Post Excerpt: From the horrors of Nazi Germany to setting Guinness World Records, Walter Bingham’s life story is an inspiring tale of survival, bravery, and achievement against all odds.

When people reach their silver years, they often take a step back to relax. But not Walter Bingham. Born as Wolfgang Billig in 1924, Karlsruhe, Weimer Republic Germany, he witnessed the rise of the Nazis and experienced their atrocities first-hand.

As a child of Polish Jews in Germany, life was challenging even before the Nazi era. Polish Jews often faced ostracization, even within their own community. These experiences instilled in Bingham a strong Zionist sentiment, leading him to actively participate in youth movements that evolved into today’s Bnei Akiva.

In 1938, as the British restricted Jewish immigration to the Holy Land, Bingham experienced Kristallnacht, witnessing the destruction of two synagogues. His family lost their Polish citizenship due to antisemitic laws, leaving them stateless.

However, hope arrived in 1939 with the Kindertransport, which brought Bingham to Britain, a month before Hitler invaded Poland. While this saved his life, it also meant a painful separation from his family, with his father eventually perishing in the Warsaw Ghetto.

Refusing to be a bystander, Bingham joined the British Army as an ambulance driver during World War II, participating in the Normandy landings. His bravery earned him a Medal of Bravery from King George VI and the Legion d’Honneur in 2018.

Post-war, Bingham’s fluency in German led him to work as a Nazi hunter and interrogator, crucial in efforts to denazify Germany. He interrogated prominent figures like Joachim von Ribbentrop, contributing significantly to the Nuremberg Trials.

Bingham’s post-war life in Britain was diverse: from factory owner to journalist, from Santa Claus to model, even becoming a licensed pilot. His travels took him to places like Beirut and Cairo, leaving him with a collection of hotel labels from around the world.

In 2004, he made Aliyah, moving closer to his daughter in Israel. Despite initial challenges due to his age, he broke records as the oldest active journalist and radio host, holding two Guinness World Records.

Walter Bingham’s life is a story of survival and triumph. A Holocaust survivor, war hero, Nazi hunter, pilot, writer, and skydiver, he stands as a beacon of resilience and hope.

Learn more about Walter Bingham’s incredible journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1t93T_L–A/?img_index=1