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. She was survived by a great-niece who attended her regularly. Laqua was bedridden during her final years and spoke only occasionally. She was the
oldest person ever in Germany when she died in her sleep aged 112 years, 362 days. Her record age was surpassed by Josefine Ollmann in November 2021. 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". 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. She died in a retirement home in
Varel, Lower Saxony. She was survived by her daughter, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
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. From 1993, she lived in a retirement home in
Göttingen. She was 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. Henze died at the age of 112 years and 135 days. She donated her body to medical science for genetic research.
Frieda Szwillus Frieda Szwillus (née Hennig; 30 March 1902 – 21 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 six. 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. She was in good physical condition, but suffered from
dementia. 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.
Josefine Ollmann In November 2021, Josefine Ollmann (11 November 1908 – 16 July 2022) surpassed Maria Laqua's age to become, at the time, 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 in February 2023, died at the age of 113 years and 247 days. == Notes ==