Annette Ahrends

Annette Ahrends (born 2 October 1909) is a German supercentenarian who is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

Annette Ahrends was born in Asel, Province of Hanover, Prussia on 2 October 1909. She had five siblings. She and her family lived from agriculture. Even though these times were difficult, she had a great childhood and was thankful that she never had to go hungry.

She remembered the time when the First World War broke out: ''The men were standing on the street and the women were crying. I was five years old then. You do not forget that''.

Ahrends loved to go to school, but spended not more than eight years at school due to her mother being seriously ill. Despite being ill, Annette's mother reached the advanced age of 90 and her father died at age 85. Annette herself survied a serious illness herself when she was 104.

Ahrends worked in a food, fruit and vegetable business in the north of Germany as a sales assistant for nine years. During this time, she met her husband Tebbe, whom she married on Christmas Eve 1939. First they lived in a rented apartment and in 1957, they built their house in Wittmund. Her husband worked in the navy during World War II. He came back unscathed, for which she was very grateful. Annette and Tebbe got two children: Hilda (born in 1941) and Edith (born in 1946). Tebbe died at the age of 79. She has two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild. Unfortunately, a granddaughter died early.

She lived in her own house until she was 103. Since then, she lives in a retirement home. She still likes to take part in games, birthdays and music events. Ahrends is still mentally alert and her secret to a long life was to never overeat and always drinking milk.