Renowned Auschwitz Survivor and Educator Lily Ebert Passes Away at 100

Lily Ebert, a Holocaust survivor and influential educator, has died peacefully at the age of 100. Her family mourned her passing in an announcement shared on the social media platform X, highlighting the profound impact she made through her life story.

“We are heartbroken to announce the peaceful passing of our beloved matriarch, Lily Ebert, Mummy, Safta, who died at home surrounded by her loving family,” read the tribute from her great-grandson Dov Forman. Ebert gained widespread recognition for her efforts in Holocaust education and was honored last year with a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services.

Ebert was a founding member of the United Kingdom‘s Holocaust Survivor Centre and worked closely with her great-grandson to use modern platforms, such as TikTok, to reach younger audiences. Her videos accrued billions of views, raising awareness about the Holocaust.

Born in Hungary, Ebert was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau on July 9, 1944, where she suffered the loss of her mother, younger sister, and brother to the gas chambers. In her commitment to telling her story, she published “Lily’s Promise: How I Survived Auschwitz and Found the Strength to Live,” co-authored with Dov Forman, which became an international bestseller.

In earlier statements, Ebert expressed that her survival came with the promise to honor her lost family members by sharing their story with dignity and without anger. “Never has a promise been so profoundly fulfilled as hers,” said Forman.

Despite the horrors she endured, Ebert chose to focus on the resilience of the human spirit and worked tirelessly to combat prejudice by teaching tolerance and understanding. She is survived by a large family, including a daughter, a son, 10 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Her efforts in enlightening the public on the Holocaust extended to collaborations with prominent figures, including a meeting with King Charles last year at a Buckingham Palace exhibition featuring Holocaust survivor portraits.

Throughout her life, Ebert emphasized the importance of resilience and the potential for rebuilding lost lives. Her message was clear and powerful: “The Nazis did not win,” she declared, celebrating her heritage through her descendants.