The beloved and exceptional, Marianne Philipps, Holocaust refugee and My Voice storyteller today celebrates her 100th birthday!
This precious lady is treasured by all of her friends at The Fed who wish her a hearty Mazal tov on this incredible milestone birthday. Ad mea v’esrim!
Marianne first became known to The Fed when she signed up as a volunteer in 1997. From there on she supported well over twenty-five families and individuals in the local Jewish community with her inimitable sensitivity, kindness and care – especially working with many people facing loneliness and isolation.
As we got to know Marianne better, we learned that she had gone through the traumatic events of Kristallnacht in November 1938, and that the following August left Berlin on the Kindertransport, bound for England.
In 2017, our My Voice project volunteers began to work with Marianne to record her experiences before during and after WWII. Over the next two years her life story book was completed and ultimately published in 2019.
“This is My voice, My Life” has since been presented to Yad Vashem (the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre) in Jerusalem, The Wiener Holocaust Library, Manchester University John Rylands Library and The Israel National Library.
Marianne has spoken to hundreds of school children and students about her experiences during the war years as part of My Voice’s educational aims.
Last year, in recognition of her dedication to Holocaust Education, My Voice together with Yad Vashem UK, commissioned a bronze bust of Marianne by sculptor Frances Segelman. This exquisite likeness will remain alongside her book as a lasting legacy of her experiences as a Kindertransport refugee, and an inspirational survivor who made Manchester her home.
Juliette Pearce, The Fed’s My Voice Manager, said:
“Marianne is a truly wonderful, vital and optimistic lady, who cares immensely about sharing the lessons of her traumatic past with future generations. To say she is ‘an inspiration’ does not do her justice.
“It has been an absolute delight to work with her over many years, including on the My Voice Guardian Programme. She experiences immense pleasure and satisfaction from her involvement in this – meeting young people who have pledged to learn about her story, and share it with others, to ensure that even after she is no longer able, her voice will be heard.
“Marianne is cherished by all of her friends at The Fed and we wish her a hearty Mazal tov on this incredible milestone birthday. Ad mea v’esrim!.
– The My Voice Project is supported The National Heritage Lottery Fund with thanks to National Lottery players