Barbara Ledermann was born on September 4, 1925, as the first daughter of Ilse and Franz Ledermann in Berlin, Germany. She had a younger sister, Sanne, to whom she was very close.
In 1933, to escape the Nazis, Barbara and her family moved to the Netherlands. There, she quickly became close friends with her neighbor, Margot Frank. Meanwhile, Barbara’s sister Sanne grew very close to Anne Frank.
In 1942, Barbara went to visit her friend’s house, only to find they had disappeared. She didn’t learn what had happened to them until after the war. During this time, Barbara went into hiding. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, and using a fake identity card, she was able to pass as “Aryan.”
Barbara joined the resistance, smuggling false papers to those in need and supporting underground groups. Tragically, in 1943, her mother, father, and sister were murdered in Auschwitz.
Heartbroken, Barbara was forever changed by the loss.
Despite facing constant danger, Barbara survived the war, narrowly escaping the Nazis on several occasions. In 1947, Anne Frank’s diary was published, where Sanne was mentioned.
Barbara later married Martin Rodbell, with whom she had four children, including one named in memory of her late sister. Martin went on to win a Nobel Prize. Though Martin has since passed away, Barbara Rodbell is still alive and will be celebrating her 96th birthday in just a few days.
I wish Barbara and her family continued good health.