Holocaust survivor receives Eastbourne’s highest honour

A Holocaust survivor, who later became a singing sensation in post-war Germany has been bestowed with the highest possible award by Eastbourne Borough Council.

Dorit Oliver-Wolff BEM was admitted as an Honorary Freewoman of the Borough of Eastbourne last week for her dedication to human rights and Holocaust education.

The 89-year-old was five when the Nazis invaded her home country of what was Yugoslavia in 1941. She spent the next four years moving from one hiding place to another – at times, hiding in trenches or scavenging for food in bins, narrowly escaping being caught.

After the war, she and her mother returned to their home in Novi Sad, hoping to be reunited with any remaining family, but no one else came back. She later learnt that her father had died from hacking stones for the Germans as a slave labourer.

In 1948, Dorit moved to Israel and later to Germany, where she became one of the top ten recording artists in the country.

Dorit Oliver-Wolff in her days as a successful recording artist in the late 1950s in Germany (Photo: Getty Images)Getty Images

In 1962, Dorit settled in England, married and had a son. In recent years, she has dedicated her time to Holocaust education, going into schools to speak to pupils, saying: “It is not that I want to remember, but that I cannot forget. Everyday little things like throwing away a piece of mouldy bread remind you of the horrors you have experienced.”

The author of a memoir, From yellow star to pop star, Dorit is also a committed human rights campaigner, focusing on the persecution of the Uyghurs at the hands of the Chinese.

Freedom of the Borough is a symbolic and ceremonial honour that dates back to the Middle Ages and recognises eminent services or achievements.

The award is “in recognition and appreciation of her extraordinary life, her outstanding contribution to Eastbourne and its community, her work as a freedom fighter and campaigner for human rights, her dedication to Holocaust education and her passion to ensure that the Holocaust is never forgotten”, said Eastbourne Borough Council.

Doirt Oliver-Wolff was honoured for her work in Holocaust education (Photo: HET)[Missing Credit]

Karen Pollock CBE, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, congratulating Dorit on her award, said: “We are delighted that Dorit has been awarded as an Honorary Freewoman of the Borough of Eastbourne. This award, the highest the Council can bestow, is recognition of all that Dorit has done to educate students in the South of England and across the country about the Holocaust.

“Dorit is unstinting in her efforts to make sure that the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered in the Holocaust are remembered, and that we all learn from the past. We are so proud of Dorit - a unique woman with such a big personality - not only for the impact of her work, but for the engaging way she shares her testimony. Her warmth, strength and presence leave a lasting impression on all who hear her speak.”

The honour follows Dorit’s British Empire Medal, which she was awarded in 2019 for services to Holocaust education and awareness.