Honorary Doctorate Awarded to Margot Friedländer

Holocaust survivor and writer Margot Friedländer was awarded an honorary doctorate from Freie Universität Berlin. It was presented on Wednesday during an award ceremony in the Henry Ford Building of Freie Universität Berlin. The laudation was given by the literary and cultural scholar Aleida Assmann, a professor emeritus at the University of Contance. Historian Paul Nolte, a professor at Freie Universität, led a conversation with Margot Friedländer and the history student Vincent Bruckmann. The Department of History and Cultural Studies at Freie Universität Berlin nominated Dr. Friedländer for this award. In his opening address the president of Freie Universität Berlin Günter M. Ziegler paid triubte to Margot Friedländer's tireless work of giving lectures and readings, especially in schools, and recalled a reading at Freie Universität in 2019. "Without a doubt, coming to terms with the past and memory work are basic requirements for living together in peace and dignity. This includes living together with Jews, but also with other religious groups in our society," said Ziegler.