Elly Gross facts for kids
Elly Berkovits Gross, born on February 14, 1929, is a brave Holocaust survivor. She has written several books of poems and stories about her experiences during the Holocaust. Today, she lives in the United States and often speaks at museums and schools across the country, sharing her powerful story.
Contents
Elly Gross: A Story of Survival
Her Early Life and the Holocaust
Elly was born in a town called Șimleu Silvaniei in Romania. Her parents were Eugene and Irina Berkovits. In 1944, when Elly was 15, Hungarian soldiers took over her town. Her father was forced to work in a labor camp and sadly died during the war.
Soon after, Elly, her mother, and her younger brother, Adalbert, were forced to move to a place called the Cehei ghetto. A ghetto was a special area where Jewish people were forced to live, separated from everyone else. Six weeks later, Elly and her family, along with thousands of other Jewish people, were packed into crowded train cars. They were taken to Auschwitz concentration camp, a very dangerous place.
At Auschwitz, Elly was separated from her mother and brother. She never saw them again. Elly often says that it was a "miracle" that she survived the camp. Very few young people her age made it through such a terrible time.
Life After the War
After Auschwitz, Elly was moved to another camp called Fallersleben, which was part of the Neuengamme concentration camp. There, she was forced to work for a car company called Volkswagen. On April 14, 1945, Elly was finally freed by the Allied forces at a place called Salzwedel.
After being freed, Elly went back to her hometown. She soon married Ernest Gross, a friend of her family. They had two children and five grandchildren, who also live in the United States. Elly continued to learn and grow. In 1993, when she was 64 years old, she earned a college degree in Fine Arts from LaGuardia Community College.
Her Books and Legacy
Elly Berkovits Gross has written several important books that share her memories and experiences. These books help people understand what happened during the Holocaust. Some of her works include:
- 'Poems of Elly Gross: Memories of a Holocaust Survivor'
- 'Storm against the Innocents and other stories'
- 'Elka's Growing Up in a Changing World' (This is a book and a DVD)
- 'Elly: My True Story of the Holocaust'
- 'Of Miseries and Miracles: The Holocaust Testimonial of Elly Berkovits Gross' (This is a DVD only)
- 'Vanished World: A Memoir of Ernest'
Some of her books have also been translated into Spanish and Romanian, so even more people can read her powerful stories. Elly's work helps to teach new generations about the importance of remembering history and standing up against hate.
