Lily's Promise: Holding On to Hope Through Auschwitz and Beyond—A Story for All Generations

by Lily Ebert, Dov Forman

"Utterly compelling, heartbreaking, truthful and yet redemptive, a memoir of the Holocaust, a testimony of irrepressible spirit and an unforgettable family chronicle, written in lucid prose by a truly remarkable woman about her life from Hungary to Auschwitz, Israel to London. I couldn't stop reading it."--Simon Sebag Montefiore

In this heartbreaking yet life-affirming intergenerational memoir, a Holocaust survivor and her great-grandson share her remarkable story. It isan unforgettable tale of resilience and resistance in the face of extreme hardship, the importance and bravery of starting over, the power of healing, and the gift of keeping memories alive from generation to generation.

On Yom Kippur, 1944, Lily Ebert made a promise. She would survive the hell of Auschwitz and, when finally freed, tell the world her story to help prevent such evil from ever happening again. Now, at ninety-seven, this remarkable woman fulfills that vow, sharing the details of her experiences with candor, charm, and overflowing heart.Lily's Promise begins with her happy childhood in Hungary, and the terror that descended when war broke out. Deported to Auschwitz, Lily speaks movingly of the shocking cruelty and systematic dehumanization inflicted by the Nazis, and how survival with her younger sisters Rene and Piri felt impossible. But the girls' love for each other allowed them to endure the horror after they lost their mother and two youngest siblings, and even when they faced a death march in the war's final days.

Lily's care for others, strength of character, and small acts of resistance against evil kept her alive and made her an incredible leader for those around her. When she was liberated from Auschwitz in 1945, a Jewish-American soldier gave her a bank note on which he'd written "Good luck and happiness." Nearly seventy-five years later, her great-grandson, Dov, turned to social media to find that GI's family, and word of Lily's remarkable heroism began to spread.

Dov knows that it is up to younger people like him to keep Lily's promise alive, to remind us we cannot forget. Together, he and Lily bridge the gap between generations to impart the truth about the Holocaust to others. Featuring a 16 page black-and-white photo insert, Lily's Promise makes clear that their family history is our history as well--and reminds us that joy accompanies the solemn responsibility of keeping the past and our stories alive.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Holocaust, Memoir, Biography, World War II, Audiobook

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2021

About the author

Lily Ebert was a Hungarian-born British writer and Holocaust survivor, who in her later life became notable for her memoir and social media videos and media appearances documenting her life as a survivor of that campaign.

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw Lily Ebert and her great grandson, Dov Forman, on The View around the time this book was published. I knew I had to read it. If you haven’t seen that segment, or heard Lily speak, please google her to watch. Now in her late 90s, her joy is effervescent, and she has several critical messages to share.

Lily’s Promise is Lily’s Holocaust survivor story. It begins with her childhood in Hungary, before she and her family are taken to Auschwitz where her mother and two sisters perish. Lily is determined to keep her other two sisters alive. She works in a munitions factory and struggles to survive a horrific death march.

A Jewish-American soldier is one of her liberators, and he gives her a dollar bill on which he had written, “Good luck and happiness.” Decades later, Dov took to social media to track down this man’s family, and as a result, Lily’s story was everywhere (as it should be).

The story moves throughout Lily’s life, and it’s just as inspiring as one would imagine. Lily says she is sharing her story because the past can never be forgotten. Because we simply have to listen. Lily is a treasure, and I just updated my review because I read that she is currently in the hospital. Praying for Lily and her family.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an emotional journey it was to go on whilst Lily took us down memory lane.
I felt so many strong feelings that at one point it was as if I was there with her waiting with herself and her sisters in roll call.
The Holocaust as everybody knows was inhumane and pure evil but I still find that some things shock me to my core, to believe that any one human could do that to another human is a bitter pill to swallow and so unimaginable that it hurts to think about.
For Lily to come out on top is such an amazing, brilliant gift. Lily has not had an easy life, straight from day 1 of being put in the ghetto and even after the war with everything that life threw at her it’s amazing to see how much of a strong woman she really is!
It was such a pleasure and an honour to read her life, I could not put the book down!
I just hope that with her book, her story does not die and that every generation for years to come gets the chance to read it!

