It is with great sadness that we report the death of Oma Ella, one of the most beloved fans in the Eurovision world. The Grandmother of all of us was aged 105.
Oma Ella had been hospitalised a while ago, shortly after her 105th birthday. Her loved ones were with her when she passed away at the hospital last night.
Oma Ella, whose ‘real’ name was Eleonore Kastner, was born on 7 January 1910. Her husband died in 1988, after which she moved in with her grandchildren. She had been working as a hairdresser for most her life.
After 1988, Oma Ella started travelling more and more (Indonesia, Thailand, China are just examples). When she turned 100, she decided she was going to make the most of her time on this planet – and that’s what she did. She celebrated her birthdays in different countries whenever she could: her 100th birthday in San Marino, 101st in Liechtenstein, 103rd in Austria and her 104th birthday, she celebrated in Israel. It is only a few weeks ago that Oma Ella celebrated her 105th birthday, having musical guests from all over the world, including Eldar Gasimov (2011 Eurovision winner).
Since 2010, she attended the Eurovision Song Contest every year. In 2012 and 2013, she was the honoury guest of the Eurovision Song Contest and meanwhile, she had also been recognised as the oldest living member of the Eurovision community. In 2012, she appeared on national Russian television, together with the Buranovskiye Babushki,
Her death comes unexpected to many. The thoughts and prayers of not only the escXtra.com team, but of the entire Eurovision community, are with everyone who loved Oma Ella. Rest in peace, Oma Ella.
