AN Auschwitz-Birkenau camp survivor has died aged 100 after leading a “trailblazing life”.
Lily Ebert passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family, her great-grandson Dov Forman said on Wednesday.
PAHolocaust survivor Lily Ebert after being made a MBE in 2023[/caption]
RexThe Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor has sadly passed away at the age of 100[/caption]
Lily with the then-Prince Charles in 2022
AFPLily Ebert with her great-grandson Dov Forman, who announced her death this week[/caption]
The Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor lost her mother and younger brother and sister to the horrific gas chambers during the Second World War.
Lily was shipped off to the concentration camp with her mum and four siblings in 1944.
When the family were taken to Auschwitz, Lily’s mother Nina, younger brother Bela and one sister Berta were immediately sent to the gas chambers.
Lily, then 20, and her two remaining sisters, Renee and Piri, were selected for the work camp, where they forced into hard labour.
In the years that followed her liberation, Lily vowed to tell her story.
Bestseller Lily’s Promise was then published with the help of co-author Mr Forman.
In January 2023, she was recognised with an MBE for her services to Holocaust education.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Forman said the family’s “beloved matriarch”, known as Safta, would be hugely missed.
He wrote: “Over the years, Safta’s story touched hundreds of millions worldwide, reminding us of the resilience of the human spirit and the dangers of unchecked hatred.
“She taught us the power of tolerance and faith, the importance of speaking out, and the need to stand against prejudice.
“Safta was the queen of our large, loving family. With a surviving daughter and son – remembering a daughter who pre-deceased her – 10 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, her legacy lives on in each of us.
“She rebuilt her life with faith and love, never asking, ‘why me?’. Instead, she focused on what could be rebuilt from the ashes, and her positivity continues to guide us through these difficult times.
“As we mourn our beloved Mummy, Safta, we also celebrate her extraordinary life. A light that shone so brightly has gone dark.
“She was our hero, and her absence leaves an unimaginable void in our lives.”
The Association of Jewish Refugees hailed her “zest for life”.
The organisation’s chief executive, Michael Newman, said: “Lily was a trailblazing advocate for Holocaust education – her special connection with her great-grandson, Dov, helped to bridge the generation gap and reach millions of people through social media.
“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz this Holocaust Memorial Day, Lily’s zest for life will burn brightly in our thoughts.”
Fewer than 500 survivors of Hitler’s death camps are still alive in Britain today.
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