DES MOINES, Iowa — David Wolnerman — the last known Iowan to survive the horrors of the Holocaust — has passed away at 96 years old, the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines Monday.
As Iowa's last tie to a historic affront against humanity, Wolnerman worked with Jewish organizations across the metro to share his story and spread awareness about the atrocities of Nazism with his community.
Poland native Wolnerman was placed in more than 11 concentration camps throughout World War II. After nearly six years of disease, forced labor, starvation and losing family members, Wolnerman was liberated from Dachau in April 1945 by President Dwight Eisenhower's troops.
"How he was able to survive nearly six years of this was a miracle," Wolnerman's obituary reads. "He felt strongly that God pulled him through the hunger, sickness, and inhumanity of the experience."
You can watch Wolnerman share his story below:
After liberation, he moved to Munich, Germany and got married to Jennie Neier. The couple lived in Ohio and Indiana before settling down in Des Moines to retire.
"He loved and was loved in return. He had fan clubs from every walk of life. In his later years, he would share his liberation stories from Germany and Poland with schools and community groups," Wonerman's obituary reads. "He would leave each group with the advice: 'Forgive, but not forget.'"
He is survived by his children Allen (Amy) Wolnerman and Michael (Missy) Wolnerman; grandchildren Daniel (Brenda) Wolnerman, Sheri, Eli (Beatrice) Wolnerman and Benjamin Wolnerman; and great-grandchildren Moshe, Nechama, Noach, Adina Wolnerman, Shalva and Cosette Wolnerman.
Services for Wolnerman will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. at Dunn's Chapel in downtown Des Moines. His grandson, Rabbi Daniel Wolnerman, will be conducting the service.
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