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Oljean Ingster, born on 2 February 1928 in Proszowice near Krakow, was imprisoned as a Polish Jew together with his family by the German occupiers in 1941. As a result, Ingster, who was only 13 years old, first had to work for Daimler-Benz at the Reichshof aircraft engine plant. From 1941 to 1945, he survived a total of eight concentration camps, including Plaszow, Flossenbürg, camps in Alsace-Lorraine and finally Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

From there, the camp SS sent him on the death march, from which Ingster escaped on 2 May 1945 in Mueß near Schwerin. His parents, sister and all other relatives were murdered by the Nazis.

Oljean Ingster decided to stay in Schwerin, caught up on his schooling and began training as an electrician. He was also involved in building up Schwerin's Jewish community, and from the late 1950s Ingster regularly led services as a cantor. In 1960 Ingster moved to Berlin, where he worked as cantor at the synagogue in Rykestraße in Prenzlauer Berg from 1966 to 2016.

As a board member of the Jewish community in East Berlin from 1971 - 1990 and of the German-Israeli Society until 2005, he was committed to promoting understanding between German Jews, Germans of other faiths and Israelis. Ingster was honoured with the Fatherland Order of Merit in Silver as well as the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon and the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class, among others. Most recently he lived with his wife in Woltersdorf near Berlin.

Oljean Ingster passed away on 20 May 2023 at the age of 95. The burial in the row of honour of the Jewish Cemetery in Berlin-Weißensee took place on 25 May 2023.