A Tribute to Lily Ebert MBE

‘Who would have thought that my journey would take me from the hell of Auschwitz to tea at Buckingham Palace?!’ Attending a Royal Garden Party with Lily is a memory that will stay with me forever, and one that I will always treasure.

We are grateful for the privilege and honour of knowing Lily Ebert, a woman who witnessed so much darkness during the Holocaust and yet spread so much light. We adored Lily and we mourn her loss deeply.

The world has lost someone who was forthright, encouraging and a steady presence at Holocaust Memorial Day events. She was always direct and honest, watching the HMD Ceremony with a critical eye she would ring us up after each Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony to give useful feedback. After listing the improvements we could make, she would say, ‘I’ve told you what you could do better, so it’s only fair that I tell you what you did well!’ She would then praise the music, the contributors, the films or the moving testimony of speakers. All who were touched by this amazing woman will never forget her.

Lily was unwavering in her determination to share the tragedy of the Holocaust with those who were born decades after the Nazi reign of terror and murder. She spoke to pupils at many schools up and down the country and did countless media interviews. She spent the last few years working with her great-grandson Dov Forman to create social media content to engage younger generations. We were not surprised to see their book, Lily’s Promise, become a Sunday Times bestseller.

Her personal journey was filled with unspeakable suffering, loss, and unimaginable challenges. Yet, through it all, Lily emerged as a symbol of resilience, refusing to let the darkness consume her. Born in Hungary in December 1923, Lily was 20 when she and her family were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where her mother and two siblings were murdered. She endured months of Nazi cruelty before being liberated in 1945. She rebuilt her life in Israel before settling in London where she got married and started a family made up of three children, 10 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and one great-great –grandchild.

Lily’s radiant smile, warm embrace, and compassionate nature had a way of dispelling the shadows of despair and inspiring hope within all who were fortunate enough to cross her path. She instilled in all of us the belief that we are all custodians of memory, responsible for passing on the lessons of the past to future generations. Much has been said, and much will surely continue to be said about her in the years to come. Her fortitude and strength of character serve as guiding lights, urging us to confront injustice and build a world founded on compassion and understanding.