Auschwitz survivor Lily Ebert who vowed to 'teach the world to be tolerant' dies, aged 100

Tributes have been paid to Auschwitz survivor Lily Ebert who has died at the age of 100.

Lily, 'trailblazing advocate for Holocaust education' died peacefully at home surrounded by her family, great-grandson Dov Forman said on Wednesday.

Lily's mother, younger sister and brother were murdered in the gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during the Holocaust.

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However, in the years that followed, she vowed to tell her story, and she co-authored a bestselling book with Mr Forman called Lily’s Promise. The book detailed the life she built for herself after the war, after she was freed from Auschwitz at the age of 20.

Lily moved to Switzerland and Israel before settling in London in 1967 with her husband Samuel. In January 2023, she was awarded 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 (AJR) 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.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of Holocaust Educational Trust, described Ms Ebert as “the epitome of strength and determination” who will be remembered for her “incredible story, her unparalleled tenacity and her zest for life”.

Ms Ebert and her great-grandson Mr Forman had accrued billions of views on TikTok in their efforts to educate the younger generation on the Holocaust.

Speaking after receiving her MBE last year, Lily said she had always tried to be a positive force in the world and encourage others to “appreciate our differences and learn from each other, and be kind to everyone”.

She added: “Something terrible like that should never, ever happen again. As long as I am alive I will teach the world to be tolerant.”

On educating the younger generation on social media, she said: “I find (educating people through TikTok) very important because the youngsters really want to learn and they should learn.

“I don’t speak only what I learn – I went through it.”