BIOGRAPHY

Annette Ahrends was born in Asel, in what is now Wittmund, Germany on 2 October 1909. She was one of 6 siblings born into a farming family, who often experienced financial hardships. Despite facing adversity from an early age, she would later look back on this time fondly, stating that she had a good childhood, and was thankful to have never gone hungry.

When she was a young child, World War I broke out, which she could recall over a century later, stating “the men were standing on the street and the women were crying. I was five years old then. You do not forget that.”

Despite being a good student who enjoyed school, she was forced to drop out after eight years due to her mother’s illness. For the following nine years, she would work as a sales assistant for a food business; during this time, she met her husband, Tebbe, and the couple were married on Christmas Eve 1939. They would have two children together, and were married until Tebbe’s death at the age of 79.

Ahrends lived independently in her own home until she was 103, before moving into a nursing home. Despite her age, she was reported to always be mentally alert, being able to attribute her longevity to drinking milk, as well as never overeating.

Annette Ahrends passed away in Wittmund, Germany, on 22 March 2020, at the age of 110 years, 172 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Georg Fürholzer, and validated by LongeviQuest on 30 March 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY