Meet the Auschwitz survivor who’s gone viral on TikTok

Lily grew up in Hungary and was 20 years old when she was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in July 1944 along with her mother, three sisters, and younger brother. Her mother, brother, and sister Berta were gassed and murdered upon arrival at the death camp. 

But Lily and her other sisters, Renee and Piri, survived four months in Auschwitz. Then they were transferred to a smaller camp to work at a munitions factory until the United States Army liberated them in April 1945. 

For most of her life, Lily could not bring herself to talk about the horrifying nightmare she’d survived. It was just too painful. 

But recently, something changed. She decided that sharing her story was too important to keep silent any longer.

Her great-grandson knew the world needed to hear Lily’s story. He began making short videos about her life and sharing them on social media. 

Sure enough, young viewers couldn’t get enough of her story. The duo quickly reached 1.8 million followers on TikTok. Viewers can ask her questions and see glimpses of her life, all while listening to Lily’s message of hope.  

Her experience has even inspired a new book: Lily's Promise: Holding On to Hope Through Auschwitz and Beyond - A Story for All Generations. Lily and Dov wrote the bestselling memoir together. 

The book reveals how sharing her story online is one way that Lily fulfills a promise she made to herself decades ago:

After World War II ended, Lily married and raised a family. She has three children, 10 grandchildren, and 35 great-grandchildren. Each new baby in her family has been a joyful sign of hope and triumph. 

“Babies are the best revenge against the Nazis,” she said. 

There is so much to love about this vibrant, joyful pair. It’s refreshing to see young people on TikTok learning about such an important part of history and listening to Lily’s wisdom. 

“She's a fighter and a survivor," Forman said. "Our family, we learn from her." And the rest of us learn from her inspiring example, too.