Who Is Gabi Goslar? The Untold Story of Hannah Pick-Goslar’s Sister

Quick Bio

Early Life and Family Background

Gabi Goslar was born into a German-Jewish refugee family that had fled to Amsterdam seeking safety from Nazi persecution. Her father, Hans Yitzkhak Goslar, had once served as deputy minister for domestic affairs in Berlin, while her mother, Ruth Judith Klee, devoted herself to raising the children. The family tried to rebuild their lives in the Netherlands, but tragedy struck in 1942 when Ruth died during childbirth along with her baby, leaving Hans to care for Gabi and her older sister Hannah alone. Only two years old at the time, Gabi grew up in an atmosphere of grief and growing fear as anti-Jewish laws tightened and the security her parents once knew in Germany became a distant memory.

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Age of Gabi Goslar

Gabi Goslar was born on October 25, 1940, in Amsterdam, and she lived through the horrors of the Holocaust as a very young child. She was only four years old when her father died in Bergen-Belsen and just five years old when she and her sister were freed from the “Lost Train” in 1945. After the war, she rebuilt her life in Israel, where she grew up, married, and raised a family. Gabi lived a full life and passed away in 2017 at the age of seventy-seven, her survival itself a symbol of strength and resilience.

Father: Hans Yitzkhak Goslar

Gabi’s father, Hans Yitzkhak Goslar, was a German-Jewish refugee who had worked as the deputy minister for domestic affairs in Berlin before fleeing with his family to the Netherlands. Known as a respected and educated man, he tried everything to protect his children during the war, even acquiring Paraguayan passports in an attempt to save them from deportation. Unfortunately, Hans was deported with his daughters to Bergen-Belsen, where he died on February 25, 1945, only weeks before the camp was liberated. His death left Gabi and Hannah orphaned at an extremely young age.

Mother: Ruth Judith Klee

Gabi’s mother, Ruth Judith Klee, was also a German-Jewish refugee who fled Nazi persecution and settled with her husband and children in Amsterdam. She was devoted to her family, but her life was cut tragically short. In 1942, while pregnant with her third child, Ruth went into labor, but the Nazis denied her proper medical care. She and the baby both died during childbirth. Gabi, only two years old at the time, grew up without the love and guidance of her mother, a loss that left deep scars in the family’s history.

Sibling: Hannah Elisabeth Pick-Goslar

Gabi’s older sister, Hannah Elisabeth Goslar, known as “Hanneli” to her close friend Anne Frank, played an important role in Gabi’s survival. Born in 1928, Hannah was twelve years older than Gabi and acted as a protector throughout their time in the camps. Hannah was a close childhood friend of Anne Frank, and the two even met briefly in Bergen-Belsen before Anne’s death. After the war, Hannah emigrated to Israel, married Dr. Walter Pinchas Pick, and became a mother to three children. She lived until October 2022, when she passed away at the age of ninety-three, continuing to share her memories of Anne Frank and her Holocaust experiences until the end of her life.

Childhood during war

When Gabi was only a toddler, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands and quickly enforced strict laws against Jews. Her life became filled with fear and restrictions. In 1943, she and her family were arrested and sent to Westerbork, the transit camp in the Netherlands. Later, they were deported to Bergen-Belsen in 1944. Gabi was only a small child at the time, suffering from ear infections and malnutrition. Life in the camp meant hunger, cold, and the constant presence of death, but she survived thanks to the care of her sister Hannah and the kindness of others like Mrs. Abrahams, who took care of her when Hannah was too sick.

Freedom from the camp

In April 1945, British soldiers freed Bergen-Belsen, ending months of hunger, disease, and fear for Gabi Goslar and her sister Hannah. Gabi was only five years old, weak and malnourished, but she survived while so many others did not. After the liberation, the sisters were taken to a children’s home in Laren, where they received medical care and began to recover from the terrible conditions of the camp. This moment of freedom marked the start of a long healing journey, though the loss of their parents and the trauma of the Holocaust stayed with them for life.

Life After War

Marriage and family life

In Israel, Gabi married a man whose last name was Mozes. Together, they built a family and lived in the city of Petach Tikvah. She chose to live most of her life privately, focusing on her role as a wife, mother, and later grandmother. Although she did not often seek the spotlight, her past and her survival meant that her life carried a silent but powerful testimony. Her children and grandchildren became part of her living legacy, proof that despite the Nazis’ attempt to destroy Jewish families, life continued and thrived.

Connection to Anne Frank

Although Gabi herself was too young to be a direct friend of Anne Frank, her older sister Hannah had been one of Anne’s closest companions in Amsterdam before the war. The two remained connected even in Bergen-Belsen, where Hannah managed to speak to Anne through a barbed-wire fence. This link to Anne Frank became part of Gabi’s family history, and through her sister’s memories, Gabi was also connected to one of the most famous stories of the Holocaust. The friendship between Hannah and Anne remains a powerful reminder of the innocence destroyed by the war.

Writing and advocacy

In 2010, Gabi published her memoir titled I Have to Tell Someone, where she shared her own experiences of survival. In the book, she gave readers insight into what it was like to be a very young child in Bergen-Belsen, facing hunger, sickness, and the constant threat of death. Her memoir not only honored the memory of her parents and the countless children who did not survive but also served as an important educational tool. She also spoke about the importance of peace, compassion, and tolerance, reminding the world of the dangers of hatred and indifference. Through her voice, she helped to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive for future generations.

Later years and death

In her later years, Gabi lived quietly in Israel, surrounded by her family. She returned once to Germany for the unveiling of memorial stumbling blocks, known as Stolpersteine, which were placed in memory of her parents near their former home. This visit was both personal and symbolic, honoring her family while reminding the world of the importance of remembrance. Gabi passed away in 2017 at the age of seventy-seven. Her death marked the end of her personal journey but left behind a legacy of survival, strength, and memory.

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Net worth and financial life

There is no public record of Gabi Goslar’s net worth, as she was not a public celebrity or business figure but a Holocaust survivor who chose to live a quiet and private life in Israel. Most of her adult years were spent raising a family in Petach Tikvah, and she focused more on personal life, remembrance, and sharing her story rather than wealth or material success. Her legacy is remembered through her memoir, her family, and her contribution to Holocaust education, not through financial status.

Conclusion