In a testament to their enduring bond and a desire for autonomy, Ruth Posner, a resilient Holocaust survivor and esteemed contributor to the arts, and her husband Michael, opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland, communicating their decision in a heartfelt email that underscored their belief in choosing dignity when life became “existing” rather than “living.”
In a deeply personal decision that has resonated across the globe, Ruth Posner, a revered Holocaust survivor, accomplished actress, dancer, and educator, along with her husband Michael Posner, ended their lives together through assisted suicide in Switzerland on September 23, 2025. The couple, aged 96 and 97 respectively, informed their family and friends of their choice in a joint email sent posthumously, stating that a life of “failing senses” had become “not living but existing.”
A Shared Decision: “Not Living But Existing”
The email sent by Ruth and Michael Posner conveyed a profound sense of mutual understanding and unwavering resolve. “When you receive this email we will have shuffled off this mortal coil,” they wrote, apologizing for not mentioning their decision sooner. They emphasized that their choice was “mutual and without any outside pressure,” driven by the decline of their physical faculties after nearly 75 years of marriage.
Their message articulated a clear distinction between living and merely existing. “There came a point when failing senses, of sight and hearing and lack of energy was not living but existing that no care would improve,” the couple explained. Despite the sorrow of losing their son Jeremy at 37 to heroin addiction in 1998, they reflected on a life “interesting and varied,” expressing no regrets about the past, a focus on the present, and tempered expectations for the future. This heartfelt goodbye, signed “Much love Ruth & Mike,” underscored their desire for a dignified departure on their own terms, as reported by People.
A Life Forged in Resilience: Ruth Posner’s Early Years
Ruth Posner, born Ruth Wajsberg in Warsaw, Poland, on April 20, 1929, was an only child whose early life was irrevocably shaped by the horrors of the Holocaust. She and her parents were sent to the Warsaw Ghetto. In 1942, her father arranged for Ruth and her aunt to work at a Jewish-owned leather factory outside the ghetto walls, from where they made a daring escape. Ruth survived the remainder of the war by adopting the identity of a young Polish Catholic girl, Irena Slabowska, a deception aided by her family’s primary use of Polish rather than Yiddish. While she never verified their exact fate, it is widely believed that her parents perished in Treblinka concentration camp.
Her experience as a prisoner of war in Germany, though difficult, was notably different from the concentration camps, where she was tortured but not beaten. After the war concluded, she moved to England as a refugee, a country that would become her lifelong home and the stage for her remarkable career and personal life.
A Multifaceted Career: From Dancer to Holocaust Educator
Upon settling in the United Kingdom, Ruth married Michael S. Posner in 1950. Her professional life blossomed across various artistic disciplines. In the 1950s, she became a dancer and choreographer with the London Contemporary Dance School. Her talents led her to teach physical theatre at prestigious institutions such as the Juilliard School in New York and Brandeis University in Boston during her nine years in the United States. During this period, she also trained as an actor with Uta Hagen and earned an MA in Theatre Arts.
Returning to London, she continued to teach physical theatre at renowned academies including the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and the Central School of Speech and Drama. Later, she concentrated on an acting career, gracing television screens in shows like Casualty and The Bill, and appearing in films such as Leon the Pig Farmer and The Football Factory. She also performed in stage roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, notably in The Dybbuk. Her autobiography, Bits and Pieces of My Life, further shares her experiences.
Beyond her artistic endeavors, Ruth Posner dedicated her later years to Holocaust education, sharing her testimony with countless young people. Her unwavering commitment was recognized with a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2022 New Year Honours for her invaluable services to holocaust education and awareness.
The Choice in Switzerland: Understanding Assisted Suicide
The Posners’ decision to seek assisted suicide in Switzerland highlights the country’s unique legal framework. Assisted suicide has been legal there since 1942, distinguishing itself from euthanasia, which remains illegal. In assisted suicide, patients must self-administer the prescribed drugs to end their lives, under specific conditions, rather than having a doctor do so. This emphasis on patient autonomy was a crucial factor for Ruth and Michael, who traveled from their London home to a clinic operating with Pegasos, an assisted dying nonprofit organization in Basel.
Playwright Sonja Linden, a friend of the couple for three decades who received their email, shared insights into their decision with The Times. She noted that while Ruth was “frail” and Michael experienced vision and hearing loss, both remained “intellectually very well.” Linden explained that the couple had made this mutual decision over a year prior, arranging their trip to Switzerland without informing friends until after their passing. She understood and supported their choice, recognizing that they were simply “exhausted” and felt it was their time to go, even though receiving the email was still a shock.
Tributes and Legacy
The news of Ruth Posner’s passing elicited heartfelt tributes from organizations she dedicated her life to. The Holocaust Educational Trust described her as “an extraordinary woman.” Karen Pollock, the charity’s chief executive, issued a statement praising Posner’s mission to educate young people about the Holocaust, hoping “that the leaders of tomorrow would learn the lessons of the past.”
Pollock further remarked, “Ruth was one of a kind. Full of charisma and warmth, she left an impression on everyone she met. We will miss her.” Her incredible journey from escaping the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust to becoming a beacon of arts and education, and ultimately, making a courageous and deeply personal decision about her end of life, solidifies her legacy as a woman of immense resilience, dignity, and lasting impact.
