Holocaust survivors outlived those who were spared atrocity, study shows

The horrors of the Holocaust were once thought to have inflicted a deadly legacy on the health of survivors.

Torture, prolonged malnutrition and the daily grind of living in unhygienic, cold and damp concentration camps left victims suffering a range of chronic illnesses decades after they were liberated.

But a new study suggests that those who survived the Holocaust actually lived longer than others from the same era who were spared the atrocities.

Researchers looked at the health records of 38,000 victims who were born in Europe between the years 1911 and 1945 and compared them to 35,000 people born in Israel during the same years.

They found that although they were more likely to develop chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, Holocaust survivors were still substantially more likely to live for longer.

While 41 per cent of the control group had died by the study period of 1998 to 2017, just 25 per cent of survivors of the camps were dead.

Researchers say it is possible that the survivors had a ‘unique resilience’ which may have boosted their desire to live, and look after themselves in later life.

Those who made it through the genocide may also represent the strongest, both physically and mentally.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2019/01/04/holocaust-survivors-outlived-spared-atrocity-study-shows/