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.

A Swedish court has convicted six individuals for their involvement in the murder of a 41-year-old gang leader in the Berga district of Linköping during the summer of 2024. The Linköping District Court delivered verdicts in the case, which involved eight defendants originally charged with participation in the killing. The court established that the murder was carried out according to a criminal plan orchestrated by members of an organized crime network based in the Berga area.

The victim was fatally shot in a public space near Berga Church in Linköping on August 13, 2024. Multiple gunshots struck the man in his back and head during the daylight incident, which occurred near residential buildings and a playground. Several members of the public witnessed the shooting, adding to the evidence presented during the trial.

Court proceedings revealed that a 14-year-old boy fired the fatal shots that killed the gang leader. The teenager, who has admitted to the killing, was not prosecuted due to being below the age of criminal responsibility under Swedish law. Instead, prosecutors focused on the eight older individuals allegedly involved in planning and facilitating the murder, all of whom had denied the charges against them.

Evidence presented by prosecutors included extensive documentation of movement patterns through surveillance footage, GPS data from electric scooters, and mobile phone analysis. The court determined the victim had been lured to the crime scene under the pretense of a drug transaction, with communication occurring through a special Snapchat account and a dedicated mobile phone later found buried in nearby woods. Six of the eight defendants were found guilty, with two receiving life sentences for murder while others were convicted of aiding the killing.