Actress Soni Razdan on 2 July paid a deeply personal tribute to her 97-year-old mother, Gertrude Hoelzer, sharing the extraordinary story of how she fled Nazi Germany as a six-year-old child — and marking the occasion with a rare four-generation family photograph featuring daughter Alia Bhatt and granddaughter Raha.

The Four-Generation Photograph

The image, shared by Soni on her social media account, shows Gertrude Hoelzer resting on a bed, with Soni standing beside her. Alia Bhatt is seated next to her grandmother, cradling little Raha. Soni's sister also features in the frame, making it a striking portrait of four generations of women from one family.

Captioning the post, Soni wrote: 'One OG ALPHA woman and four generations in one frame! Alia's Nani who is all of 97 years young. No it's not her birthday today, but on the eve of her granddaughter's release she wanted to wish her this way..'

Gertrude Hoelzer's Escape from Nazi Germany

Soni revealed that her mother, though German and not Jewish, was forced to flee because her grandfather openly defied Adolf Hitler — a act of rare moral courage that put the entire family at risk. 'My mother escaped Nazi Germany when she was just 6 years old. Although German and not Jewish, they had to run because my grandfather was a brave man and went openly against Hitler,' Soni wrote.

The family first took refuge in Czechoslovakia, enduring significant hardship, before eventually escaping to the United Kingdom aboard a Jewish Kindertransport train — the wartime rescue operation that saved thousands of children from Nazi-occupied Europe. Gertrude later met and married Narendra Nath Razdan (N.N. Razdan), a Kashmiri Pandit, and built a new life in India.

Soni Razdan's Family Background

Born to a German mother and an Indian father, Soni Razdan later married filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. The couple are parents to actress Alia Bhatt and author-filmmaker Shaheen Bhatt. The post underscores the remarkable cross-cultural journey that shaped one of Bollywood's most prominent families — from wartime Germany to the heart of Mumbai's film industry across three generations.

The Timing: Ahead of Alia Bhatt's 'Alpha' Release

The heartfelt tribute comes on the eve of Alia Bhatt's action thriller 'Alpha', set to release in cinemas on 3 July. Directed by Shiv Rawail, the film is part of Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe and also stars Sharvari and Bobby Deol in key roles. Notably, Gertrude herself reportedly wanted to send her wishes ahead of the release — making the post as much a blessing as a tribute.

Soni closed her message with a broader reflection: 'Alpha women exist in many different ways. They're all around us. But ultimately I think all our mothers and grandmothers are Alpha women.' The post has resonated widely, drawing attention to a wartime story that remained largely untold until now.