rosa Raubvogel in Janov, Poland, in 1912, Girone’s family later moved to Hamburg, Germany, where they operated a theatrical costume shop. In 1938, she entered into an arranged marriage with Julius Mannheim. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested and sent to the notorious Buchenwald concentration camp when Girone was eight months pregnant.

Amidst growing violence against Jews in Germany, Girone managed to secure visas for herself and her husband to escape to Shanghai, one of the last open ports for Jewish refugees. “He knew someone who knew someone who gave out Chinese visas,” Girone recounted to the USC Shoah Foundation in a 1996 interview. The family arrived in Shanghai in 1939, where they faced the harsh conditions of life under Japanese occupation while striving to survive.

During this time, Girone learned to knit while caring for her newborn daughter. With her skills, she created clothing to sell, which soon became a vital source of income for the family. “They let my father out with the proviso that we pay them and get out of the country within six weeks, and so we did,” Bennicasa said in a 2022 interview.

Following World War II, Girone and her family immigrated to the United States in 1947. Settling in New York, she began working as a knitting instructor and eventually opened her own store, Rose’s Knitting Studio. She cherished her role as a teacher and was particularly proud of her designs. “People would bring ads from Vogue and the like and say they wanted something just like this particular picture,” Bennicasa added.

Despite selling her shop in 1980, Girone never stopped knitting. Her contributions to the community continued as she taught classes and shared her experiences as a Holocaust survivor. In her later years, she resided at the Belair Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, where she encouraged others with her positive outlook on life.

“The secret to a long, healthy life is simple: Live every day with a purpose, have amazing children, and eat lots of dark chocolate,” Girone would say on her birthdays, including her 113th celebration.

Israel’s Government Press Office noted, “Girone was always particularly outspoken about her experiences before and during the war… we honor her memory and the memory of millions of other victims and survivors of the Holocaust.” Girone left behind a legacy of resilience and hope, as well as a devoted family, including her daughter Reha and granddaughter Gina.