Viewers moved by Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert’s powerful message on Good Morning Britain

Virgin Radio

27 Jan 2022, 14:31

“The world should know how deep humans can go.”

Lily Ebert, a 98-year-old Holocaust survivor, appeared on Good Morning Britain today with a powerful message about humanity and the importance of remembering history in honour of Holocaust Memorial Day.

She has been part of an incredible project spearheaded by Prince Charles, who is Patron of the National Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

The project involves the unveiling of seven portraits of the nation’s last remaining Holocaust survivors as a testament to their lived experiences.

Lily was on one of the last trains carrying Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz in 1944. She endured months at Birkenau before being transported to Altenburg, a sub-camp of Buchenwald.

Last year, with the help of her great-grandson Dov, she made headlines after being reunited with the American soldier who gave her a heartbreaking note written on a German banknote after she was liberated from a Nazi Death March in 1945.

Speaking on the programme this morning, Lily said: “My story today is never my story. It is the story for the thousands, millions who cannot talk.

She continued: “They killed my mother, brother, sister and millions.”

Lily still has the number given to her by Nazi soldiers tattooed on her arm, and when asked if she would ever get it removed, she said no.

She explained: “I have never thought about getting it removed. I want to show the world because seeing something or to hear about it makes a big difference. And the world should know how deep they cut, how deep humans can go.

She went on: “You wear a tattoo, you wear a number. No more, no less. Another human can take away my humanity.”

Understandably many viewers were deeply moved by the things she had to say and took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

One person wrote: “Lily is absolutely incredible and a national treasure IMHO.  She speaks with such conviction and strength”.

Another said: “What a wonderful example of human spirit the lady is a great example & role model with her proud grandson he spoke with great maturity & clarity they are both a credit & give hope to humanity in these troubled times!”

A third wrote: “No-one will ever be able to comprehend the atrocities that happened, she is a survivor she is truly a beautiful lady”.

Lily’s story is a reminder of how cruel humans can be to one another and why we must never let history repeat itself.

Her book, ‘Lily's Promise: How I Survived Auschwitz and Found the Strength to Live’, is now available to buy.