The Happiest man on earth

Here are ten lessons from the book "The Happiest Man on Earth" by Eddie Jaku: 1. The Power of Resilience: Despite enduring unimaginable hardships during the Holocaust, resilience and a positive outlook helped Eddie Jaku survive and thrive. 2. Value of Friendship: Strong, supportive friendships provide comfort, strength, and a sense of belonging, especially during challenging times. 3. Importance of Forgiveness: Letting go of anger and hatred is essential for personal peace and happiness. 4. Appreciating the Small Things: Finding joy in small, everyday moments can lead to a fulfilling and happy life. 5. Hope and Optimism: Maintaining hope and a positive outlook, even in the darkest times, is crucial for overcoming adversity. 6. Family is Everything: The love and support of family are invaluable and can provide a foundation of strength and happiness. 7. Acts of Kindness: Helping others and performing acts of kindness can bring joy and a sense of purpose. 8. Living in the Present: Focusing on the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future can enhance overall well-being. 9. Gratitude: Being grateful for what you have, no matter how small, fosters contentment and happiness. 10. The Human Spirit's Strength: The incredible strength and resilience of the human spirit can help individuals overcome even the most severe challenges.

Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you. Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country. Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on earth'. Published as Eddie turns 100, this is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.

Wow. It’s difficult to put this one into words. From the moment Holocaust survivor, Eddie Jaku, addressed me, the reader, as his friend, I felt emotional. The Happiest Man on Earth was both heartbreaking and inspiring. It was a fairly quick, but powerful read that I couldn't put down. I found myself re-reading certain passages to absorb and wrap my head around all that Eddie was sharing. It’s simply told, yet paints a vivid picture of his journey. It felt so intimate, like he was sitting down with me, his new friend, and telling me about his remarkable life. From the likes of Buchenwald and Auschwitz; to escapes, near-death experiences and starting over in a new country. There is inspiration to be found throughout - even in the darkness. It’s about family, love, kindness, friendship and so much more. “Every breath is a gift. Life is beautiful if you let it be. Happiness is in your hands.” Perhaps no other book has made me feel so grateful to be alive and appreciate friends and family. It's not just an astonishing tale of tragedy and survival (Eddie was given a 35% chance to live upon liberation), but inspiring story of how to rebuild after the worst kind of adversity. You can’t help but want to be a better member of society. “With a simple act of kindness, you can save another person from despair, and that might just save their life. And this is the greatest miracle of all.” The pictures brought to life those featured in the book and reinforced the tragedy and loss that so many, like Eddie, endured. This is more than just his story. My heart ached for them all and I won't forget them. “The best balm for the soul is friendship.” I had to sit in silence and collect my thoughts after finishing The Happiest Man on Earth. It’s the kind of book you wake up thinking about. A book to make you immediately go hug your mother or father; a friend or a pet. It will be a book I return to when needing some hope, inspiration or encouragement to be a better person. On speaking about the horrors of the Holocaust and sharing his story, Eddie had this to say: “If I get through to even one person, it is worth it. And I hope that is you, my new friend. I hope this story goes with you.” Yes, my friend, your story will certainly stay with me forever.

OH MY GOD. I am SO GLAD I read this book. There's a story here - a fascinating survivor's tale - but most of all there is hope, and love, and above all, kindness. This is the story of a man who suffered through great tragedy and hardship, who spent years fighting one day at a time just to LIVE, and who came through it all with an unbreakable spirit. It's absolutely inspiring. I hate war stories, because it pains me so deeply to read about people suffering, but there is so much inextinguishable light in Eddie's story that I just couldn't stop reading. No matter all of the horrible things he endured, he was able to appreciate the precious moments and use those to find the will to go on. What an incredible man. This story is filled with heart and light and HOPE and the message that kindness is one of the most valuable things we all have to give, and it costs us nothing but rather doubles our stores when we give it. The story is a quick read, though incredibly emotional. Things are told quite simply, but that doesn't affect the feeling of the story - you will easily become immersed in Eddie's story and I don't think anyone could possibly read this and not be moved by it. I hope many people read Eddie's story and take away that message of the value of kindness and the importance of hope. Especially in these troubling times when so many people are driven by fear, hatred and greed. What a beautiful soul. Thank you for sharing your hope.

