Gustav Gerneth

Gustav Gerneth
Gustav Gerneth at age 109
Birth:	15 October 1905 Stettin, Prussia, German Empire (now Szczecin, Poland)
Death:	21 October 2019 Havelberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Age:	114 years, 6 days
Country:	POLGER
Unvalidated

Gustav Gerneth (15 October 1905?–21 October 2019) was a German supercentenarian whose age is unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group.

He was thought to be Germany's oldest living person since the passing of Herta Oeser on 13 March 2016. If validated, he would be the oldest person ever to be born and die or living in Germany (however, this title is still held by verified Maria Laqua). Mr. Gerneth would also be the oldest living man in Europe (and possibly the world), and possibly be the oldest World War II veteran in the world.

Biography

Gustav Gerneth was born on 15 October 1905 in Szczecin [German: Stettin] in the province of Pomerania, Prussia, which was then part of the German Empire but is now Poland. There, he was trained as machinist and started his career by seafaring in 1924.

In 1930, he married his wife Charlotte Grubert, the daughter of his employer who owned a ship anchored in Havelberg. The couple raised three sons in Stettin, again. Mr. Gerneth serviced in World War II and was captured by Russian corps until 1947. Later the family moved to Havelberg and Gerneth worked in the local gas plant until his retirement in 1972. His wife died in 1988.

At the time of his 110th birthday, Gustav Gerneth was the seventh German man to become a supercentenarian. He was reported to have outlived his sons, being in their 80s, by the age of 109. Until the age of 107, he purchased everything on his own. Later, his family started taking care of him but Gerneth is still able to take care of himself, being interested in today's politics and sports.

On 15 October 2017, Gustav Gerneth celebrated his 112th birthday, being the first German man ever to do so. He was also the first ever German-born person to turn 113 (not counting emigrants) and the first man in the world since 2011 who turned 114. On his 114th birthday, he expressed his wish to celebrate his 115th birthday in 2020. Being asked for his secret of longevity, Gerneth trusts in good meals (always butter, never margerine), no alcohol or cigarettes but also no active sports.

At the age of 114, he was reported living still on his own in Havelberg, inhabiting the same apartment for more than 45 years. His granddaughter took care of him. After the death of Masazo Nonaka on 20 January 2019, Gerneth was a claimant to the title of the world’s oldest man, as well as possibly the last surviving man born in 1905.

Gustav Gerneth died in Havelberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany on 21 October 2019 at the claimed age of 114 years, 6 days.

Gallery

Gerneth with his wife, Charlotte, around 1930.

Around the age of 35.

Gerneth (left) in his 70s.

Gerneth at the age of 109.

Gerneth (middle) on his claimed 114th birthday with his great-granddaughter Tina Endle (sitting, left), his granddaughter Christine Rattay (standing), Bernd Poloski, the Mayor of Havelberg, and his grandson Benjamin Endle (right).

References

• Jahresbrief 2005 Heimatverein Havelberg, 22. December 2005
• Gustav Gerneth feiert seinen "107." Volksstimme. 16 October 2012
• Herr Gerneth steht mit 109 noch am Herd Volksstimme. 16 October 2014
• Ich bin 109 und schmeiße den Haushalt selbst Bild. 28 November 2014
• Ältester Deutscher feiert 110. Geburtstag MDR. 15 October 2015
• Deutschlands ältester Mann Gustav Gerneth feiert 111. Geburtstag Rundschau online. 15 October 2016
• Ältester Deutscher ist ein Havelberger Volksstimme. 15 October 2016
• Opa Gustav wird heute 113 Jahre alt Bild. 15 October 2018
• Mit 114 ist er der wohl älteste Deutsche Stuttgarter Nachrichten. 15 October 2019
• „Ältester Mann der Welt“ gestorben: Er feierte gerade noch Geburtstag - dieser Wunsch bleibt unerfüllt Extratipp.com. 22 October 2019

Germany's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E)

Margarethe Sauer • Katharina Braun • Leni Matthaei • Mathilde Schulz • Petronella Wansleban • Agnes Gerrath • Anna Fleinert • Bertha Brandes • Wilhelmine Heister • Gertrude Schmalohr • Maria Corba • Elfried Libbert • Paula Baumgartner • Gertrud Pannwitz • Ottilie Aleith • Karolina Kruger • Franziska Umrath • Pauline Spyra • Wilhelm Lehnen • Marie Stegmann • Wilhelm Schorner • Maria Laqua • Rosalia Hasenkampf • Magdalene Regener • Anna Stephan • Lina Zimmer • Hermann Dornemann • Frieda Muller • Irmgard von Stephani • Elsa Tauser • Frieda Borchert • Emma Joisten • Alwine Werner • Zhenya Broytman • Frieda Schmidt • Berta Zeisler • Charlotte Bauch • Karolina Grober • Elisabeth Schneider • Gertrud Henze • Frieda Szwillus • Johanna Klink • Charlotte Klamroth • Margarete Dannheimer • Else Ronsch • Herta Oeser • Gustav Gerneth • Mathilde Mange • Katharina Hagemeyer • Adele Rodenstein • Josefine Ollmann • Anna Cernohorsky • Charlotte Kretschmann

Germany's Oldest Living Man Titleholders (V • E)

Karl Glockner • Unknown • Josef Callenberg • Mathias Bollinger • Unknown • Johann Hartlieb • Adolf Lange • Karl Pfeiffer • Johann Wost • Friedrich Wedeking • August Schmidt • Wilhelm Deffner • Karl Bulow • Fritz Witt • Heinrich Oppermann • Ernst Schutt • Wenzel Novotny • Otto Trost • Peter Schmitt • Friedrich von Rauchhaupt • Wilhelm Gazioch • A. Hermann Lange • Ernst Laurenty • Gustav Rupnow • Robert Hubener • Wilhelm Lehnen • Jonathan Richter • Wilhelm Schorner • Lorenz Imminger • Georg Bredtschneider • Hermann Dornemann • Robert Meier • Wilhelm Remmert • Rudolf Christmann • Georg Thalhofer • Franz Kunstler • Georg Rosenkranz • Hermann Mayer-Kaupp • Erich Berger • Richard Hinz • Friedrich Volmer • Martin Dressel • Paul Veit • Bernhard Prott • Erich Walde • Gustav Gerneth • Heinrich Homann • Hans Schornack • Karlheinz Stauber • Karl Haidle •