Manfred Goldberg BEM

On Wednesday 1 February 2023, the University hosted its annual Holocaust Memorial event. Sussex was the first university to host a Holocaust Memorial event and this annual event is a testament to our commitment to ensuring that the tragic mistakes of the past are never repeated or forgotten.

We were honoured to welcome Manfred Goldberg BEM, who gave testimony of his childhood during The Holocaust.

Manfred was born in Kassel, Germany in 1930. Following Kristallnacht, his father was able to get to the UK but Manfred, his mother and younger brother, were not so lucky. They managed to survive in Kassel until 1941 after which followed an incredible odyssey lasting several years, and one which his brother would not survive. The Riga ghetto, Precu labour camp, Stutthof concentration camp, Stolp labour camp, Burggraben, and many other terrible experiences befell them. Eventually, Manfred and his mother were liberated and after an extended period of convalescence, they arrived in the UK in September 1946. Manfred was awarded a BEM for services to Holocaust education and awareness in 2019.

For those of you who were unable to attend the event, you can watch the recording of Manfred Goldberg’s testimony on YouTube here: Manfred Goldberg BEM - A childhood during the Holocaust