Despite the fact that I listen to and read a lot of WWI and WWII historical fiction and true stories, I held off of listening to this book because we'd be listening to the words of a Holocaust survivor first hand. Eddie Jaku lived through so many horrors and saw so many horrors. He lost almost everything but in the end he found so much to appreciate. He never lost his love and appreciation for his mother and father and the fact that his parents prepared him, each in their own way, to deal with all that he had to go through. Eddie was not at just one concentration camp, he was imprisoned at several places. I know we don't hear even the half of it and even his sons didn't know what he went through until many decades later. But he eventually came to a time in his life that he did tell his story and even greater than the story of the horrors of what happened to him is his story of embracing the life that came afterwards. Eddie becomes the 'happiest man on earth' and I believe him. There is so much to learn from his story and his attitude. And Eddie was a true friend, often stating that in the worst of times friendship and the generosity of friendship can save a man or woman when death is right that in front of them. This is Eddie's story to tell and I'm so glad I listened to this audiobook. It's not long, less than four hours from beginning to end. Narrator Raphael Corkhill has found his way onto the list of my favorite narrators as this is the second audiobook that he's narrated that I greatly enjoyed hearing.

“For future generations.” War books are a dime a dozen. Some are good, some bad, some middling. But occasionally you get one that leaves your preconceptions at the door, and has you thanking your lucky stars for all the blessings that you have. Seeing the warmth of Mr.Jaku's smile on the cover made me take a shine to him straight away. This is the face of a man who has been through so much and survived. And yet, he is smiling. There’s a lot to be said about that. What I took away from this book is that the human spirit can overcome so much. It doesn’t make anything hurt any less or make the pain go away. But somehow, an innate inner strength helped him to survive the abject horror and atrocities of WWII. Where friends and neighbours became strangers. I cannot help but think how incredibly sad it is that the fluke of being born into one religion or another could have such a bearing on the course of one’s life. As the blurb for the book says Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938... There is such a quiet dignity in this book. It is unbelievable to even begin to imagine the events which occurred. But they did. And Mr.Jaku is here to tell his story. Which seems to be a fitting time, with the world turned upside down and inside out with another type of turmoil. He talks about values that cannot be measured monetarily, and therefore are worth so much more. They are needed as much as food and water. The importance of family. How friends help you survive through dark times. Laughter can help lighten the load. Education is your friend. Love is beautiful. “I have learned this: life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful.” Throughout the book, Mr.Jaku stresses the importance of kindness. You never know how even the smallest gesture or the simplest act of helping another can make a world of difference. You know those t-shirts that are around now with the words “Be Kind”? It’s true. We’re all going through something. Be kind. Be mindful. It costs nothing. This is a beautifully emotive story, told from the heart. I could not help but tear up so many times. What he says is so simple, yet so powerful. It just makes sense. “If you have the opportunity today, please go home and tell your mother how much you love her. Do this for your mother. And do it for your new friend, Eddie, who cannot tell it to his mother.” Truer words. If you can, go and do it now. Take the opportunity while it's there. You don’t know what tomorrow can bring. “Family first, family second, and family at the last.” It took many years for Mr.Jaku to feel able to talk of his experiences, as to do so was to acknowledge and face hurts that can never go away. I’m so glad he finally came to a space where he felt able to do so, and was willing to share his story with others. It also made me smile reading how he and his young family settled in Australia and created a happy life for themselves. Brighton-le-Sands is a particular favourite suburb of mine. A wide, tree lined road leads to the beach. It's very pretty, and I can't help but think how lucky we are to live here. The land of opportunity for sure. Yes, Oz has its problems, which country doesn't. But where else can you get such an amazing melting pot of people from so many different countries, creeds and cultures. Australia has been so welcoming to immigrants over the years, who in turn have helped immensely to contribute to make it the great country that it is. I’m thrilled this won the ABIA prize for best bio for 2021. The only way we can learn is through the experiences of others. If only we’ll listen. Happy 100th Birthday Mr.Jaku. It has been a pleasure making your acquaintance. I hope that many people read your story and learn from your wise words. Absolutely ”where there is life there is hope.” I have always believed that and always will. “Menschen sturben Blumen welken Eisen und stachl bricht Aber unsere frundshaft nicht (people die flowers wilt iron and steel break but not our friendship)” Update 12.October.2021 Vale to Mr. Eddie Jaku 🕯 His book left such an impression on me, as I'm sure it did for many others. I'm sure he's still beaming that special smile wherever he is. Thank you for bringing hope and understanding to new generations.

