Eastbourne Council confers highest honour on Holocaust survivor

Friday, 23 May 2025 15:39

Eastbourne Borough Council has honoured Holocaust survivor Dorit Oliver-Wolff BEM by bestowing her with its highest award, Freedom of the Borough.

At a special ceremony in the Town Hall last night (Wednesday), Mrs Oliver-Wolff BEM was admitted as an Honorary Freewoman of the Borough of Eastbourne ‘in recognition and appreciation of her extraordinary life, her outstanding contribution to Eastbourne and its community, her work as a freedom fighter and campaigner for human rights, her dedication to Holocaust education and her passion to ensure that the Holocaust is never forgotten’.

Mrs Oliver-Wolff BEM was born in Yugoslavia in 1936 and her early life took a dramatic turn when her home country was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1941 during the Second World War.

She and her Jewish family were forced to flee and Dorit endured years of hiding, harrowing encounters and near starvation. Her experiences during the Holocaust, including the loss of her father, profoundly shaped her. After the war, she remarkably rebuilt her life, becoming a successful singer and top ten recording artist in Germany.

In recent years, Mrs Oliver-Wolff BEM– who lives in Eastbourne - has dedicated herself to sharing her story and educating others about the Holocaust.

Last night’s motion to confer the honour was moved by Councillor Robert Smart and seconded by Councillor Stephen Holt.

Freedom of the Borough is a symbolic and ceremonial honour that dates back to the Middle Ages and recognises eminent services or achievements.

Mrs Oliver-Wolff BEM was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to Holocaust education and awareness in 2019.