Holocaust Survivor, 102, Connects With Berlin Neighbor

Why this is here: Sonja Ibermann Cowan’s family faced stricter Covid-19 restrictions in Melbourne, Australia, than those in Berlin, Germany, prompting them to begin researching their history.

Sonja Ibermann Cowan, a 102-year-old Holocaust survivor living in Melbourne, Australia, began a friendship with a resident of Berlin, Germany. For years, the Berlin resident polished brass plaques honoring a Jewish mother and daughter murdered by the Nazis. Cowan’s grandson, Benjamin Preiss, a journalist with The Age, researched his grandmother’s past during pandemic lockdowns.

The research revealed details about Cowan’s mother and sister’s deaths during the Holocaust. Cowan herself focuses on spending time with her family, including great-grandchildren and daughters. She also celebrates Jewish high holidays with a rabbi who visits her at home.

Cowan left Berlin as a child and did not return for eight decades. The article notes that many details surrounding the circumstances of her family’s fate remain unclear. Preiss continues to investigate the full story of Sonja’s life and loss.