This book is a very quick read but it blew me away. Eddie Jaku wrote this at the age of one hundred in his house in Sydney, Australia. Eddie, as a German Jew, survived the second world war and all of the harrowing events that we know of today. He has a number tattooed on his arm, he lost most of his family and friends, he survived Birkenau and Auschwitz, he was beaten many times, nearly froze in camps and on trains, escaped to be recaptured, and was let down by some he considered friends, some of them Jews. Yet this man writes a book with such a title? How can this be? Read it, such an important book. I will warn you now that it is full of sorrow and sadness. The descriptions of what he remembers in Europe and what he went through are nothing short of heartbreaking. The day in day out life that he had, the desperate attempts to keep himself busy and away from the firing squads, never knowing what happened to the members of his family but always assuming the worst. A major friendship that remarkably recurs through the book in the unlikeliest of places, and an unbelievable will to make it through. The majority of us know of the concentration camps, the pure evil of the Nazi party and their despicable ways during the Holocaust, the Death March out of Auschwitz as the Russians closed in, the appalling conditions, families hiding in rooftops trying to evade the searching Gestapo and the horrendous deeds of Doctor Death, Josef Mengele. Well here is your first-hand account from a man who neither glorifies nor plays down what happened. My last words on this book are these; If you love your self-help books, love to read about ways you can make yourself better, be happier, etc then I recommend this book to you. It is a biography and NOT a self-help book but when you read this, read what this man went through, and read how he came out the other side and with his philosophies on life, I challenge you to find more uplifting words. Eddie Jaku, and his wife Flore, are remarkable people. I would love to meet them but for now, my interaction is with Youtube where you can see Eddie's Tedtalk. In 2013 Eddie was awarded the Order of Australia medal (OAM) and there is no more deserving person. Since arriving in Australia Eddie has worked tirelessly for the Australian Jewish community. R.I.P EDDIE JAKU, passing today at the age of 101. biography

Eddie Jaku, born in Leipzig in eastern Germany in 1920, was named Abraham Salomon Jakubowicz and by his friends, called Adi. But translated to English, that’s pronounced Eddie – so he wants his new friends, the readers of his book, to call him Eddie. Eddie’s family was large; his father was an immigrant from Poland and after settling in Germany, very proud of his adopted country. But all that changed for Eddie and his family when Eddie was arrested in 1938 and taken to Buchenwald. The Nazi’s war on Jews is well known – always horrifying – but Eddie’s first hand description of his time in Buchenwald, then Auschwitz and finally the death march are astounding. The times he was close to death, starving, despondent – all these times and more were somehow overcome. His determination to survive would be tested many times but survive he did. Telling his story, Eddie does it for those who didn’t survive; those 6 million Jews who were murdered and exterminated. The horrors must never be forgotten simply so they never happen again. Now 100 years of age and living in Sydney, Australia with his family, Eddie continues to encourage us all to smile, to take heart when something goes wrong, to tell your mother you love her, to hug your children – because you can. Eddie Jaku is an inspirational man, humble while he tells us all to grab happiness with both hands, to make it happen. His memoir, The Happiest Man on Earth, is one I’d recommend everyone read. It will give you hope in the darkest of days. Thank you Eddie. Highly recommended.

