Berlin, Germany - The German president has given one of the nation's highest civilian honors to the outgoing head of Germany's Central Council of Jews, praising her role in fighting extremism and anti-Semitism.
In awarding Charlotte Knobloch the Large Federal Cross of Merit with a star on Tuesday, President Christian Wulff thanked her for work toward reconciliation in post-World War II Germany.
The 78-year-old Knobloch witnessed the Nazi destruction of the Munich synagogue in 1938 and survived Nazi Germany by hiding with a German family. When her term as head of the Jewish council ends on Nov. 28, she is expected to be the last survivor to lead it.
An estimated 200,000 Jews live in Germany today.