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily is a 97 year old Holocaust survivor who has worked with her teenage great grandson (who has helped her reach people through Twitter, Tiktok, and Twitch) to tell of her time in the concentration camps. . Despite the horrors she experienced (she witnessed Mengele steer her mother and young siblings to the “other side”), her message is a positive one: “If you could help someone else when they were at their lowest…this kept you alive too. It meant you hadn’t been defeated.…..With your soul fed by a small act of resistance, even if it made no difference to anyone else, you imagined you could live for just a tiny bit longer….The only thing you can do is never, ever give up because there is always hope.” Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to review this advance copy.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to I know it is not correct English to use the same word twice in a sentence but I hope you will forgive me in this instance because the word is so appropriate. Having read this book I am struck by two things; Lily Ebert is a remarkable woman and her great grandson, Dov Forman, is also a very remarkable young man.

For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous book. I struggled to put it down at times. Lily Ebert is a remarkable woman and Dov, her great-grandson is a credit to her and an incredible young man. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sketch …

This is a true story and oh, how I wish it weren’t.

Lily is a Hungarian Jew. Her story begins before the Holocaust. By Yom Kippur in 1944 (Sep 26-27), Lily was in Auschwitz. There she promises herself to not only survive Hitler’s hell, but she would tell her story to the world for those who could not. The reader will know from the survivor what it was like in this touching, compelling story. Now age 98, Lily along with her great-grandson, Dov, carries you through her life. Lily is one incredibly special woman.

My Review ...
Lily’s story is more than what happened to her and her family in the concentration camps — yes, she was in more than one. Have you ever wondered why the Jewish people would seem to calmly board those awful trains? Or stand in a line leading to the gas chambers? Lily explains and you, the reader, will now understand.

When we hear, view or read about the Holocaust, we rarely read what happened after the victims were rescued. Did we think they went home? That people took them in? What did we assume? This was the section of her story that taught me things I never knew.

At times, I had to put the book down and let my heart grasp what I had just read. And my mind.

Lily’s Promise will make you feel. Be sure to read the publisher’s description; you can read it on Amazon or NetGalley. I wish I were better with words for Lily’s story deserves better than me.

Personally, I would love to meet Lily Ebert. To tell her in person “Thank You for telling your story and you are precious and special to everyone who knows you. When people read this book, they will know you too.“

Lily’s Promise is a MUST READ for everyone. Lily survived hell to tell this story. We owe it to her to read it. You won’t regret doing so.

I received a complimentary e-ARC copy of Lily’s Promise via NetGalley from the publisher, HarperOne. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#LilysPromise #NetGalley #LilyEbert #DovForman #HarperOne

Title: Lily’s Promise: Holding On to Hope Through Auschwitz and Beyond—A Story for All Generations
Series: N/A
Author: Lily Ebert & Dov Forman
Genre: Autobiography, History, Non-Fiction (Adult)
Publisher: HarperOne
Release Date: 10 May 2022
Format: Kindle (read), Audio, Paperback, Paperback
Pages: 320
Source: NetGalley
Cover: Carefully selected. The hands shown on the cover are Lily’s. The pictures are of her family.

[le.lyssa]

puh…ich weiß garnicht wo ich anfangen soll.

Lily wurde mit 16 Jahren nach Auschwitz deportiert. Vorher wurde ihre ganze Familie in ein Ghetto geschickt. Selbst als sie sich mit mehreren Familien eine Wohnung teilen musste und keine Privatsphäre hatte, konnte sie sich nicht vorstellen, dass es noch schlimmer wird.

Lily erzählt alles im kleinsten Detail. Sie geht so bewusst mit ihren Worten um, sodass man Gänsehaut beim lesen bekommt. Teilweise hat sie Gerüche erklärt, wo ich hätte schwören können sie zu riechen.
In dem Buch geht es um Lilys ganzes Leben. Das Leben vor dem KZ. Das Leben im KZ. Das Leben kurz nach dem KZ, wo niemand glauben wollte, was damals passiert ist und sie als Lügnerin betitelt wurde. Und das Leben jetzt.

Ich kann euch dieses Buch nur weiterempfehlen. Bald wird es keine Zeitzeugen mehr geben. Die Geschichten dürfen NICHT mit ihnen sterben.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it so odd that survivors and their families call the deaths of the holocaust murder. That word doesn’t seem at all big enough to contain the intolerance, hate, violence, and despair these people of all ages suffered for so many years. This is still an international crime. Not only were the nazis guilty of practically exterminating entire ethnic groups but the fear, mistrust, and loss that were instilled in these peoples more than likely had just started to heal by the time they died surrounded by family.
Prince Charles of Wales read a hard to understand introduction (more than likely read from a portable sound system) but I bow to him for letting the world know of his involvement in the holocaust project in his country albeit what is that 65 years later? If his country as well as the US had believed the “stories” and allowed the refugees enter the country maybe more would have survived.

