Story highlights Israel Kristal was born September 15, 1903

He went to Auschwitz in 1943, according to the Guinness World Records organization

An American woman is the oldest living person; she is 116

(CNN) A 112 year-old Israeli man, who is an Auschwitz survivor, has become the world's oldest living man, the Guinness World Records organization said Friday.

Israel Kristal, who is 112 years and 178 days as of Friday, received his Guinness World Records' certificate at his home in Haifa.

"I don't know the secret for long life," he told the record keepers. "I believe that everything is determined from above, and we shall never know the reasons why. There have been smarter, stronger and better looking men then me who are no longer alive. All that is left for us to do is to keep on working as hard as we can and rebuild what is lost."

Kristal was born in Poland, near the town of Zarnow, on September 15, 1903.

He has lived through both World Wars and survived the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz in 1943 where he lost his wife, according to Guinness World Records. Their two children had died in Lodz during the German occupation, the Jerusalem Post reported.

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