List of German supercentenarians#Gustav Gerneth
{{Short description|People from Germany who have attained or surpassed the age of 110 years}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
File:Edelgard Huber von Gersdorff 2.2.2018 EUROPE DIRECT.png.]]
{{As of|January 2015}}, the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) had validated the longevity claims of 59 German citizens who have become "supercentenarians", attaining or surpassing 110 years of age. 49 of these were German residents and 10 were emigrants. The oldest known German alive is Ilse Meingast, born on 14 March 1912, aged {{ayd | 14 March 1912}}. Augusta Holtz, an emigrant to the United States, remains the oldest German citizen whose age has been verified: she lived 115 years, 79 days, from 1871 to 1986.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1893&dat=19861022&id=acUfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hNgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3991,6562203|title='Oldest woman' dies|newspaper=The Southeast Missourian|agency=Associated Press|date=22 October 1986|access-date=13 November 2018}}
== 100 oldest Germans ==
{{legend2|#F9F9F9|Deceased|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#99FF99|Living|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
Biographies
= Maria Laqua =
Maria Laqua (12 February 1889 – 9 February 2002) was born in Rheydt-Odenkirchen, Rhineland, today in North Rhine-Westphalia, as one of 13 children. She worked as a housemaid, got married, and gave birth to two sons in the 1920s, who both died in the Second World War. Her husband Charles died in 1958. She lived for 35 years in a retirement home in Bad Hönningen, Rhineland-Palatinate and died in her sleep. She was only survived by a great-niece who attended her regularly. Laqua was in need of care, bedridden and inaccessible during her last years, although she occasionally had a flash and spoke.{{cite news|url=https://www.welt.de/print-welt/article373633/Aelteste-Frau-Deutschlands-gestorben.html|title=Älteste Frau Deutschlands gestorben|date=12 February 2002}} She was the oldest person ever in Germany when she died aged 112 years, 362 days. Her record age was officially surpassed by Josefine Ollmann on 9 November 2021, who was validated by the GRG on 15 February 2023.
= Hermann Dörnemann =
Hermann Dörnemann (27 May 1893 – 2 March 2005) was, at the time of his death, the oldest living person in Germany and the oldest living man in Europe for about one year. After the death of 113-year-old American Fred Harold Hale in November 2004, Dörnemann was believed to have become the world's oldest living man,{{cite news|url=https://www.welt.de/print-wams/article118453/Man-darf-im-Leben-alles-nur-nicht-gruebeln.html|title=Man darf im Leben alles, nur nicht grübeln|first=Heike|last=Vowinkel|date=20 November 2004|access-date=5 December 2018|via=www.welt.de|newspaper=Die Welt}} but Emiliano Mercado del Toro from Puerto Rico was later confirmed to be almost two years older. Dörnemann credited his longevity to "drinking a beer a day".{{cite web|url=https://www.stern.de/panorama/gesellschaft/hermann-doernemann-ein-leben-in-drei-jahrhunderten-3555102.html|title=Ein Leben in drei Jahrhunderten|date=4 March 2005|website=stern.de|access-date=5 December 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/turning-111-on-a-beer-a-day/a-1219106|title=Turning 111 on a Beer a Day - DW - 10.08.2004|website=DW.COM|access-date=5 December 2018}} He died of pneumonia in Düsseldorf, aged 111 years, 279 days.
= Elisabeth Schneider =
Elisabeth Schneider (19 August 1901 – 9 February 2013) was the oldest living person in Germany from November 2011 to her death in February 2013, aged 111 years and 174 days. She was born in Bad Oeynhausen, today in North Rhine-Westphalia, and had two sisters. She married in 1923 and gave birth to a daughter two years later. Schneider lived on her own until the age of 97. At her 111th birthday she was asked for the secret of her longevity and replied laughing that others just would have given up gasping for breath. She died in a retirement home in Varel, Lower Saxony. She was survived by her daughter, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.{{cite news|url=http://www.nwzonline.de/kultur/weser-ems/varelerin-hat-mit-110-jahren-stets-ein-gedicht-parat_a_1,0,592510076.html|title=Varelerin hat mit 110 Jahren stets ein Gedicht parat|date=19 August 2012}}{{cite news |url=http://www.nwzonline.de/friesland/wirtschaft/aelteste-einwohnerin-mit-111-jahren-gestorben-aelteste-einwohnerin-mit-111-jahren-gestorben_a_3,0,2753168914.html|title= Älteste Einwohnerin mit 111 Jahren gestorben|date=11 March 2013}}
= Gertrud Henze =
Gertrud Henze (8 December 1901 – 22 April 2014) was the oldest living person in Germany from February 2013 until her death in April 2014. She was born in Rügen, worked as a librarian, and never married nor had children. Since 1993, she lived in a retirement home in Göttingen, where she was appreciated for her open and life-affirming attitude. She was still in good health, and listed reasons for her longevity including: reading a lot, having lively contact with other people, sometimes enjoying a cigarette and a glass of wine, and never getting married. She celebrated her 112th birthday only with some friends and relatives, because the public interest in her prior birthday had been too exhausting. She enjoyed reading, with the help of a magnifying glass. She was still able to walk with a rollator to meet acquaintances and friends for a chat. Henze died at the age of 112 years and 135 days. She donated her body to medical science for genetic research.{{cite news |url=http://www.abendblatt.de/region/niedersachsen/article111880071/Gertrud-Henze-feiert-111-Geburtstag.html|title=Gertrud Henze feiert 111. Geburtstag|date=7 December 2012}}{{cite news |url=http://www.hna.de/lokales/goettingen/morgen-wird-112-goettingerin-gertrud-henze-aelteste-deutsche-3260687.html|title=Sonntag wird sie 112: Göttingerin Gertrud Henze ist die älteste Deutsche|date=7 December 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/inhalt.mit-112-jahren-gestorben-gertrud-henze-war-wohl-aelteste-deutsche.a687412d-33ab-44e7-bb36-db9728389a7f.html|title= Gertrud Henze war wohl älteste Deutsche|date=22 April 2014}}
= Frieda Szwillus =
Frieda Szwillus (née Hennig; 30 March 1902 – 21 September 2014{{cite news|url=http://www.freiepresse.de/NACHRICHTEN/TOP-THEMA/Aelteste-Frau-Deutschlands-tot-Erzgebirgerin-wurde-112-Jahre-alt-artikel8986238.php|title=Älteste Frau Deutschlands tot: Erzgebirgerin wurde 112 Jahre alt|date=24 September 2014}}) was Germany's oldest living person from April 2014 until her death five months later, aged 112 years, 175 days. She was born Frieda Hennig in Dessau (now in Saxony-Anhalt), and had six siblings. Her family moved to Erla when she was 6. She was married twice, raised one biological child and three stepchildren, and outlived all of them. Until her later years, Szwillus lived at home in Raschau with her family, and she needed no medicine. She was in good physical condition, but suffered from dementia. She had only been physically active during her youth. Her family attributed her longevity to a lively family life. She often visited her siblings, but never went on holiday. She also enjoyed knitting and embroidering. She died at the age of 112 years and 175 days.{{cite news |url=http://www.freiepresse.de/NACHRICHTEN/TOP-THEMA/Oma-Frieda-braucht-ihren-Trubel-artikel7625450.php|title=Oma Frieda braucht ihren Trubel|date=30 March 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://www.freiepresse.de/NACHRICHTEN/SACHSEN/Sachsens-aeltester-Mensch-wird-heute-110-Jahre-alt-artikel7947668.php|title=Sachsens ältester Mensch wird heute 110 Jahre alt|date=30 March 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.freiepresse.de/NACHRICHTEN/SACHSEN/Sachsens-aelteste-Buergerin-wird-morgen-112-Jahre-alt-artikel8761240.php|title=Sachsens älteste Bürgerin wird morgen 112 Jahre alt|date=29 March 2014}}
= Gustav Gerneth =
Gustav Gerneth (15 October 1905 – 21 October 2019) was born in Stettin, German Empire (now Szczecin, Poland).{{cite web|url=http://www.wn.de/Welt/Vermischtes/3021588-Gustav-Gerneth-Deutschlands-wohl-aeltester-Mann-feiert-112.-Geburtstag|title=Deutschlands wohl ältester Mann feiert 112. Geburtstag|work=wn.de}} 15 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017 He worked in a shipping company and at a gas plant. During the Second World War, he was a mechanic in the German air force (Luftwaffe).{{cite web |title=5 Of The World's Oldest WWII Vets Share Their Secrets To Long Life |url=https://worldwarwings.com/5-of-the-worlds-oldest-wwii-vets-share-their-secrets-to-long-life/ |website=worldwarwings |access-date=7 August 2022}} He married Charlotte Grubert in 1930 and the couple had three sons; she died in 1988. Gerneth lived in Havelberg in Saxony-Anhalt for over forty years, and continued to do so on his own, with family members caring for his household.{{cite news |url=https://www.volksstimme.de/nachrichten/sachsen_anhalt/1358073_Herr-Gerneth-steht-mit-109-noch-am-Herd.html |title=Herr Gerneth steht mit 109 noch am Herd |first=Andrea |last=Schröder |newspaper=Volksstimme |date=16 October 2014 |access-date=16 June 2020}} According to a statement by his granddaughter on his 113th birthday, he still had a lucid mind, watching football, solving crosswords, and doing mental arithmetic.{{cite web |url=https://www.volksstimme.de/lokal/havelberg/jubilaeum-aeltester-deutscher-feiert-113-geburtstag |title= Ältester Deutscher feiert 113. Geburtstag |first=Andrea |last=Schröder |newspaper=Volksstimme |date=15 October 2018 |access-date=16 June 2020}} Asked for the reason for his long life, he said: "I have always been living and eating well. No diet. Always butter, never margarine. I have not touched any cigarette all my life and I drank alcohol only at celebrations."