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

My feelings on this book come with great surprise. The backstory is a friend told me this book existed, but it wasn't being sold in the United States yet. I was able to go through a used book dealer to get it. Apparently during the pandemic, a 96 year old Auschwitz surviver was tearing up TikTok with her great-great-grandson talking about her survival. That was enough of a backstory for me. I needed to read this book, but I did expect it to be a little less refined in writing due to the TikTok aspect. I couldn't have been more wrong. This book is phenomenal. It's well-written, and it is a page turner. That's not all because there is something so incredibly unique about this book. Her time in Auschwitz ends at about the half-way point of the book. The remaining half of the book is about what happens after Auschwitz. We never get to know what happens afterwards!! This is a testimony that should be read in High Schools and even colleges. The "what happens afterwards" is just as important because it directly impacts all your offspring, and blessed be... she creates a whole lot of family for herself. She says, "Babies are the best revenge against the Nazis." I've heard this before, and also that it is so important to the Jewish Community to bear witness to these testimonies. I love the responsibility of that, and while I am not Jewish, I have tried to do my part in that responsibility with my own children. I had a Jewish friend tell me that she has a hard time talking about the Holocaust with her children. It makes her so sad. I assured her that the messages won't be lost because non Jewish people share it with their children. My 14 year old daughter even follows Lily on tiktok... how cool is that? So I think it is more than just the Jewish communities responsibility to bear witness. I think it's just as important for those not directly impacted by it to share that information with their children. We can help carry the load so that their stories are not forgotten.

There is a part in the book afterwards that was so touching to me. She explained that the only people left were all 18-30 years old. There were no parents or grandparents left to guide them. They had to figure everything out themselves. When having children of their own, they didn't know how to hold them or anything. She relied on a neighbor who had recently had children herself to teach her mothering things. I thought that was so sad to not have older women to ask questions. How many times have I called my parents to ask, how long do I boil the egg for, what are the directions for the Irish Soda Bread, how to find out why the power is out for half the house, what do you think is wrong with the baby when her cheeks are red, and so on and so forth. How much did I take it for granted that I called someone with questions. Lily created that for future generations. She's 96/97, and she's there to answer the questions to the 4th generation of her family. What a beautiful end to such an incredibly sad story.

I almost forgot another unique aspect of this book. Lily, in detail, explains her thought process the entire way through. She grants us this intimate viewpoint into her mind while answering questions that people often ask. I think it is awful when people ask, "Why would you go with them to the ghetto... you should have known something bad was going to happen." or "why didn't you fight back?" It's hard to stomach those rude remarks, but you won't ask questions like that while reading this book. She answers every single one of those questions the entire time. Bravo! It allows you to follow along, understanding why she makes the choices she makes - especially when she is not given any choice.

Do I recommend this book? I most certainly recommend it beyond my 5 star review.

[Holly Takatsuka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many, many books on WWII and the Holocaust. Some historical fiction, some historical memoirs, some, like this one, autobiographies. So I did not start reading this book without prior knowledge -to some degree - of survivors’ experiences. But, none of the books of this genre that I have read over the past 10 years have moved me, nor have really shown me and led me to feel, what true hell their experiences were. And having somehow survived, the difficulties of beginning new lives, finding safe places, overcoming haunting memories, and even still finding the strength to share their stories with us. This is an absolutely heartbreaking and yet beautiful story of how Lily survived - and thrived. I first heard of Lily through TikTok, and to be able to not only read her story, but to hear her voice and witness her beautiful spirit through her online presence is such an honor. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages! Thank you Lily for sharing your story. God continue to bless you and your family.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of Lily herself is sad yet an incredible journey. The book however isn't well written and I don't think Dov's pov added anything.

[Bianka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may have been the hardest, most haunting read of my life so far, but also one of the most powerful, and most important. My utmost respect and well wishes to Lily and her family.

[Jo Berry ☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring book written by 97-year-old holocaust survivor Lily Ebert, with contributions by her great grandson, Dov Forman. It opens with Lily’s ordinary life in 1920s Hungary, before moving on to the growing threat from Nazi Germany, having to leave her home, life in the camps and, eventually, liberation by the US forces. But it doesn’t stop there. In the second half, we follow Lily’s life up to the present day and the publication of this book. I appreciate that, because other survivor testimonies I’ve read stop shortly after liberation, but of course the trauma continues. Reading about how Lily coped and rebuilt her life after the war is also important.

