BIOGRAPHY

Else Giesecke was born in Goslar, Lower Saxony, Germany, on 23 February 1908. In 1930, she moved to Wiedelah from Lengde for love. A house was built there, which she moved into in 1937. She later shared it with her son and daughter-in-law. She became a widow at a young age when her husband passed away in 1956 at the age of 56. Over the years, her family grew to include four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

On her 109th birthday in 2017, she received congratulations from the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil, delivered by the Mayor of Goslar, Dr. Oliver Junk. At the time, she had been living at the Curanum senior care center in Vienenburg (a borough of Goslar) for over a year, since December 2015. She continued to actively participate in leisure activities such as singing circles, crafts, chair gymnastics, training sessions, and memory exercises. She also attended church services twice a month and remained engaged with world events. Since her eyesight had deteriorated, she had the daily newspaper read to her.

At 109, she expressed her greatest wish—to reach 110. She even planned to carry her great-grandchild’s school bag when he started school in the summer of 2018.

Else Giesecke passed away in Goslar, Lower Saxony, on 27 March 2018, at the age of 110 years, 32 days.

RECOGNITION

At the time of her passing, she was the oldest (known) living person in Lower Saxony. Upon her passing, she was succeeded by Emilie Zimmermann.

Her age was verified by Georg Fürholzer, and validated by LongeviQuest on 7 March 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Else Giesecke feierte ihren 109. Geburtstag” – Nordharz-Portal, 8 March 2017

* “Else Giesecke feierte ihren 110. Geburtstag” – Nordharz-Portal, 28 February 2018

* “Else Giesecke ist mit 110 Jahren gestorben” – Goslarsche.de, 31 March 2018

GALLERY