Gertrud Henze

Gertrud Henze
Gertrud Henze at age 109
Birth:	8 December 1901 Garz, Pomerania, Prussia (now Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany)
Death:	22 April 2014 Gottingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Age:	112 years, 135 days
Country:	GER
Validated

Gertrud Henze (8 December 1901 – 22 April 2014) was a German supercentenarian whose age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). At the time of her death, she was the oldest living person in Germany.

Biography

The former librarian was born in Rugen and never got married or gave birth to a child. She was still in good condition and lived in a retirement home in Göttingen since November 1993 where she was well-liked by many residents for her open and life-affirming attitude. Henze traced her longevity to reading a lot, having lively contact with other people, enjoying sometimes a cigarette and a glass of wine and never marry. On her 108th birthday it was reported she was smoking for 90 years and had quickly recovered after a femoral neck fracture some months before.

She celebrated her 112th birthday only with some friends and relatives because the public interest in consequence of her birthday the year before was too exhausting. She enjoyed reading, even with the help of a magnifying glass. Despite physical limitations, Henze was able to walk with the help of a walking frame to meet acquaintances and friends for having a chat.

She became the oldest known living person in Germany, following the death of 111-year-old Elisabeth Schneider on 9 February 2013.

Gertrud Henze died in Gottingen, Lower Saxony, Germany on 22 April 2014 at the age of 112 years, 135 days. Following her death, then 112-year old Frieda Szwillus became the oldest known living person in Germany.

References

• Älteste Göttingerin feiert heute Geburtstag Göttinger Tageblatt, 7 December 2009
• Zweitälteste Deutsche wird heute 110 Göttinger Tageblatt, 7 December 2011
• Göttingerin ist älteste Deutsche: Gertrud Henze wird 112 Göttinger Tageblatt, 6 December 2013
• Gertrud Henze wurde 112 Jahre alt: Trauer um die älteste Deutsche Hessische Niedersächsische Allgemeine, 22 April 2014

Germany's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E)

Margarethe Sauer • Katharina Braun • Leni Matthaei • Mathilde Schulz • Petronella Wansleban • Agnes Gerrath • Anna Fleinert • Bertha Brandes • Wilhelmine Heister • Gertrude Schmalohr • Maria Corba • Elfried Libbert • Paula Baumgartner • Gertrud Pannwitz • Ottilie Aleith • Karolina Kruger • Franziska Umrath • Pauline Spyra • Wilhelm Lehnen • Marie Stegmann • Wilhelm Schorner • Maria Laqua • Rosalia Hasenkampf • Magdalene Regener • Anna Stephan • Lina Zimmer • Hermann Dornemann • Frieda Muller • Irmgard von Stephani • Elsa Tauser • Frieda Borchert • Emma Joisten • Alwine Werner • Zhenya Broytman • Frieda Schmidt • Berta Zeisler • Charlotte Bauch • Karolina Grober • Elisabeth Schneider • Gertrud Henze • Frieda Szwillus • Johanna Klink • Charlotte Klamroth • Margarete Dannheimer • Else Ronsch • Herta Oeser • Gustav Gerneth • Mathilde Mange • Katharina Hagemeyer • Adele Rodenstein • Josefine Ollmann • Anna Cernohorsky • Charlotte Kretschmann • Martha Henze