Lily Ebert has spent a lot of her later years speaking in schools to tell her story, and this book is suitable for older children and young adults. It tells of the of the realities of the holocaust without delving deep into the horrors of the camps.

[Maaike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book breaks my heart and haunts me but fills me with happiness and hope at the same time. I discovered Lily and her great-grandson Dov on TikTok a few months ago and spend many many hours watching Lily talk and answer questions regarding the Holocaust. Lily, having gone through so much, radiates strength and wisdom and both she and Dov warmed my heart. When i learned they had published a book i just had to absolutely read it. This book, Lily and her story will absolutely live in my head and my heart for a lifetime.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly amazing read! All the emotions go through you when reading, heartbreaking but happy
And what an inspirational women!

[NicoleLB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is both heartbreaking and full of hope for the next generation. Her message is one that everyone should hear.

[Jaya Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books on the Holocaust But this was different. It left me numb. God bless Dov for helping his great grand mother with this epic biography.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As more time passes and more survivors die, the horrors of Auschwitz seem to fade into the problems of today's history. It's so very important for survivors like Lily Ebert to remind us that WWII's concentration camps were a reality that no one ever thought one human could inflict on another. So many people died because they were different than those who thought of themselves as the master race. The harsh reality of the camps should never disappear from our hearts and minds for fear that racial hatred could strike our lives at any time. Lily's story will stir every emotion you have. You'll wonder at the strength she had to survive while so many did not. Read this book and share with the generations in your family so they never forget either.

[Suzanne Kentish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and heartwarming is always the feeling after hearing about WW2. This is different to many of the books I have read, split between life during the war and lily's struggles within Auschwitz through to her time afterwards and up to the current day. It's a well rounded story, telling of the difficulties after the war, where they went and what they did to move on in life. It also has chapters from Dov (her grandson) who helped lily in reaching out on social media to fill gaps in her story. The true memoir of Lily's moving journey from Hungary to Auschwitz, Israel to London should be read to understand the full horrors of the time. Read it!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all.

[ella e · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a class, and still found it extremely interesting but easy to understand for such a sensitive topic. Lily’s writing took you in, Dov’s on the other hand…😀

[BookJunkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m saying this is just my thoughts rather than a book review. The book is about Lilys life so how can I make a review. How can I put a rating against that and what she has endured.

I first found Lily on TikTok when she appeared on my FYP. A survivor of the horrors of world war 2 so obviously I hit that follow button straight away. Checking out her TikToks with her grandson Dov I found them both incredible. Spreading joy and awareness. As soon as I found out there was a book release It was instantly added to my TBR.

Now… my thoughts from the book.

I have read a number of Auschwitz books and they have only ever really detailed life from getting off the train at Birkenau and the horrors that came after. Although all the books I have read have been based at the same concentration camp i find it astounding how different each persons version is. But as Lily says in this book – everyone’s individual journey was different.

However, Lily’s Promise starts before. Showing how even before they were transported to a concentration camp they were still enslaved.

This book was a very detailed and heartbreaking read of exactly what the Jewish community had to endure during those years in the war. There were two quotes that really jumped out to me in this book ‘To render us subhuman’ and ‘could death be better than life’ sitting at home reading this book i felt awful for what they went through, how anyone could possibly not treat another human as just that, a human. I think I read most of this book with tears in my eyes. Especially reading that a lot of the time, a lot of the people enslaved became jealous of those who had died.

Lily’s Promise – named just that because Lily herself made a promise to herself in the depths of Auschwitz – should she survive she would live her life and dedicate her life ensuring the world knew exactly what happened during the holocaust.

Writing this, actually gives me chills… she made a promise and she certainly kept it.

Lily Ebert is 98 years old. She is incredibly inspiring. Doing talks in schools, having a TikTok account and basically reliving the hell she went through each day by answering questions and making awareness to ensure that nothing like this EVER happens again. She is certainly a little rockstar!!

[Carolyn Scarcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an incredibly moving and powerful story called “Lily’s Promise” written by a Holocaust survivor and her great-grandson Dov Forman who wrote the book together. She made a promise to her father that she will look after her siblings and she did. Her great- grandson, 16 years old, he was determined to record and write his great grandmother’s story. He tells about her life before the war, during the war and after the war. An incredible, beautiful written page turner, I didn’t want the book to end- and not only because the story shows, photos which are interesting and was very suspense that keeps you riveted from the start to the end. She is 97 years old, an incredible woman that has survived the camps, and went through so much hope, love, strength and yet she has survived Covid-19. I think this book should have made into movies. This book should be in schools to teach students around the world. I couldn’t put it down.

[Isaiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got an ARC of this book.

The book switches between Lily and her grandson. It was interesting to see the story from two perspectives, but I didn't need the grandson's perspective. It didn't really add more information or do anything but be a different voice suddenly. It didn't even seem to happen at a natural break in the story.

Honestly, all of my complaints about this book are that Ebert is generally not an amazing writer or there were weird choices, like her grandson having chapters. The story itself stands out as different than other memoirs as it seems evenly split between before the war, during the war, and the rest of Ebert's life. It gave an impressive story of someone's whole life, some that survived something unimaginable and kept surviving every day since.

I am so thankful for Ebert for telling her story.

[lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think this book was meant to find me in a way and i’m really grateful for that

[Fran Horwich · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books about the Holocaust I have read. It has a clarity and honesty that renders the reader painfully connected to the narrative and to Lily herself. The writing is simple but emotional, navigating a bitter history with both candour and heart.

[Evelyn Pecht · Rating 2 out of 5]

For some reason, I could not connect with this book.

[Elisheva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, however, I feel the writing doesn’t give the story the justice it deserves.

[Milan Buno · Rating 4 out of 5]

V krutých podmienkach Osvienčimu si Lily dala sľub, že ak prežije, zasvätí zvyšok svojho života tomu, aby sa svet dozvedel, čo sa stalo počas holokaustu. Čomu všetkému boli ľudia vystavení, ako neľudsky sa s nimi zaobchádzalo a tiež ako dokázali prežiť, hoci si dnes ani nevieme predstaviť ich utrpenie a bolesť.
Toto je kniha, ktorá zachytáva jej silné svedectvo. Je splnením tohto sľubu a vyvrcholením celoživotnej služby ľudskému svedomiu.

Lilin príbeh je srdcervúci, no inšpirujúci.
Narodila sa v Maďarsku a jej idylické detstvo bolo náhle zničené, keď bola transportovaná do Osvienčimu s celou svojou rodinou v roku 1944. Jej matku a dvoch mladších súrodencov zabili hneď po ich príchode do tábora. Lily bola odhodlaná pomôcť svojim dvom sestrám prežiť tak, že objavia silu jedna v druhej. Z Osvienčimu bola Lily odoslaná do pracovného tábora do muničnej továrne v Altenburgu a odtiaľ bola prinútená zúčastniť sa pochodu smrti.

Lily toho stratila veľa, ale vybudovala si nový život pre seba a svoju rodinu najprv v Izraeli a potom v Londýne. Sľúbila si, že ak prežije, porozpráva svoj príbeh z Osvienčimu, aby sa už niečo podobné nikdy nezopakovalo.

Keď Lily Ebertovú v roku 1945 oslobodili, americký židovský vojak jej dal bankovku, na ktorú napísal: „Veľa šťastia a radosti.“

Keď sa potom jej pravnuk Dov Forman rozhodol využiť sociálne médiá, aby vystopoval rodinu tohto vojaka, deväťdesiatšesťročná Lily sa odrazu ocitla na titulkách po celom svete. Príbeh sa rýchlo stal virálnym a Lily mala dokonca možnosť porozprávať sa s vojakovou rodinou cez Zoom. Nedávno o nej písali, že prekonala Covid vo veku 97 rokov. Je to neskutočne odolná žena, ktorá je odhodlaná porozprávať svoj príbeh a jej pravnuk Dov je pripravený jej v tom pomôcť.

„Myslím na to, o koľko lepšie poznám svoju prababičku než pred rokom, keď sme so štyrmi generáciami rodiny šťastne oslavovali jej narodeniny v Bournemouthe. Na všetky rozhovory, ktoré sme viedli, a na to, ako veľmi posilnili naše puto. Akým darom bol tento spoločný čas. Vďaka nemu som si uvedomil, koľko toho máme spoločného....“

Predhovor napísala Jeho kráľovská výsosť princ z Walesu. „Lilin príbeh je hlboko dojímavý, ako aj inšpiratívny. Aj z tohto dôvodu som s pokorou prijal žiadosť, aby som k nemu napísal predslov. Ona a jej príbeh sú majákom svetla v temnote; symbolom nádeje uprostred zúfalstva.“

