102-Year-old Ingeborg Syllm-Rapoport Completes Thesis Blocked by Nazis

[joeybee12]

BERLIN — Ingeborg Syllm-Rapoport wasn't allowed to defend her doctoral thesis in 1938 under the Nazis because she was part-Jewish. Nearly eight decades later, she became Germany's oldest recipient of a doctorate at age 102 on Tuesday.

The neonatologist, a specialist in caring for newborns, cleared the final hurdle last month by passing an oral exam. She received her doctorate in a ceremony at the University of Hamburg.

"After almost 80 years, it was possible to restore some extent of justice," Burkhard Goeke, medical director of the university's hospital, said in his speech. "We cannot undo injustices that have been committed, but our insights into the past shape our perspective for the future."

Syllm-Rapoport told German public television station NDR that "for me personally, the degree didn't mean anything," but that she went through the effort of finishing her studies at her advanced age "to support the great goal of coming to terms with history."

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/102-year-old-ingeborg-syllm-rapoport-completes-thesis-blocked-nazis-n372271

[marym625]

1. AWESOME STUFF!

[joeybee12]

2. In that photo she looks very with it for 102...

Hope I hold up that well!

[marym625]

3. She is doing better than I

And us literally twice my age.

[6chars]

4. Congratulations!

I would say that even to someone who took the normal amount of time. But 77 extra years? Wow. What a woman.