The Happiest Man on Earth

 

The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku. New York: Harper, 2021. 198 pages. *****

Born in Leipzig, Germany, into a Jewish family, Eddie Jaku was a teenager when his world was turned upside down. On November 9, 1938--Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass--Eddie was beaten by SS thugs, arrested, and sent to a concentration camp with thousands of other Jews from across Germany. Every day for the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors in Buchenwald, in Auschwitz, and finally on a forced death march during the Third Reich's last days. The Nazis took everything from Eddie--his family, his friends, and his country. 

While reliving the horrors of his experiences, Eddie also provides insight into his will to survive. He learned that " happiness does not fall from the sky; it is in your hands. Happiness comes from inside yourself and from the people you love." Calling himself The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie looks for the good in people and wants the world to be a better place and for us never to give up hope. At 100 years old, his tenaciousness, kindness and generosity is an inspiration to all who reads or hears his story. I read this book in one day and highly recommend it. When I worked in a local high school Holocaust survivors visited the school each year and spoke to the students about their experiences. Eddie's book should be required reading for everyone. It will also be a powerful Graduation present. 

Eddie Jaku OAM was born Abraham Jakubowicz in Germany in 1920. In World War Two, Eddie was imprisoned in Buchenwald and Auschwitz concentration camps. In 1945, he was sent on a 'death march' but escaped. Finally he was rescued by Allied soldiers. In 1950 he moved with family to Australia where he has lived since. Eddie has volunteered at the Sydney Jewish Museum since its inception in 1992. Eddie has been married to his wife Flore for 74 years. They have two sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In 2020, Eddie celebrated his 100th birthday.

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