Today we received the sad news that our friend Haim Liss had passed away on November 14, 2020 at the age of 89 in Israel.

Haim Liss was born on March 25, 1931 in Łodz into a Jewish family. After the occupation of Poland by the German Wehrmacht, he and his family were initially imprisoned in the Litzmannstadt Ghetto. From there, the SS deported the family to Auschwitz in September 1944. After a few weeks, Haim Liss was transferred together with his father along with a transport of around 1,000 Polish Jews, to a sub-camp of the Neuengamme Concentration Camp, Hannover-Stöcken, where he did forced labour. At the end of November 1944, the camp was moved to Hannover-Ahlem. At 14 years of age, Haim Liss was the youngest prisoner there. After the Liberation, he first went to England, and from there he emigrated to Israel in 1948, where he worked in Tel Aviv as a technician in aircraft construction.

Haim was a frequent guest at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial, and from there he liked to travel on to Hannover-Ahlem. He was an impressive contemporary witness. Young people in particular listened spellbound when he told about his imprisonment in Auschwitz and in the Neuengamme subcamps.

He was often our guest – he loved to sit together with a glass of wine or with good meal and knew many stories to tell. We liked his humour and his warmth. Haim had health issues for a while, but always remained optimistic and looked forward to his next visit to Germany. His Grandson Eyel wrote to us today: “The people at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial were an important part of Haim’s life.” It was the same vice-versa.

We have lost a good friend, and will miss Haim very much. Our thoughts in this difficult time are with his family.