Gabi Goslar, born Rachel Gabriele Ida Goslar on October 25, 1940, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, stands as a symbol of survival and quiet strength. Now 84 years old, her life story stretches from wartime Europe to her peaceful life in Israel, showing the world how loss, friendship, and resilience can shape a life devoted to remembrance and hope.
Gabi grew up in a Jewish family that once lived a comfortable life in Berlin. Her father, Hans Yitzkhak Goslar, held an influential post as the deputy minister for domestic affairs before the rise of the Nazi regime forced the family to flee Germany for the Netherlands. Her mother, Ruth Judith Klee, brought warmth and stability into their home, but tragedy struck early when Ruth died in 1942 during childbirth. Just a year later, Gabi’s grandfather passed away, layering grief upon an already fragile young family.
The Darkest Years
In 1943, as Nazi oppression of Jews intensified, Hans Goslar obtained Paraguayan passports to protect his daughters. These documents helped postpone deportation but could not prevent it altogether. The family was taken to Westerbork transit camp before being transferred on February 15, 1944, to Bergen-Belsen, one of the most notorious concentration camps of the Holocaust.
Life in Bergen-Belsen was harsh, even in the so-called “Palestinian camp” section for prisoners on the exchange list. Food was scarce, diseases spread quickly, and hope was often all people had left. Gabi, only a small child, suffered from severe ear infections and was hospitalized frequently within the camp’s grim conditions.
Her sister Hannah, older and deeply protective, fell ill during this time. In this dark setting, Gabi found a caring figure in Mrs. Abrahams, a mother of seven, who helped care for her when her sister could not. It was small acts of kindness like this that gave Gabi moments of relief amid so much loss.
On February 25, 1945, just weeks before the camp’s liberation, Gabi’s father died, leaving the two sisters alone. When British forces liberated Bergen-Belsen in April 1945, Gabi and Hannah were the only surviving members of their immediate family.
A Lifelong Bond with Anne Frank
One of the most remarkable parts of Gabi Goslar’s story is her deep friendship with Anne Frank. The two met as children in Amsterdam and were close until the Nazi occupation forced their families into hiding or camps. In Bergen-Belsen, Gabi famously risked punishment to pass food through the camp fence to Anne, who was imprisoned on the other side.
That bond, cut short by Anne’s death, remained central to Gabi’s memory and later work. It serves as a reminder of how powerful friendship can be, even in the bleakest moments.
Starting Over and Finding Home in Israel
After the war, Gabi and Hannah were sent to a children’s home in Laren before reuniting with an uncle in Geneva, Switzerland. Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, stepped in as a fatherly figure for Gabi and her sister during those difficult years of rebuilding.
At age nine, Gabi began a new chapter in Israel, moving there in 1949. In Petach Tikvah, she created a life far from the horrors of her childhood. She married and took the last name Mozes. Her focus shifted to family and community, and she raised her own children with the same strength and hope that helped her survive the war.
Today, Gabi keeps her personal life away from the public eye, but she remains known for her advocacy and storytelling. Details about her net worth are not public, but her wealth lies in the legacy she has built through her voice, her written work, and the generations she has inspired.
A Voice for Memory and Peace
In 2010, Gabi published her memoir, I Have to Tell Someone, to ensure the horrors she witnessed would not fade into silence. The book offered firsthand memories of not only survival but also the moments of kindness that flickered through the darkness of the Holocaust.
Through talks, writings, and community work, she has continued to remind the world of what happens when hatred and prejudice go unchecked. She has spoken at memorials and events, including the moving moment when she returned to Germany for the unveiling of her parents’ stumbling stones — small plaques that honor Holocaust victims near their last chosen residences.
Carrying Forward a Legacy
Even as age has slowed her pace, Gabi’s life continues to light the way for those fighting against discrimination and forgetfulness. She stands among the dwindling number of Holocaust survivors who can still share their stories in their own words.
Her bond with Anne Frank remains one of the most powerful symbols of her life’s message. While Anne’s diary told the world about hope in hiding, Gabi’s story shows what hope looks like when the hiding ends and survival begins. Together, their stories are an inseparable part of Holocaust memory.
Why Her Story Matters Today
Gabi Goslar’s journey is not just a history lesson. It is a call to remember the past while working for a better future. She has dedicated her voice to teaching young generations about compassion, courage, and the danger of hate.
From Amsterdam to Bergen-Belsen, from Geneva to Israel, her life is proof that resilience is possible even when everything seems lost. She shows that it is not enough to survive — one must also speak, teach, and stand guard against the silence that forgetfulness brings.
At 84, Gabi remains a quiet hero whose words carry the stories of so many who never had the chance to tell their own. Her strength reminds us that friendship, memory, and hope can endure far beyond the darkest days of human history.