Eighty years after the liberation of the camps, the world is witnessing a chilling resurgence of antisemitism. As the last generation of eyewitnesses remains with us, their voices have transitioned from historical accounts to urgent alarms.
Recently, ICEJ-Germany hosted Eva Erben, a survivor of the Terezin ghetto, Auschwitz and the death march, to speak at several venues for German students. For years, ICEJ-Germany has brought survivors into classrooms to help students understand the past, reflect on its relevance today and encourage active engagement.
The ICEJ-Germany Director Gottfried Bühler noted that at the entrance to Yad Vashem, the words of the prophet Joel inspire us to share these stories with our children, who will pass them on. This is a call for the world to remember the Holocaust and draw lessons from it. Eva stands as a living testament, having endured the Holocaust, lost all she had, yet still radiates vitality and hope.
“When you hear it directly from a Holocaust survivor, it touches the heart more deeply than any movie or textbook,” shared teacher Anja Herbst. The room felt the weight of that truth as the students sat in a heavy, respectful silence. Moved to tears, they eventually rose in a standing ovation after Eva sang a fragment from Brundibar, the opera famously performed by children within the walls of Terezin.
Yet, Eva’s remarks not only reflected on history but also addressed current events with clarity. She drew a direct connection between the Nazi beliefs she experienced as a child and the actions of Hamas on October 7. “Hamas or Nazism, it is the same ideology,” Eva warned the students. “I call it the ‘same lady in another skirt.’ Their aim is the same: destruction and death of the Jewish people.”Following her warning, she turned her attention toward the silence of international organisations, a silence she finds hauntingly familiar. She noted that just as the Red Cross once accepted the lies of the Nazis when visiting Terezin, she believes the UN remains quiet today while Hamas sacrifices its own people. “I request you to tell the truth,” she urged the room. “Hamas sacrifices their people and the UN is quiet; this is part of the problem. Yet, Israel receives all the blame.”
Eva then posed a question that seemed to hang in the air, challenging the ancient lie that eradicating the Jewish people would somehow solve the world’s problems. History, she reminded them, has already proven this to be a delusion. “Is the world better through Hitler’s murder machine?” she asked. “Is the world improved by murdering six million Jews?”
They responded with a resounding no. Eva went on, “Look at what the Jewish people have contributed to the world: penicillin, jeans, cherry tomatoes, aspirin and much more. Those that hate us will still wear Levi jeans or use aspirin, both invented by a Jew.” While hatred produced ashes, the survivors, “the few who were left”, chose to build a nation that makes the desert bloom. “Nazi ideology tried to kill our people,” Eva said, “and look what those who survived have made of Israel: building universities, water and electricity infrastructure, technology and agriculture.”
She reminded the students that the survivors of the Holocaust arrived in Israel with nothing, no money, no family and lives shattered by trauma; yet they chose the path of creation over the easy path of resentment. “We built Israel from nothing,” Eva declared. “Hatred toward Israel is built on ignorance and stupidity. Knowledge is power; you must study history so you are not misled by these lies.”
She directly challenged German youth to have the courage to be “politically incorrect” when it means standing by the truth. Her guidance for the next generation was clear and urgent: do not remain silent, as silence allows the world you know to slip away; distinguish between those who seek to integrate and those who carry ideologies of hate; and above all, embrace the gift of life. “Today will never come back,” she reminded them, “so make the best of it.”
Despite carrying what she calls a “suitcase full of thoughts,” Eva refuses to be anchored by bitterness. She spends her days with memories of her family, cooking, gardening, hosting visitors and enjoying the simple beauties of life. Her strength is rooted in a grateful heart and a determination to live and embrace life.
She addressed the room with quiet strength: “Please, don’t cry about the Holocaust. Yes, it was evil. But what matters now is how we carry this history forward. What lessons can we draw? I encourage everyone to live by the Ten Commandments. That is how we can make the world a better place.”
Eva also expressed heartfelt gratitude for the “holy work” of the ICEJ, commending them as a steadfast voice for truth and for their unwavering support for Israel and opposition to Antisemitism.
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