There are some people who I believe are put on Earth to make a difference. In my opinion, Eddie Jaku, was one such man! His memoir, The Happiest Man on Earth, was both heartbreaking and inspiring. I was unaware of Eddie Jaku’s inspirational story until I saw a friend on Goodreads had reviewed his memoir. Eddie’s character, thought process, determination and resourcefulness were always qualities Eddie and others tended to depend on. These qualities that Eddie processed went beyond the limitation of his age and circumstances. I listened to the audiobook of The Happiest Man on Earth that was brilliantly narrated by Raphael Corkhill. The narration pulled me into the life Eddie and his family were dealt. It made me feel their love for one another, the fear they felt and experienced, Eddie’s love and respect for both his father and mother, the resolve that was required for Eddie and his father to make the split second decisions they needed to make to ensure life over death and the strength it must have taken to have survived the atrocities of the Holocaust. Eddie grew up in Leipzig, Germany. He loved everything about Leipzig and was a proud German citizen. Eddie considered himself German first, German second and Jewish last. His family was not very religious or devout. They observed Shabbat and kept kosher. Eddie had his Bar Mitzvah when he turned thirteen. Right after his Bar Mitzvah, Eddie’s father decided that it would be a good idea for Eddie to learn a trade. Eddie was sent far from his house to study complicated and advanced medical machinery. Eddie pretended to be an orphan. He had to hide his Jewish affiliation since anti-semitism was on the rise in Germany. Eddie proved to be one of the best students in his class. Shortly before the end of his instruction, Eddie decided to travel home to see his family. Unfortunately, Eddie had chosen to arrive on the night that became known as Kristallnact or The Night of Broken Glass. Shortly after he arrived at his family’s home, Eddie was beaten by Nazi soldiers and sent off to Auschwitz. Over the years Eddie endured the atrocities of starvation, illness, fear, constant hunger, merciless murders either by the gas chambers, bullets or by hanging and being treated worse than animals by the Nazis. Auschwitz took everything away from Eddie but not his spirit. Eddie’s knowledge of machines saved him from death on more than one occasion. He never forgot to thank his father every time this happened for his wisdom and foresight to push Eddie to learn about them and receive an education. Eddie had one close friend in Auschwitz. That friendship also made his deplorable life a little brighter at times. Eddie promised himself that if he was to survive the nightmare he was living, he would smile everyday for the rest of his life. When Eddie was finally liberated from the horrors of the Holocaust, it took a while for him to adjust to being free. He kept his memories of the Holocaust buried deep inside him. Eddie married, immigrated to Australia and had two sons. Over time, Eddie felt ready to share his story. He spoke to large groups, to school age children, to anyone that would listen. Eddie kept his promise to himself. He smiled everyday. Eddie Jaku had survived the Holocaust and that was something to smile about. I gained such admiration for Eddie Jaku after listening to him recount his life, which included the good moments and the agonizing painful memories of the Holocaust. Eddie Jaku would have been a person that I wished I could have encountered and befriended during his lifetime. He had such a positive outlook on life despite all he had been through. The Happiest Man on Earth was thought provoking and so inspirational. I applaud Eddie Jaku for sharing his story. Many Holocaust survivors find this difficult to do. Many experience survivor’s guilt. Many were not even able to tell their own children about all that they had lived through. I am grateful that Eddie Jaku was able and willing to tell his story. This is a time in history that must never be forgotten. Future generations must be told these stories so that another Holocaust can never be repeated. The Happiest Man on Earth was emotionally draining and yet it lifted my spirits as well. It was about friendship, family, love, gratitude,tolerance, kindness, remembering, strength, courage, fear and so many senseless deaths. I highly recommend the audiobook of The Happiest Man on Earth if you have not had the opportunity yet to listen or read it. marilyn-s-challenge

