Eva Kor, a survivor of the twin experiments at Auschwitz, shares some of her stories of trauma and forgiveness, and the remarkable ability of human beings by God’s grace to overcome trials and touch lives everywhere while championing a balance of forgiveness and human rights issues worldwide. She passed away in 2019 at the age of 85.
Eva Mozes was born in Portz, Romania in 1934 as one of four daughters in a farming family, and attended her early childhood years in a one-room schoolhouse. She and her twin sister Miriam Mozes Zeiger were separated from their family when the Nazis rounded up the family and brought them to Auschwitz. Eva and Miriam would never see their other immediate family members again, and endured nine months of medical experimentation under Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. A mysterious illness came upon Eva, and her prognosis was declared to be grim.
However, Eva survived, and the Soviet army liberated the camp in 1945. Eva and Miriam returned to Romania to seek refuge with an aunt while rebuilding their lives. They both went to Israel in their teenage years to serve in the Israeli Army. There, Eva met her husband, an American citizen who also survived the Holocaust, and with that, came to the United States where they raised a family in rural Indiana.
Eva and Miriam in their later years wanted to reconnect with other twins who survived Auschwitz, and founded a non-profit group called CANDLES (Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors) in 1984 which has successfully connected many twin survivors of the Holocaust.
In 2007, Eva worked with Indiana state legislators to pass a law requiring Holocaust education be taught in all secondary schools. Eva has also used her gifts as an educator and speaker to present a course at Indiana State University in 2009 on the value and philosophy of overcoming adversity in life using the Holocaust as her primary source material.
"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Eva Kor, Holocaust survivor, forgiveness advocate, and founder of CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center," the museum said in a statement. "Eva Kor has touched hundreds of thousands of people over her 85 years through her message of overcoming tragedy, finding forgiveness, and healing.”
Written by Erin Parfet
