MANFRED GANS Obituary

GANS--Manfred, born April 27, 1922 in Borken Germany died peacefully at his home in New Jersey on September 11, 2010. He was our hero and the hero of many others. In response to the Nazi regime, his parents sent him to England at the age of 16. At 18 he was chosen to join the elite group of British Commandos, known as, X-troop. He landed with the allied armies on D-day and fought through out the European campaign. He rose to the rank of captain and was among the troops who liberated his home town. After the armistice was signed, he and a driver drove to Czechoslovakia and were the first Allied soldiers to arrive at the Terezenstadt concentration camp where he found his parents alive. He then organized their return to Holland. Through much of the war he corresponded with his childhood sweet heart, the late Anita Lamm, whose family left Germany for New York City in 1938. They were married in New York in 1948. Manfred recorded this in his memoirs, Life Gave Me a Chance, published in 2009. After the war, Manfred studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester and then went on to MIT where he completed a master's of science. He joined the chemical engineering firm, Scientific Design specializing in design and start ups. His career took him all over the world and was part of the first wave of professionals to conduct business in China and East Germany in 1973. In 1976 he started consulting for the UN and went on many assignments that included Cuba, Turkey, Vietnam, and Pakistan. During his professional career, he was awarded patents and authored technical papers. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and was the winner of the 1993 "Chemical Engineering Practice Award." He has been an inspiration and will be sadly missed by his brother, Gershon Kaddar in Israel, his son, Daniel Gans, his daughter Aviva Gans Rosenberg, their spouses Linda and David, his grandsons: Aaron, Jeremy, and Dylan, his sister-in-law Lilo Goldenberg Thurnauer, his close friend, Esther Okin, and an extended family and friends throughout the world. Funeral services will be held: Tuesday, September 14th at 11:00am at Wein and Wein Memorial Chapel, 402 Park Street, Hackensack NJ.

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Published by New York Times on Sep. 13, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
for MANFRED GANS

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7 Entries

Tilman Reitzle

September 19, 2010

Please accept my deepest condolences. I felt honored and fortunate to have met Manfred and Anita Gans so many years ago at Temple in Hoboken. I was deeply touched by their stories, their humanity, and felt honored to have shared a table with them. My deepest condolences go out to Danny and the entire family.

ER Liberatore

September 16, 2010

As a friend to Danny and classmate of Aviva, I am getting to know Manfred, the author, through his experiences shared in, Life gave me a chance. Hopefully, the messages that he has left for us to read will reach his "extended grandchildren" in the community he served so well.

Josh Trachtenberg

September 14, 2010

To Danny, Aviva, Esther and the entire Gans family, Manfred was a true hero to me from the moment I first met him as a young child through coming to understand his triumphant accomplishments during World War II, life, and as a dear and beloved friend to my grandparents and entire family. My memories of Manfred are all fond, warm, and endearing. As was deeply signified by the love and affection your entire family expressed and showed to him whenever I was fortunate enough to be present to witness it, Manfred was a truly special human being who has deeply impacted my life. May you all be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Barry Glasgow

September 13, 2010

My parents lived in Leonia NJ and attended Sons of Israel while Manfred was president, past preseident and president again. He always spoke strongly for Israel, but rationally and with balance. His talks on the war years and how he returned to Germany and East Germany was fascinating. Manfred was very wise about both secular and non-secular disciplines.

Gabrielle Jonas Bloom

September 13, 2010

I'm sorry for your grief, Danny.
Your father was a remarkable man and he lives through you and Dylan.

Steven Karras

September 13, 2010

My deepest condolences to the Gans family (and Esther)during this difficult time. I will miss Manfred and always think of his kindness, generosity and what a remarkable life he led.

Rose Lizarraga

September 13, 2010

I had the pleasure of meeting Manfred Gans a few years ago when my partner Steve and I interviewed him for the documentary film we were working on. I was immediately captivated by him. He was so intelligent, well-spoken, gallant - a real gentleman, and, so kind.

He told us stories of his life in Germany, his plight as a Jewish refugee and of his service in WWII. We were mesmerized by the way he told them. He was so courageous and yet so humble. But what impressed me the most was his incredible humanity. In talking about whether or not he wanted to exact revenge on the Nazis, he said no, and added, "revenge isn't something that sends me very far." I will always remember that, and the story he told about finding his parents at the end of the war alive in Terezen, the camp in what was then Czechoslovakia. He was and will always be someone to admire. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to meet him, talk with him and capture his wonderful story on film.

My deepest condolences to the Gans family for this tremendous loss. I hope in time you will all find comfort in the wonderful memories you have of him.

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