Lilin sľub je opäť ďalší kúsok do mozaiky, ktorú si skladáme. Ľudia, ktorí dokázali prežiť holokaust, nám svojimi príbehmi pomáhajú aj v dnešných časoch. Prispievajú k tomu, že história nezostáva len obyčajnou históriou na papieri, chladnou a neosobnou. Ich príbehy nám oživujú pamäť a dokážu poľudštiť aj neľudské.
Niekedy sa žiaľ holokaust a vtedajšie udalosti skresľujú, bagatelizujú, zjemňujú, či dokonca popierajú. Príbehy preživších nám dokazujú, že sa to naozaj dialo. Sú to svedectvá, ktoré sa čítajú ťažko, so slzami v očiach a ťažobou na srdci...no sú neoceniteľné a nesmierne potrebné pre našu ľudskosť. Pre naše duše.

Nad všetkým visel hustý závoj, ktorý zakrýval slnko. Hnusný zápach, ktorý nás pri príchode dusil, ten najodpornejší a najneznesiteľnejší smrad, aký som kedy zažila, bol čoraz silnejší. Neďaleko sa týčil vysoký komín, z ktorého sa zúrivo dymilo a občas z neho vyleteli jasné červené plamene.
„Čo je to za továreň?“ Spýtala som sa jednej z väzenkýň, ktoré prišli pred nami. „Čo tu vyrábajú? Čo je to za strašný smrad?“
„Pália tam vaše rodiny,“ odvetila. „Vašich rodičov, sestry, bratov. Pália ich.“
Dozorcovia nám ešte pred sprchou povedali, že keď vyjdeme von, opäť uvidíme svoje rodiny. Ako sme teda mohli brať takú obludnú myšlienku vážne? Ľudia tu boli takí zvláštni.
„Musela si zošalieť,“ odvetila som. „Čo je to za absurdnú myšlienku? To predsa je nemožné. Nemôže to byť pravda.“

[PJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily’s Promise: How I Survived Auschwitz and Found the Strength to Live by Lily Ebert, co-written with her great-grandson Dov Forman, is a deeply moving and life-affirming memoir that recounts Lily’s harrowing experiences during the Holocaust and her remarkable journey of survival, resilience, and hope. This isn’t just a story about surviving unimaginable cruelty it’s also about rebuilding life, finding strength in family, and honoring a promise to bear witness for those who could not.

The book begins with Lily’s idyllic childhood in Hungary, capturing the warmth of her family and community before the horrors of the Holocaust shattered it all. When Lily and her family were deported to Auschwitz in 1944, her mother and two younger siblings were murdered upon arrival. Lily’s determination to protect her surviving sisters and her will to live became her driving forces. From the inhumanity of Auschwitz to slave labor in a munitions factory and a brutal death march, Lily’s story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Her ability to find moments of hope and defiance amidst the darkness like sharing smuggled prayer books or small acts of kindness makes her narrative unforgettable.

What sets this memoir apart is its intergenerational perspective. Dov Forman, Lily’s great-grandson, plays a significant role in bringing her story to life for a modern audience. His contributions not only highlight the importance of preserving these stories but also show the power of younger generations in keeping history alive. Their relationship is woven beautifully into the book, adding a layer of warmth and continuity. Dov even used social media to reconnect Lily with the family of the Jewish-American soldier who gave her a banknote inscribed with “Good luck and happiness” after her liberation a moment that went viral and brought Lily’s story to global attention.

The writing is vivid and emotional, balancing the horrors of the Holocaust with Lily’s unwavering message of hope and compassion. The narrative doesn’t stop at liberation; it also explores Lily’s life after the war, from her time in Israel to building a new life in London, and her lifelong dedication to Holocaust education. This focus on life after survival is particularly powerful, as it sheds light on the challenges of rebuilding and the resilience required to move forward.

The book is not without its emotional weight some sections are gut-wrenching and difficult to read, as they should be but it’s ultimately a story of triumph. Lily’s reflections on faith, family, and the importance of remembrance resonate deeply, and her ability to inspire even after enduring so much is nothing short of extraordinary.

Lily’s Promise is a must-read. It’s not just a Holocaust memoir it’s a testament to the human spirit, the importance of memory, and the power of intergenerational storytelling. Whether you’re familiar with Lily’s story through her viral social media presence or hearing it for the first time, this book will leave an indelible mark.