On 2 October 2020, Gerta Vrbová, the first wife of Rudolf Vrba, passed away in Great Britain at the age of 94.

She was an exceptional, brave woman who, after having escaped the Nazi persecution during World War II, was later persecuted by the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia. After her escape to Great Britain where she was active as an eminent professor of neurology at the University College London, she selflessly helped many young scientists coming from Eastern Europe.

In 2016 she met with the participants of the Vrba-Wetzler Memorial Walk and walked with them the final track from Polish town of Zwardoń to Skalité in Slovakia. Then she addressed the participants at the final evening in the former Neolog Synagogue in Žilina, Slovakia. She expressed her joy that the existence of the Vrba-Wetzler Memorial was a dream come true of her late daughter, Zuza.

She remained sharp-witted with a gentle heart until the very last days of her life on this Earth.

Baruch Dayan Ha-Emet