Ginette Kolinka: The Centenarian Bearing Witness to the Shoah
PARIS, 26 January 2026 – At 100 years old, Ginette Kolinka remains one of France’s most vital and active witnesses to the Holocaust. A survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Bergen-Belsen, and Theresienstadt, she has dedicated the last quarter-century to criss-crossing the country, sharing her harrowing story with schoolchildren and students. Her mission, born from decades of silence, is a relentless fight against forgetting and hatred.
From Paris to Auschwitz: A Life Interrupted
Born Ginette Cherkasky on 4 February 1925 in Paris, she was the youngest of six daughters in a non-religious Jewish family. Her father, Léon, ran a small raincoat workshop. In July 1942, the family fled Paris for the zone libre, settling in Avignon. Their refuge was short-lived. On 13 March 1944, denounced as “active communists,” 19-year-old Ginette was arrested with her father, her 12-year-old brother Gilbert, and her 14-year-old nephew Georges.
After detention in Marseille’s Baumettes prison and the Drancy internment camp, they were deported on convoy No. 71 on 13 April 1944 to Auschwitz-Birkenau—the same convoy as Simone Veil. Upon arrival, her father and brother were immediately sent to the gas chambers. Ginette was selected for forced labour, tattooed with the number 78599. She survived subsequent transfers to Bergen-Belsen and Theresienstadt, where she contracted typhus, before being liberated in May 1945. Repatriated to Paris on 6 June, she weighed just 26 kilograms.
A Meeting at Bobigny: Memory in the Face of Justice
Even at her advanced age, Kolinka’s commitment to testimony is undimmed. On 16 April 2025, she met with young people under judicial supervision at the Bobigny freight station—the very site from which countless deportation convoys, including her own, departed for the Nazi camps. The encounter was part of a memorial project led by the Seine-Saint-Denis Youth Judicial Protection services.
Speaking with humility and a touch of humour, she answered their questions about her arrest, deportation, survival, and the loss of her family. “During the war, I was a robot,” she told them. Educators noted that her simple, direct words made history accessible, awakening consciences and underscoring the paramount importance of memory.
From Silence to a National Voice
For nearly 50 years after the war, Ginette Kolinka remained silent about her experiences, not wanting to “annoy people.” She worked for 40 years as a market trader in Pantin and Aubervilliers with her husband, Albert. After his death in 1993 and her retirement, everything changed. In the early 2000s, she joined an association of former deportees and began to speak. She has since become a national figure, an “ambassador of memory,” accompanying countless school groups to Auschwitz and authoring several books, including the graphic novel *Adieu Birkenau* (2023).
Key Facts: Ginette Kolinka
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Birth | 4 February 1925, Paris, France |
| Arrest & Deportation | 13 March 1944 in Avignon. Deported 13 April 1944 on Convoy No. 71 to Auschwitz-Birkenau. |
| Camps | Auschwitz-Birkenau, Bergen-Belsen, Theresienstadt. |
| Prisoner Number | 78599 |
| Post-War Life | Market trader. Began public testimony in the early 2000s. |
| Family | Married Albert Kolinka (d. 1993). Mother of Richard Kolinka, drummer for the band Téléphone. Grandmother of actor Roman Kolinka. |
| Honours | Officer of the Legion of Honour (2018), Commander of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Ginette Kolinka wait so long to tell her story?
For decades, she felt a profound desire to “draw a line” under the past and feared burdening others with a horror they could not comprehend. She has stated she did not want to “annoy people.” The turning point came after her husband’s death and an invitation to speak to a school group in 2000, which unlocked her memories.
What is her central message to young people today?
Kolinka’s message is unequivocal: “Delete hatred from your hearts.” She emphasises that we are all human beings and must learn to accept one another. She testifies to show “where hatred leads,” hoping her story will serve as a warning for future generations.
How is her testimony preserved?
Beyond her countless live interventions, her story is recorded in several books, including *Retour à Birkenau* (2019) and *Une vie heureuse* (2023). It has also been adapted into a graphic novel and a touring exhibition created by the Mémorial de la Shoah, ensuring her voice reaches audiences through multiple mediums.