“Saddest of News”: Champion Olympian Who Survived Holocaust Passes Away at 93, Leaving Sports World Devastated

The genocide of millions under the Nazi regime was one of the worst tragedies in the history of humanity. All the survivors of the holocaust portrayed resilience and bravery unmatched, and one of them, was Sir Ben Helfgott. Ben Helfgott was a British holocaust survivor and a champion weightlifter who represented his country at the Olympics.

However, on Friday, this beloved personality passed away at the age of 93. The cause of this Olympian’s death is yet unknown, nonetheless, his memories are being celebrated by people all around the world. His demise has left a gap in the hearts of all his fans, who have expressed their grief at the saddening event.

Sir Ben Helfgott and his stunning legacy

There are only two holocaust survivors who are known to have gone to compete in the Olympics. One of these two was Sir Ben Helfgott, a weightlifter. The other one was Alfred Nakache, the legendary French swimmer and polo player who competed in the 1948 Olympic Games. Ben Helfgott, born on November 22, 1929, grew up in the town of Piotrków Trybunalski in Poland. When the German invasion began, Helfgott was merely 9 years old. In October 1939, he, along with his family, was sent to a Nazi-created ghetto in Poland.

In 1942, he registered himself to be a glass factory worker, after being falsely made to believe that those furthering the German cause would not be persecuted in concentration camps. When the transportation to the Treblinka extermination camp began, 22,000 out of 24,500 Jews in Piotrków were killed. With the help of his in-charge, Helfgott escaped this by lying that he was Polish and not Jew. Helfgott was 15 years old and an orphan when the Nazi regime was demolished. Thereafter, he went to his sister, who was in England. In 1948, he attained a new purpose in life, when the 5 foot 5 inches tall Ben Helfgott passed by a group of teenagers lifting weights and tried it himself. Soon, weightlifting became a passion.

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Helfgott managed to be Britain’s lightweight champion in 1955, 1956, and 1958. Sir Ben Helfgott represented the United Kingdom in the 1956 and the 1960 Olympic Games. In 1995, he was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. In 2018, Ben Helfgott attained knighthood when he was knighted by the then Prince of Wales, Charles. While his achievements are many, his greatest passion was educating people about the horrors of the Holocaust. He served as the chairperson of the ‘45 Aid Society, an organization made by young survivors like him. When the official Facebook page of The Jewish News, posted the news of this icon’s passing, many sent their best wishes to the weightlifting champion.

Testimonials to the legend

While commenting on the post, someone wrote, “Saddest of news”. Another follower said, “He did so much for so many. A national symbol of survival. Time for him to rest in peace. Baruch Dayan Haemet”. While sending condolences to Ben’s family, someone commented, “A wonderful man. Wishing his family a long life with no more sorrow & with amazing memories.” Another fan of his wrote, “Devastating. A true hero, an absolute mensch, and one of the most remarkable men of the past century. Will be so terribly missed.”

Someone aptly described Ben, and said, “Ben was both an inspiring and lovely man in equal measure.” Not only his fans, but the Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak also paid tribute to the legendary Ben Helfgott, and said, “Ben survived the worst of humanity. His legacy is the ultimate triumph over that darkness.” An organization that he was associated with, The Holocaust Educational Trust, while paying tribute to him, called him “a giant amongst men”. There is no doubt that the impression that Helfgott left on everyone is something that will be cherished till the end of time.

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