King Charles III has honoured the memory of a Holocaust survivor, Lily Ebert, who recently passed away.
Ebert, who endured unimaginable horrors during World War II, has passed away at the age of 100.
Her great-grandson, Dov Forman, confirmed the news, stating that she died peacefully, surrounded by family.
Lily, originally from Hungary, arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau on July 9, 1944, where her mother, younger sister, and brother were tragically murdered in the gas chambers.
She survived to tell her story, which she co-authored with Dov in their bestselling book ‘Lily’s Promise: How I Survived Auschwitz and Found the Strength to Live’.
The book chronicles Lily’s early life, the traumatic loss of her family in Auschwitz, and her determination to survive.
In his tribute following her death, King Charles III expressed deep sorrow, “It was with the greatest sadness that I heard this morning the news of Lily Ebert’s death. As a survivor of the unmentionable horrors of the Holocaust, I am so proud that she later found a home in Britain where she continued to tell the world of the horrendous atrocities she had witnessed, as a permanent reminder for our generation—and, indeed, for future generations—of the depths of depravity and evil to which humankind can fall, when reason, compassion and truth are abandoned. Alongside other Holocaust survivors she became an integral part of the fabric of our nation; her extraordinary resilience and courage an example to us all, which will never be forgotten.”
Lily’s enduring resilience was not just evident through her book. She became a significant figure on social media, particularly on TikTok, where she and Dov shared stories about her Holocaust experiences and insights into Jewish culture.
Lily used these platforms to fulfill the promise she made to herself: to survive Auschwitz and tell her story “not with anger, but with strength, dignity, and the determination to honour those who did not.”
Her family paid tribute to this remarkable woman in a heartfelt statement, “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. On July 9, 1944, Safta and her family arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her mother, younger sister, and brother were murdered in the gas chambers. In the face of unimaginable loss, Safta made a promise to herself: if she survived that hell on earth, she would tell her story—not with anger, but with strength, dignity, and the determination to honour those who did not. Never has a promise been so profoundly fulfilled as hers.”
They went on to highlight the impact she had on millions across the world, “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.”
Lily, who lived in Golders Green, London, since 1967, moved to Switzerland after the war before settling in Israel for two decades.
She was awarded an MBE and celebrated her 99th birthday by meeting King Charles when he was Prince of Wales in 2022.
The meeting was a symbolic moment for Lily, a testament that “the Nazis did not win.”
Her portrait was featured in a Buckingham Palace exhibition commissioned by the King to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in 2023.
Despite the honours she received, Lily continued to face challenges, including disturbing threats amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.
Despite the threats, she continued to share her experiences, notably in one TikTok video where she recounted her dehumanizing treatment in Auschwitz, “My number is A-10572, that is what I was. I was not my name, we were not humans, we were only a number. Most women had not the period in the camp, because our body was so weak that we could not get our period. It was not normal life in the camp, nothing was normal, the food was not normal, the sleeping was not sleeping. It was an artificial life.”
Lily’s death marks the end of a life filled with hardship, but also incredible resilience, love, and hope. Her light may have dimmed, but her legacy, as her family said, “shines brightly” through the countless lives she touched.