Synopsis / Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you. Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country. Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on earth'. Published as Eddie turns 100, this is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times. My Thoughts / There are many things more precious than money. This will be short. There is not a lot more I can add to what has already been written about this beautiful book. If you, like me, have read a LOT of books about WWI and WWI, believe me when I tell you, you will not have read a book quite like The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku. From the very first line, which reads My dear new friend. To the final paragraph, If you have the opportunity today, please go home and tell your mother how much you love her. Do this for your mother. And do it for your new friend, Eddie, who cannot tell it to his mother. You will be in awe of this man. Let's start with the cover. Eddie Jaku looks out at you, with a cheeky smile. You can see he's advanced in years, his face is weathered, his skin is wrinkled, his arm bears the tattoo which is a reminder he is an Auschwitz survivor. Barely discernible, there is a badge on his lapel which reads zachor, from Hebrew, which means remember (Jewish History and Jewish Memory). But I'm drawn to his eyes - they have a youthful sparkle, a cheeky childlike appearance. It was a privilege to be able to read this book. Jaku's experiences in surviving the holocaust are nothing short of remarkable. As a storyteller, Jaku recalls his experiences with a calm demeanour. Amazing in itself when you realise the experiences he's recalling are some of the most horrific committed against the human race by Nazi Germany. Eddie was nineteen years of age when he was first sent off to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, he survived not one but two concentration camps (Buchenwald and Auschwitz). Buchenwald was the largest concentration camp within Germany's borders. It was named for the beech forests that stood nearby, which became known as the Singing Forest for the screams that rang out from the prisoners who were tortured there. Auschwitz-Birkenau, was Nazi Germany’s largest concentration camp and extermination camp located near the industrial town of Oświęcim in southern Poland. It comprised three camps in one: a prison camp, an extermination camp, and a slave-labour camp and was the most lethal of the Nazi extermination camps. Jaku recalls his experiences with absolute clarity, his memory of events is solid, his recall exploding with sensory information - sight, sound, smell, taste. And yet, Jaku takes us (his newest friend) by the hand and walks us through his journey with his head held high. Through all of my years I have learned this: life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. Eddie Jaku passed away on 12 October 2021, aged 101.

Abraham Solomon Jakubowicz was born in Leipzig, Germany on the 14th of April 1920 and he was Jewish. Eddie was proud of his country, but everything chanced for Eddie and his family in November 1938 when he was badly beaten and taken to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, Eddie witnessed unimaginable horrors every day and he survived Kristallnacht, Buchenwald, Auschwitz, the Nazi death march. Eddie lost his parents, all of his extended family and he was left a shattered man. Like many Holocaust survivors, Germany no longer felt like home and Eddie lived in Belgium. He and his wife Flore and son Michael decided to immigrate to Sydney. When his son Michael was born Eddie decided that “life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful” and he had to let go of the hate. Eddie volunteers at the Sydney Holocaust Museum, he spoke to over 5000 people at the TED conference, he’s a shy man and remember English isn’t his first language. Eddie wants pay tribute to those who were no longer here to tell what happened, how he chose to live the best life possible, be kind and most of all happy. Eddie’s memoir The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor was published during his 100th year, it’s sad, but most of all it's uplifting and how he found happiness even after the darkest of times. Eddie Jaku OAM, a truly inspirational man and a brave one, and five stars from me.

