BIOGRAPHY

Maria Knebel was born in Kronau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on 5 March 1915, the fourth of six children. Her mother, Lina, was a midwife, while her father, Simon, worked as an electrician at Badenwerk. Since her mother was the only one in the family with a telephone for a long time, many residents of Kronau would visit their home to make important calls. As a result, Maria learned to use the telephone at a young age. The phone was mounted on the wall, and connections could only be made through the exchange.

At some point, she married and had a son but was later widowed. During World War II, she and her husband built a house on Schillerstraße in Kronau. In 1981, at her 65th class reunion, she reconnected with a former school friend, Walter Thome, who was also widowed. She moved to Zeutern with him, and they shared 13 happy years together until his passing in 1994. She managed her household independently until nearly her 101st birthday. However, after a fall while pulling weeds, she realized she would be better off in a retirement home.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Maria Knebel aus Kronau feierte ihren 109. Geburtstag” – NUSSBAUM.de, 14 March 2024

* “Jammern hilft nicht: Maria Knebel aus Bad Schönborn wird 110 Jahre alt” – Badische Neueste Nachrichten, 5 March 2025

GALLERY