A Holocaust survivor, who was sheltered by a Righteous Among the Nations and sought to honour the stories of all rescuers, has died this morning at the age of 91.
Lili Stern-Pohlmann and her mother Cecylia Stern were the only survivors in an extended family of over 300 people. Her brother Uriel and father Filip Stern did not survive.
Ms Stern-Pohlmann and her mother escaped the Lvov Ghetto and were sheltered by German civil servant Irmgard Wieth in a section of the city home to the occupying Nazi administration.
In 1944, Ms Wieth - who was honoured by Yad Vashem in 1968 - helped the pair find refuge with the Greek Catholic metropolitan archbishop, Andrey Count Sheptytsky.
After the war, Ms Stern-Pohlmann was at the age of 16 among the Jewish children brought to the UK under a programme led by the late Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld.
Her mother joined her in the UK the following year in 1947.
Ms Stern-Pohlmann was married to the actor Eric Pohlmann and after his death wed the late literary agent Peter Janson-Smith with whom she remained for more than 30 years.
Her close-friendship with Polish rescuer Irena Sendler drew wide media coverage.
She received Poland’s Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta and was made an MBE in 2020 for her services to Holocaust education, awareness and human relations.
She was honorary president of the Holocaust education charity, Learning from the Righteous, which highlights the stories of rescuers.
Its CEO and her close friend Antony Lishak paid tribute to her “indomitable spirit” and said that “her legacy will live on in the hearts of all who were privileged to know her.”
“Lili emerged from the depths of hell to lead an inspirationally full life.
“Perhaps her biggest triumph is that, aged 91, she died, as she had lived; on her own terms. Finally, now, with both her parents and her brother, may she rest in peace,” he said.
She is also being remembered for her oratory skills, with the Association of Jewish Refugees describing her as “an engaging and passionate speaker and educator on the Holocaust.”
“She narrated her story with such fluidity that it made for compelling listening,” it said.
Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, recalled her “infectious energy, warm smile and a wonderful sense of humour.”
She also said that Ms Stern-Pohlmann had "worked hard to honour those people who took unspeakable risks to save others".
“As we approach Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, we remember the dynamic and dedicated Lili and our thoughts and prayers are with her family,” she added.
She is survived by her daughter Karen, three grandchildren and one great grandson.
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