…By Gift BADEWO for TDPel Media.
In an inspiring story of perseverance and resilience, a Holocaust survivor was recently awarded war medals on her 100th birthday, decades after she rightfully earned them.
This heartwarming event not only pays tribute to her bravery during the second world war but also symbolizes our collective responsibility to recognize and appreciate the contributions of those who fought for freedom.
Her story serves as a potent reminder of our past and the strength of the human spirit to survive and help others even in the most harrowing circumstances.
A Century Later: Holocaust Survivor Receives Long Overdue Recognition
Henny Franks, a Holocaust survivor who fled Nazi oppression in Cologne, western Germany, as a teenager on the Kindertransport, received war medals she didn’t even know she was eligible for on her 100th birthday.
After landing in the UK, Henny was eager to lend a hand in the war effort and volunteered for the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)—the female branch of the British Army—as a truck driver at a munitions factory.
Despite her service, she did not receive the medals she deserved for 78 years, since the conclusion of the Second World War in Europe.
Surprise Celebration and Medal Ceremony
Henny’s milestone birthday was marked by a surprise ceremony at the Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre in London, where she was awarded the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-45, along with her HM Armed Forces Veteran Badge.
Jewish Care is one of the largest health and social care charities committed to serving London’s Jewish community.
The event was organized by AJEX, The Jewish Military Association, a group dedicated to reuniting Jewish veterans and their relatives with their war medals.
National chair of AJEX JMA, Dan Fox, had the honor of surprising Henny at her birthday celebration.
A Moment of Honor and Remembrance
Fox said during the event, “It was an honor to surprise Henny today.
“As the ‘greatest generation’ become fewer, lasting recognition of their service and commitment is more important than ever.
“The restoration and reclamation of medals is a striking way of ensuring this.
“They are artifacts of personal history, but also meaningful to families, communities, and the nation as a whole.
“They help us remember what veterans went through and take pride in what they did.”
Henny expressed her delight at finally receiving the medals, describing her emotional state as “overcome with joy”.
The day, she said, had been “amazing”.