Felix Kolmer
(1922-2022)

Photo credit: Partisan Pictures

Felix Kolmer passed away on August 5 at the age of 100. Born in Prague on May 3, 1922, his father died when he was nine years old. In 1941, Felix was on the first transport from Prague to Terezín. A month later, his mother arrived. She died there in 1942.

Felix got married at the camp in 1944, however, through technicalities, the marriage was annulled twice. Ultimately, they married a third time and much later, had two sons.

In 1944, Felix was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau. There, he was awakened one night and directed to a train headed to the sulfur mines. He had seen hundreds of people transported to the mines, but no one returned. When the searchlight was not on the train car he was in, Felix jumped out and went to the next train. He wound up at Friedland, part of Gross-Rosen.

On May 10, Soviet planes bombed the power station, which cut off the electricity to the fence at Friedland. When they saw the lights go out, Felix and two hundred prisoners took the opportunity to escape.

After the war he became an acoustics professor at the Czech Technical University and designed sound systems for the country’s biggest concert halls including the world-renowned Rudolfinum. Kolmer was also chairman of the Czech Holocaust Survivors Association, and a former deputy president of the Prague Jewish community.

Sadly, Felix’s younger son committed suicide at 17, and his wife died of a heart attack shortly afterwards. He got through these difficult times by concentrating on his work. His testimony of his time in Terezín is featured in the Defiant Requiem film. He is survived by Vera, his companion of 40 years.