Just a week after celebrating his 100th birthday, Phillip Maisel has died

Just one week after celebrating his 100th birthday, Holocaust survivor Phillip Maisel has died.

Melbourne Holocaust survivor Phillip Maisel has died just one week after celebrating his 100th birthday.

Mr Maisel died in Melbourne on Monday just eight days after celebrating his birthday alongside his twin sister and fellow survivor Bella.

The Holocaust survivor recorded more than 1000 video testimonies of survivors for the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, preserving the voices of the Holocaust for future generations.

The Maisel family is yet to release further details about his death.

Mr Maisel endured two miserable years in a Jewish ghetto as a teenager, before surviving multiple Nazi labour and concentration camps.

Phillip Maisel and his twin sister Bella both survived the Holocaust as teenagers.

As a motor mechanic, he used his skills to survive the Nazis, with his trade making him valuable enough to keep alive.

Four years after their liberation, Mr Maisel and his sister settled in Australia with their uncle in January 1949 – a move the survivor said he is forever grateful for.

After building a life in Melbourne and raising his two daughters, the go-getter decided to embark on a new journey.

At the age of 70, Phillip enthusiastically signed up to spend four days a week recording the ­testimonies of Holocaust survivors at the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne – a job he gave his heart and soul to for 30 years.

Over the decades, he recorded 1400 testimonies, giving survivors like himself the opportunity to tell their story and the country the resources to educate Australians on some of the most tragic events of the past.

While Phillip and Bella’s real birthday fell on July 31, the pair officially celebrated their birthday on August 15 – the false date he gave to the Nazis in case he ever escaped.

The 80-year lie, however, was never corrected, leading letters of congratulation from the Queen, the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and the Premier to arrive just last week on the 15th.

Phillip and Bella were Holocaust survivors and both recently turned 100 years old. Picture: Aaron Francis / The Australian

During his interview with NCA Newswire in early August, Mr Maisel said his most important message was to love and be loved.

“Religion should teach people to love, not to hate. And this is the most important message: not to hate anybody,” he said.

“It is very important to be optimistic, to show your happiness to others.”

The team at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum has remembered Mr Maisel as a “remarkable man” and a friend to all.

“Those of us who worked with Phillip feel privileged to have had him as a colleague; to some, he became a friend, and to all, he was a quiet and determined inspiration,” CEO Jayne Josem said.

“Phillip was such a remarkable man that we celebrated his achievements twice – at 99 when he retired and last week when he turned 100.”

Co-President of the museum’s board, Pauline Rockman OAM, who had a close bond with Phillip, said “his spirit lives on in our hearts and minds, and his legacy will endure”.

“I will miss him so much.”

His funeral will be held on Wednesday at 2pm.

Originally published as Just a week after celebrating his 100th birthday, Phillip Maisel has died