Edmond Silverberg, a longtime Sag Harbor resident and successful businessman known for his friendship with Anne Frank and mentioned in her diary, died on June 26. He was 89.
Mr. Silverberg was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 8, 1926. Following Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938, Mr. Silverberg, just 12 years old, escaped to his grandparents’ home in Amsterdam. Mr. Silverberg was to make many other courageous escapes, managing to survive the Nazi occupation, before going into hiding in Brussels, Belgium, where he was reunited with his parents. They were liberated by British troops on September 3, 1944, the same day that Anne Frank was taken on the last transport from Amsterdam to Auschwitz.
Mr. Silverberg emigrated in 1948 to America, and he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. In 1951, he married Marlyse Gutkind. Mr. Silverberg was a founding partner of LAB Products, a laboratory research equipment company based in Maywood, New Jersey, and co-owner of a manufacturing plant in Federalsburg, Maryland.
Mr. Silverberg was an active member of both the Anne Frank Center U.S.A. and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. He lectured often on the subject of the Holocaust, honoring the memory of his boyhood friends who perished at the hands of the Nazi regime. Together with the stories of the life of survivor Eva Schloss and the diary entries of Anne Frank, his life has been recounted for the stage in “And Then They Came For Me.” The play has toured the world, bringing the lessons of the Holocaust to young people everywhere. Mr. Silverberg often volunteered to share his experiences with the young actors in rehearsal and frequently appeared after performances to answer audience questions.
Mr. Silverberg is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marlyse Silverberg; a daughter, Jacqueline Marks and husband Rick; a son, Robert Silverberg; and two granddaughters, Michele Marks and Nina Silverberg.
on Jul 6, 2015