Walter Frankenstein, a remarkable figure who survived the Holocaust by hiding in Berlin with his family, has died at the age of 100. His death was confirmed by Klaus Hillenbrand, a close friend and author of a book about Frankenstein, as well as by the foundation managing Berlin's Holocaust memorial. Frankenstein's life was a testament to resilience and the importance of remembering history's darkest chapters.

Born in 1924 in what is now Poland, Frankenstein's early life was marked by the rise of the Nazi regime. By 1936, his Jewish heritage barred him from attending public school in his hometown. With the assistance of an uncle, he moved to Berlin, where he continued his education and trained as a bricklayer. It was at the Jewish Auerbach'sche Orphanage that he met his future wife, Leonie Rosner, beginning a partnership that would see them through the horrors of the Holocaust.

Frankenstein's firsthand account of Kristallnacht in 1938, a night of widespread violence against Jews in Germany and Austria, offered a chilling glimpse into the era's brutality. From the roof of the orphanage, he witnessed the destruction of synagogues and the terror that would escalate in the years to follow. His experiences during these times, including forced labor starting in 1941, underscored the extreme measures he and his family took to survive.

In his later years, Frankenstein dedicated himself to educating younger generations about the Holocaust, ensuring that the memories of those who suffered would not fade. His passing marks the loss of a vital link to a pivotal period in history, but his legacy as a survivor and educator will continue to inspire and inform.

Swedish prosecutors have charged four men aged 20 to 24 with robbery and assault in connection with three separate incidents that occurred in central Stockholm on August 27. The charges include allegations of unprovoked violent attacks with a hate crime motivation, according to court documents released by the Swedish Prosecution Authority.

The defendants are accused of robbing one individual and threatening that person's friend in Stockholm's city center, followed by what prosecutors describe as a severe assault against another person later the same night. Three of the men face additional charges for an assault that took place on the Stockholm metro system during the same evening. All victims in the three separate incidents were reported to have foreign backgrounds, though they had no connection to each other.

Prosecutor Gustav Andersson, who led the preliminary investigation, stated that surveillance footage and photographs show some of the defendants making Nazi salutes in connection with the alleged crimes. During house searches, authorities reportedly discovered materials and symbols indicating connections to right-wing extremism. The indictment specifically references the neo-Nazi and violence-promoting Aktivklubb movement as evidence of the motive behind the alleged offenses.

The Aktivklubb movement represents part of a larger international right-wing extremist network that outwardly focuses on strength training and martial arts. In Sweden, the movement gained traction in 2023 through the Aktivklubb Sverige network, which serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs. According to the Expo Foundation's 2024 annual report, five groups from Skåne to Hälsingland are part of Aktivklubb Sverige, with the number of registered activities increasing significantly last year.