Brooklyn woman who escaped Nazi Germany celebrates 100th birthday

A Brooklyn woman who fled Nazi Germany as a teenager has turned 100 years old.

News 12 Staff

Mar 19, 2019, 11:50 AM

Updated 2,296 days ago

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Brooklyn woman who escaped Nazi Germany celebrates 100th birthday
A Brooklyn woman who fled Nazi Germany as a teenager has turned 100 years old.
Ruth Tiranoff says keeping busy, playing the harmonica and weaving scarves has kept her young all these years.
The centenarian enjoyed her 100th birthday party with loved ones excited about the big day like her son and longtime family friends.

“I think there's something magical about turning 100. It makes you think that anything is possible,” says family friend Nick Newlin.

Tiranoff tells News 12 she still weaves on her loom almost every day of the week.

“It's good to keep your mind active. Weaving is also a good exercise,” she says.

The skill is one she learned while she was a 19-year-old half Jewish girl who fled the Nazis in Hamburg, Germany. Tiranoff made her way to the United States in 1938.

“It was scary then, so I said now I have to go,” says Tiranoff.

Tiranoff soon took up weaving before switching to manufacturing to help the war effort.

“I didn't enjoy it, but I did it because we had to do something,” says Tiranoff.Throughout the way, she continues to weave and after the war ended, she eventually began selling textiles.

She even learned how to play the harmonica.

When asked what it was like to be 100 years old, Tiranoff says, “It's not too different. I'm excited, but it's kind of scary sometimes.”

Despite some fear, there are no signs Tiranoff will be slowing down anytime soon.

“It's good, I'm happy,” she says.