By Dan McCarthy
Mail

Oskar Knoblauch recently celebrated his 100^th birthday in Phoenix, the city he has called home since 1970.

“I enjoy living in the Valley with my family and wonderful friends. I also love the weather. It agrees with my health. After all, I am 100 years old and a Holocaust survivor,” he said.

Born in Leipzig, Germany, he was 8 years old when the Nazis took away his family’s citizenship because they were Jewish.

The family moved to Poland, but eventually the Nazis were there, too, and by mid-1941 they began deporting Jews to labor camps. Knoblauch’s mother was sent to one while the rest of the family was taken to a Gestapo headquarters to work.

Knoblauch shoveled coal to provide heat and hot water for the officers stationed there. His father was killed during their time at the headquarters.

As Russian troops approached by 1945, the Nazi rule neared an end, and Oskar and his siblings escaped and were liberated the next day by advancing Soviet troops.

The Knoblauchs arrived in Halifax, Canada on June 11, 1949. Oskar and his wife, Lila, 24, moved to the USA in 1953. The couple had three children.

“As a Holocaust survivor who has lived in this great nation for 72 years, I learned the meaning of America in 1956, when I was sworn in as a citizen at the Jacksonville (Florida) Courthouse,” he said.

“The Preamble to the United States Constitution reminds us why this country was founded.”

We the People…

Knoblauch has carried that message and others to schools and other speaking engagements throughout the Valley.

“Oskar’s life is a call to action,” said Talli Dippold, executive director of the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, which organized Knoblauch's birthday party late last year.

“His courage, his integrity and his unwavering belief in the dignity of every person demand that we do more than remember - they demand that we lead. At 100 years old, Oskar continues to teach us what it means to stand up, speak out and shape a more just future.”

And the biggest issue facing the U.S. in 2026, according to Knoblauch:

“The United States and the rest of the world face one common problem - climate change. It is being dismissed as a hoax by major countries, including our own leadership and many MAGA followers. This is a serious mistake.

“Ignoring changing weather patterns will lead to irreversible and catastrophic consequences for future generations.”

Education is key in climate change and other issues, Knoblauch said.

“Education, research, respect, inclusion and working together are essential components of a healthy and progressive community.”

That is why a special day in Chandler meant so much to him.

“While speaking to students throughout Arizona and Phoenix schools, I always encouraged them to study and graduate from high school,” Knoblauch said.

“For me - and for thousands of others - graduation was denied because of political circumstances and the outbreak of World War II.”

His granddaughter, Jyll, created a résumé documenting his work in Holocaust education and enlisted the help of Amy Drake, a teacher at Chandler Santan Junior High School, he said.

The school arranged for him to receive an honorary high school diploma.

“I was thrilled. I cried. I had waited 84 years for that day.”

And looking forward, Knoblauch has a message.

“We must protect our freedom of speech and freedom of movement. We, the people, must stand united and demand that our democracy endure.

“In 2026, more than 345 million Americans will celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America. This milestone invites reflection: what can We the People give to our country?”

Editor’s note: Knoblauch is the author of “A Boy’s Story, A Man’s Memory: Surviving the Holocaust, 1933–1945”

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Dan McCarthy
Web content

dmccarthy@iniusa.org

Meet Dan
Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.

Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. 

Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey. 

Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.