As soon as you open The Happiest Man on Earth, a 2020 Pan Macmillan Australia publication, you will gain a new life coach in Eddie Jaku. Eddie, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, is a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Eddie is also a Holocaust survivor, with an infectious mantra on happiness that should be followed by all citizens of the world. A German citizen of Leipzig, Eddie Jaku was born to a Jewish family. This embracing family fold wanted the very best for their children, so when Eddie came of age, he was sent away to study mechanical engineering. Without this early education, Eddie would never have managed to come out of World War II alive. When Eddie was just nineteen years old, he was transported to a concentration camp. Through a period of over seven years, Eddie survived two concentration camps, prison farms, factory work as a prisoner and the notorious death march, just before liberation. In this time Eddie was subjected to many evil acts of violence and brutality, but he also witnessed moments of kindness. Despite the loss of his family, friends and home, Eddie lived to tell his tale. Although it took decades for Eddie to share his story with others, he is now one hundred percent committed to educating the world about survival, resilience, hope, peace, acceptance, kindness and happiness. Eddie knows that he owes it to the millions of Jewish people who didn’t survive the Holocaust to share their story. The Happiest Man on Earth has been categorised as a historical autobiography but I see this text as a kind of life guidebook, inspiring the reader to embrace joy, happiness and friendship. It is a humanitarian based tale that will ensure that you never take your life for granted again. Although many of us in Australia and the world are currently facing trying times, The Happiest Man on Earth delivers a timely reminder, that life is what we make of it. Life can be endured and survived, but we can also grasp onto those important moments of hope to carry us through the dark times. Told in a first person style format, over fifteen very moving, inspiring and surprising chapters replaying Eddie Jaku’s life story, The Happiest Man on Earth is an incredibly honest account of this pillar of strength’s world. The tone Eddie takes to his book is warm, embracing, personalised, grounded, simple and factual. There are so many dark moments, but these are interchanged with Eddie’s appreciation for the simple things in life. These include a kind gesture, memorable encounters with friends and his sheer survival instinct. We follow Eddie’s early life in Leipzig, through to his student days, his arrest, two concentration camp experiences, prison postings and the death march that eventually set him free. From his medical recovery, to the assistance Eddie provided to other Holocaust survivors, through to his marriage, the birth of his son, the move to Australia and eventually ending in Eddie’s current role as an inspirational speaker, The Happiest Man on Earth covers a lot of ground in a compact format. I read Eddie Jaku’s book in just an afternoon, it was impossible to put it down and I came away feeling grateful, thankful and inspired. Let The Happiest Man on Earth into your life for an afternoon, or an evening and hopefully you will come away with the same feelings I did of not just utter heartbreak, but of a newfound appreciation for life. I will leave you with these parting words from Eddie Jaku. ‘Happiness does not fall from the sky; it is in your hands. Happiness comes from inside yourself and from the people you love. And if you are healthy and happy you are a millionaire. And happiness is the only thing in the world that doubles each time your share it. My wife doubles my happiness. My friendship with Kurt doubled my happiness. As for you, my new friend? I hope that your happiness doubles too.’ *Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.

“I never lost sight of what it is to be civilised. I knew that there would be no point surviving if I had to become an evil man to do it.” The Happiest Man On Earth is a memoir by Australian Auschwitz survivor, Eddie Jaku, born Abraham Salomon Jakubowicz in Leipzig in 1920. The audio version, with an extra author note, is narrated by Jacek Koman. idyllic childhood cradled within a loving family abruptly comes to an end in 1933 when the Nazi Party begins imposing restrictions of the freedom of Jews. His father, Isidore, insists that his son gets a good education, so Eddie becomes gentile German orphan Walter Schleif for five years until, at eighteen, he graduates as a Precision Engineer. He has found being separated from his family heartbreaking, so returns to Leipzig for a surprise visit only to be beaten and sent to Buchenwald. He is stunned at the change in attitude of ordinary Germans: friends and neighbours who are suddenly manipulated into hatred. Those meting out unbelievable cruelty in the camp, he understands, have lost any morals, human decency or respect they had. But it’s the first occasion, of several, that his father’s insistence on a good education turns out to save his life. A temporary escape to Belgium allows him to live with his family until they are all arrested. After a year in Exarde refugee camp in Belgium, not because he is a Jew, but because he is German, he has encountered many refugees from Hitler’s Germany, among them, former high-ranking German politicians opposing the Nazi Party. He finds Socialist Democrat Artur Bratu calm and inspiring, with an inextinguishable hope for the future of his country: worth following, Eddie decides, a survivor. Before he makes it to Australia, there are encounters with the best and worst of mankind; there’s a failed evacuation from Dunkirk; an arrest in France as a German spy; seven months in a French camp; an escape from a train heading to Auschwitz; a reunion with his family in occupied Belgium, and a hidden stay in a cramped attic that he counts among the best times of his life; internment in Auschwitz, where often only the company of his friend Kurt kept him from giving up all hope. “Kurt was the only link to my old life and a time when I was happy. I must tell you, there was nothing more important than my friendship with Kurt. Without him, I would have succumbed to despair after my parents were murdered.” Forced marches, transport on open train carriages in the snow, and finally, weighing only 28kg, he is picked up by Americans and taken to hospital. What Eddie endured would have turned many people bitter, but this resourceful and resilient man eventually realises that the best revenge on those who tortured him is to live well. And after many years, he realises he needs to share what happened so that others would know. His survival and attitude to life are inspirational.