{{cite news |first=Andrea |last=Schröder |url=https://www.volksstimme.de/lokal/havelberg/111-geburtstag-aeltester-deutscher-ist-ein-havelberger |title=Ältester Deutscher ist ein Havelberger |newspaper=Volksstimme |date=15 October 2016 |access-date=16 June 2020}} Gerneth died on 21 October 2019 of natural causes, aged 114 years and 6 days, believed to have been the world's oldest man,{{cite news |url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/panorama/Mit-114-Gustav-Gerneth-stirbt-eine-Woche-nach-seinem-Geburtstag-id55790136.html |title=Ältester Mann der Welt – Mit 114: Gustav Gerneth stirbt eine Woche nach seinem Geburtstag |language=de |trans-title=Oldest man in the world – At 114, Gustav Gerneth dies one week after his birthday |newspaper=Augsburger Allgemeine |first=Daniel |last=Flemm |date=23 October 2019 |access-date=16 June 2020}} although Guinness World Records has not verified his case.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/21/worlds-oldest-man-dies-japan-aged-113/|title=World's oldest man dies in Japan, aged 113|newspaper=Telegraph|date=21 January 2019|last1=Demetriou|first1=Danielle}}{{cite web|url=https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/panorama/113-jahre-aeltester-mann-der-welt-tot---nachfolger-kommt-wohl-aus-sachsen-anhalt-31906304|title=Gustav Gerneth aus Sachsen-Anhalt ist ältester Mann der Welt|language=de|trans-title=Gustav Gerneth from Saxony-Anhalt is the oldest man in the world |website=Berliner Zeitung|date=20 January 2019}}
= Josefine Ollmann =
In November 2021, Josefine Ollmann (11 November 1908 – 16 July 2022) surpassed Maria Laqua's final age to become the oldest person ever in Germany and the first German to officially reach the age of 113. Ollmann, whose age was validated by the GRG on 13 February 2023, passed away on 16 July 2022 at the final age of 113 years and 247 days. Although Gustav Gerneth's claimed final age is older than Ollmann, his age is officially still unvalidated.
Notes
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References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite web |url=https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/supercentenarians-deaths-in-2023/ |title=Supercentenarian deaths in 2023 |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |access-date=14 February 2024}}
{{cite web |url=http://grg.org/Adams/B.HTM |title=Table B – Verified Supercentenarians (Ranked By Age) |first1=Louis |last1=Epstein |first2=Robert |last2=Young |first3=Miguel |last3=Quesada |first4=Mark |last4=Muir |first5=Chris |last5=Law |first6=Marco |last6=Wikkerink |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |date=1 January 2015 |access-date=2 May 2021}}
{{cite web |url=https://grg.org/WSRL/TableE.aspx |title=GRG World Supercentenarian Rankings List – Validated Deceased Supercentenarians |first1=Robert |last1=Young |first2=Johnny |last2=Adams |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |date=11 December 2023 |access-date=13 January 2024}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/supercentenarians-deaths-in-2024/ |title=Validated supercentenarians who died in 2024 |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |access-date=9 September 2024}}
{{cite web |url=http://grg.org/Adams/G.HTM |title=GRG Database by Nation |first1=Marco |last1=Wikkerink |first2=Waclaw Jan |last2=Kroczek |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |date=1 January 2015 |access-date=8 November 2018}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/recent-historical-validations-by-the-gerontology-research-group/ |title=Recent historical validations by the Gerontology Research Group |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |date=29 April 2023 |access-date=2 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502020450/https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/recent-historical-validations-by-the-gerontology-research-group/ |archive-date=2 May 2023 |url-status=dead}}
{{cite news |url=https://www.welt.de/regionales/sachsen-anhalt/article182125006/Deutschlands-wohl-aeltester-Mann-113-Jahre-alt-geworden.html |title=Deutschlands wohl ältester Mann 113 Jahre alt geworden |language=de |trans-title=Germany's oldest man turned 113 |newspaper=Die Welt |date=15 October 2018 |access-date=15 October 2018}}
{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-oldest-man-dies-aged-114/a-50941472 |title=Germany's oldest man dies aged 114 |work=Deutsche Welle |first=Kate |last=Martyr |date=25 October 2019 |access-date=7 January 2020}}
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{{Lists of the oldest people by specific groups|state=expanded}}
{{Longevity}}