Boy Who Fled Nazi Germany at Age 7 Receives Federal Order of Merit from German President

Photo Credit: International March of the Living

German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert presented the President’s Federal Order of Merit to George Shefi.

Holocaust survivor George Shefi, who fled Germany at age seven on the Kindertransport following the “Kristallnacht” nationwide pogrom in 1938, was awarded the Federal Order of Merit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The honor was presented by the German Ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, during an emotional ceremony at the Ambassador’s residence in Herzliya last Friday. The event preceded International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which this year marks 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. Four generations of Shefi’s family attended, along with Revital Yakin Krakovsky, Deputy CEO of the International March of the Living organization.

George Shefi along with two other survivors of the Kindertransport are the subject of the short documentary, “Journey of Hope: Retracing the Kindertransport after 85 Years.”

Ambassador Seibert commended Shefi’s lifelong dedication to Holocaust education in Germany. “Germany wants to thank you for choosing, despite your childhood trauma, to share your story with students, sports clubs, and parliaments to foster reconciliation and understanding. Anyone who has heard George will be empowered to counter Holocaust denial.” He also emphasized the ongoing need to combat rising antisemitism, stating, “The danger has not passed, and we must act decisively.”

Shefi, whose mother was murdered at Auschwitz, reflected on the significance of the award: “It is a great honor to receive the Federal Order of Merit for my work in Holocaust education. Survivors like me are the last generation who can provide firsthand testimony. Over my life, I have spoken to thousands of German students, reminding them they are not to blame for the past but are responsible for ensuring it never happens again. This award symbolizes Germany’s acknowledgment of history and its commitment to preventing a recurrence. Receiving this recognition in the 80th year of Auschwitz’s liberation, where my mother perished, is deeply meaningful, aligning with the title of my autobiography, *The Way of Fate*. I will always be grateful to my mother for saving my life.”

Revital Yakin Krakovsky praised Shefi’s impact: “George Shefi is an inspiration. The March of the Living aims to pass the torch of memory and responsibility to future generations. George has created thousands of new young witnesses to his story, ensuring the fight against antisemitism continues. We are honored that George will join this year’s March of the Living at Auschwitz-Birkenau, an emotional and symbolic closing of the circle.”

Born in Berlin in 1931 as George Spiegelglas, Shefi’s parents divorced when he was one, and contact with his father ceased. During Kristallnacht, his mother made the heartbreaking decision to send him on the Kindertransport to Britain, saving his life. The last time George saw her was at the train station in Berlin. She was later deported to Auschwitz in January 1943 and murdered. Shefi immigrated to Israel in 1949, served in the Israel Defense Forces, and built a family.

Shefi has been featured in a documentary by the International March of the Living commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Kindertransport. The film, *Journey of Hope*, also honored Holocaust Survivor Henry Moskowitz z”l and included fellow Kindertransport survivors Walter Bingham and Paul Alexander. It premiered in the presence of Israeli President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog, who presented Shefi and others with special recognition.

Expressing gratitude to the March of the Living, Shefi remarked, “I deeply appreciate the opportunity to retrace my rescue route with my wife Yael, and eldest daughter Tami. Participating in the documentary was an honor and a means to share my journey of hope and resilience.”