Humanity 'experienced tremendous loss' with death of Des Moines' last Holocaust survivor

Rain drizzled beneath a partly clear sky as mourners filed into Iles Dunn's Funeral Home on Tuesday morning.

They were there to honor the life of David Wolnerman, Des Moines' last known Holocaust survivor and one of the few left in Iowa, who died Monday at home with his family by his side. He was 96.

"Not only has my family lost a loved one, a patriarch of the family, but society in general and humanity at large has also experienced tremendous loss," said his grandson Rabbi Daniel Wolnerman, who presided over the service.

David Wolnerman was forced to work in a total of 11 concentration camps, starting in Auschwitz at the age of 13 after Germans invaded his home in the tiny town of Modrzejo, Poland. He survived forced labor, typhus and starvation, his grandson said. Wolnerman also survived "a selection by" Josef Mengele, nicknamed the "Angel of Death," who performed experiments on prisoners at Auschwitz.

He was liberated from Dachau on April 29, 1945, by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's troops, according to his obituary.

"How he was able to survive nearly six years of this was a miracle," the obituary said. "He felt strongly that God pulled him through the hunger, sickness, and inhumanity of the experience."

Wolnerman met his wife, Jennie, in a displaced persons camp in Munich. They eventually made their way to America, reuniting with his sister — his only relative to survive the Holocaust — in Indiana. The family ran Roxanna Supermarket there for decades.

More: This Iowan almost died in Auschwitz. More than 80 years later, he’s telling his story.

In retirement, the couple settled in the Des Moines metro, where their son Allen lived with his family and their son Michael was attending school at Drake University.

At the service, Daniel Wolnerman spoke of fond memories of traditional Shabbat meals with his grandparents in West Des Moines, where they would eat "matzo ball soup, chicken, and all of the traditional Jewish foods that would transport us to another world, a world of peace and harmony, freed from tragedy and trauma.

"One where Jews could be Jews without fear of persecution."

David Wolnerman had been hesitant to share his story with the world until 2016, something he started with the encouragement of his son Michael. He eventually began speaking to schoolchildren, church groups and veterans, much like his wife did before her death.

Part of his story was sharing how the number 18 showed up in his life — a special number that in Hebrew means chai, or life.

Still present but faded on Wolnerman's arm were the numbers the Nazis tattooed on him 1 6 0 3 4 4 — that when added up total 18. And Wolnerman died on the 18th day of the month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish civil year.

"When you think about the plethora of miracles needed to survive a holocaust, you realize that each and every survivor, by definition, is a hero," Daniel Wolnerman said. "My grandfather would pay attention to the miracles and blessings in his life, attributing his survival to the grace of God and viewed his progeny not only with the typical love and affection that a grandfather has, but also with that twinkle in his eyes, knowing every moment he spent with his descendants was an expression of triumph over the evils of humanity."

Michael Wolnerman told the Register part of his father's legacy was to teach how to forgive but never forget.

"He was inspired to speak to people and make sure they remember. If they didn't, it could be forgotten. If it's forgotten, you're liable to repeat it," he said.

At his funeral, the family said people should honor Wolnerman's memory through that philosophy — but also to act on it. Address antisemitism when you see it or hear it, they said. Educate yourself on situations going on globally where the "never again" mantra seems forgotten.

Wolnerman is survived by his sons Allen and Michael, their wives Amy and Missy, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren. His wife, Jennie, died in 2016.

He and his wife both recorded their stories with the Iowa Jewish Historical Society's oral history project, which can be heard on the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines website. While losing Wolnerman is difficult, the organization has long been taking steps toward preserving the stories of survivors for generations to come, the federation's executive director, Jarad Bernstein, said.

"The most impactful way to learn about this terrible time in history is directly from someone who experienced it. The further away from those incidents we get, the fewer people like David are around to share their stories firsthand," Bernstein said. "But we knew these days were coming."

In a statement Monday, Gov. Kim Reynolds offered condolences to Wolnerman's family and acknowledged his importance to the city of Des Moines.

“Despite enduring the horrors of Nazi concentration camps as a young boy, I was always inspired by David’s optimism and his generosity to the Des Moines community. He led a life we can all learn from – focused on faith, family, and community," Reynolds said.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Michael and Missy Wolnerman Holocaust Education Fund, 33158 Ute Ave., Waukee, Iowa, 50263, where the family will continue Wolnerman's "work to educate people on forgiving, but not forgetting."

Des Moines Register reporter Addison Lathers contributed to this story.

Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Follow her on Twitter @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Death of Des Moines' last Holocaust survivor called loss for humanity