Holocaust Survivor Weintraub Honored as Honorary Doctor - 100-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Honored by German University for Lifelong Fight Against Injustice
Leon Weintraub, a 100-year-old Holocaust survivor, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Göttingen. The ceremony saw a standing ovation as he accepted the honour for his lifelong fight against injustice and his dedication to human rights.
Weintraub endured multiple Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau, before surviving the war. After liberation, he studied medicine at the very same university—University of Göttingen—where he now receives this recognition. At the time, he faced the challenge of learning in a foreign language while surrounded by classmates still shaped by Nazi beliefs.
Following his studies, he worked as a senior physician in gynaecology and obstetrics at a Warsaw clinic. Beyond his medical career, he has spent decades returning to Germany to share his experiences and educate people about the Holocaust.
The honorary doctorate highlights his 'unshakable stance against suffering and injustice,' as well as his contributions to medicine and tolerance. Weintraub will also receive the Göttingen Peace Prize, alongside the anti-discrimination group School Without Racism—School with Courage. Over the past five years, he is one of only two known Holocaust survivors to receive such an honour from a German university, the other being Charlotte Knobloch in 2021.
The award marks a rare recognition of a Holocaust survivor by a German institution. Weintraub's work in medicine and education continues to influence efforts against discrimination and intolerance. His story remains a powerful reminder of resilience and the importance of remembering history.
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