Walter Frankenstein, who lived to the age of 100, passed away on April 21 in Stockholm, where he had been residing since 1956. His story is one of resilience and survival amidst the horrors of the Holocaust. Along with his wife and infant sons, he spent over two years hiding from the Nazis in Berlin, navigating a brutal landscape where Jews, known as "U-boats," were forced to conceal their identities. Seeking refuge in various locations from abandoned cars to bombed buildings, they relied on a mix of ingenuity and luck to evade capture.
In a recollection shared with the Jewish Museum Berlin, Frankenstein recounted a close call on a 1944 train journey. When confronted by a military policeman seeking identification, he successfully impersonated a forced laborer, only to ultimately reveal his Jewish identity. To his surprise, the officer showed mercy, advising him to leave rather than pursuing a dangerous inquiry.
This event underscores the precarious existence endured by countless Jews during the Nazi regime, where survival often hinged on split-second choices and the whims of others. Historical experts note that U-boats routinely changed hiding locations to escape the constant threat posed by bombings and suspicious neighbors. Of the approximately 1,700 Jews who managed to escape the clutches of the Holocaust, Walter Frankenstein stood out as a symbol of hope and tenacity until his death.
