A woman who survived the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp and became a "trailblazing advocate for Holocaust education" has died at the age of 100.

Lily Ebert died peacefully at her home in Golders Green surrounded by family, her great-grandson Dov Forman said on Wednesday.

She suffered “unimaginable loss” when her mother, younger sister and brother were murdered in the gas chambers, but had vowed to tell her story in the years that followed.

Lily was freed from Auschwitz at the age of 20, and lived in Switzerland and Israel, and then moved to the UK in 1967 with her husband Samuel, settling in London.

Lily had more than two million followers on her TikTok account, where she shared her story alongside great-grandson Forman.

Mr Forman co-wrote the bestselling book Lily’s Promise ​with his great-grandmother, detailing the life she built for herself after the war and with a foreword by the King.

(Image: Nick Ansell)

In January 2023, she was made an MBE for her services to Holocaust education.

In 2022, Ms Ebert's image was one of two portraits of Golders Green Holocaust survivors included in a set of seven commissioned by the then Prince of Wales, now on display at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

At the unveiling at the Queen’s Gallery in London, Ms Ebert told Charles: “Meeting you, it is for everyone who lost their lives.”

As he touched her shoulder, he replied: “But it is a greater privilege for me.”

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Forman said the family’s “beloved matriarch”, known as Safta, would be hugely missed.

He wrote: “Over the years, Safta’s story touched hundreds of millions worldwide, reminding us of the resilience of the human spirit and the dangers of unchecked hatred. She taught us the power of tolerance and faith, the importance of speaking out, and the need to stand against prejudice.

“Safta was the queen of our large, loving family. With a surviving daughter and son – remembering a daughter who pre-deceased her – 10 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, her legacy lives on in each of us.

“She rebuilt her life with faith and love, never asking, ‘why me?’ Instead, she focused on what could be rebuilt from the ashes, and her positivity continues to guide us through these difficult times.

“As we mourn our beloved Mummy, Safta, we also celebrate her extraordinary life. A light that shone so brightly has gone dark. She was our hero, and her absence leaves an unimaginable void in our lives.”

(Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) hailed her “zest for life”.

The organisation’s chief executive, Michael Newman, said: “Lily was a trailblazing advocate for Holocaust education – her special connection with her great-grandson, Dov, helped to bridge the generation gap and reach millions of people through social media.

“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz this Holocaust Memorial Day, Lily’s zest for life will burn brightly in our thoughts.”

AJR said it currently supports around 500 first generation Holocaust survivors and refugees in the UK.

Karen Pollock, chief executive of Holocaust Educational Trust, described Ms Ebert as “the epitome of strength and determination” who will be remembered for her “incredible story, her unparalleled tenacity and her zest for life”.

(Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Speaking to the PA news agency after receiving her MBE, Ms Ebert said she had always tried to be a positive force in the world and encourage others to “appreciate our differences and learn from each other, and be kind to everyone”.

She added: “Something terrible like that should never, ever happen again. As long as I am alive I will teach the world to be tolerant.”

On educating the younger generation on social media, she said: “I find (educating people through TikTok) very important because the youngsters really want to learn and they should learn.

“I don’t speak only what I learn – I went through it.”