Tributes have been paid to a “trailblazing advocate for Holocaust education” after the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp survivor’s death aged 100.
Lily Ebert died peacefully at home surrounded by family, her great-grandson Dov Forman said on Wednesday.
She suffered what her family described as “unimaginable loss” when her mother, younger sister and brother were murdered in the gas chambers, but had vowed to tell her story in the years that followed.
The King was among those to praise her “extraordinary resilience and courage”, and said she “became an integral part of the fabric of our nation”.
Mr Forman co-authored a bestselling book with his great-grandmother, entitled Lily’s Promise and with a foreword by the King, detailing the life she built for herself after the war.
She was freed from Auschwitz at the age of 20, lived in Switzerland and Israel, and then moved to the UK in 1967 with her husband Samuel, settling in London.
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 (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.”
AJR said it currently supports around 500 first generation Holocaust survivors and refugees in the UK.
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”.
The King said it was “with the greatest sadness” that he heard of Ms Ebert’s death.
In a statement he said: “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.”
The Prime Minister said she “represented everything that was the best of humanity” in a tribute posted on X.
Sir Keir Starmer added: “In Auschwitz, Lily made her now famous promise that if she survived she would tell the world what happened. She kept that promise in the most remarkable way.
“With her passing today, we must now keep that promise to her. Together we will ensure that Lily’s message echoes eternally across the generations – and that the Holocaust is never forgotten and never again repeated.”
In 2022, Ms Ebert’s image featured in one of seven portraits commissioned by the then Prince of Wales of some of the nation’s last remaining Holocaust survivors.
At the unveiling at the Queen’s Gallery in London, Ms Ebert told Charles: “Meeting you, it is for everyone who lost their lives.”
As he touched her shoulder, he replied: “But it is a greater privilege for me.”
Ms Ebert and her great-grandson Mr Forman had accrued billions of views on video-sharing platform TikTok in their efforts to educate the younger generation on the Holocaust.
Speaking to the PA news agency after receiving her MBE, Ms Ebert 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.”
Ms Ebert’s family said she will be taken to Israel to be buried alongside her husband, following a ceremony of eulogies in north London on Wednesday.
