Entertainment
GMB viewers moved by Holocaust survivor’s powerful message of hope to Ukrainian refugees: ‘Never, ever give up’
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Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert and her great-grandson Dov Forman have shared a touching message for the people of Ukraine amid the conflict with Russia.
Lily, 98, is one of the last remaining survivors of the Holocaust, who was taken to Auschwitz when she was 20 years old in 1944.
There, she witnessed the horrors inflicted on Jewish people by the Nazis, including her own mother, brother and sister who were killed on arrival.
She and her great-grandson, who went viral on TikTok for their videos together, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday to share their solidarity with the people of Ukraine who are suffering the horrors of war following invasion by Russian forces.
Comparing the situation the refugees face today to what she went through 77 years ago, Lily believes that people need to learn an important lesson.
She explained: ‘If we will live in this world with each other nicely, not to think that anybody is better or worse than you are.
Lily Ebert and her great-grandson Dov Forman shared a message of hope and solidarity (Picture: Instagram)
‘We must learn really only one thing – we are only different, but not better, not worse.’
Dov added: ‘As my great-grandmother said, it’s incredibly important that people learn the lessons from the past.
‘During the holocaust, my great grandmother’s mother, younger brother and sister were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz Birkenau.
‘My great-grandmother witnessed killing on an industrial scale during the holocaust, Auschwitz where over 1.1million people were murdered and the world remained silent.
‘And I think now especially as we see the terrible situation in Ukraine, the baseless war, that’s why we want to speak out.’
The pair, who have released the book Lily’s Promise about her story, want to send a message of ‘hope and solidarity’ because Lily ‘knows what it feels like to be in such a terrible situation and have no-one stand with you and have no-one stand up for you.’
Lily also concluded by sharing her own message to those facing hardship, adding: ‘I want to only say one message, a very important message. Never, ever give up. Always have one thing – hope.
‘Because I was so deep, nobody could go further down, and after 70 years I am here. I am talking here to people. And I want to tell one thing, never, ever give up and that is one word – hope.’
Viewers were moved by Lily’s message, tweeting: ‘Lily Ebert & Dov should be a regular segment on @GMB incredible & inspirational’ and ‘Such an important message from Holocaust survivor, Lily Ebert (please read her book!) and her incredibly articulate great-grandson.’
More: Good Morning Britain
Another wrote: ‘“We are only different, not better or worse than one another” Lily Ebert. Glad I caught the end of @GMB this morning. Certainly gave me something to think about.’
Others added: ‘I love lily Ebert. She is an absolutely incredibly lady X’ and ‘Lily Ebert is incredible.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
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