Lives Well Lived forgiving the unforgivable, with Holocaust survivor EDITH EGER
May 1, 2026
Edith Eger, Holocaust survivor and clinical psychologist who turned trauma into healing, shares her life story. She recalls dancing through Auschwitz, the slow work of reframing suffering, Viktor Frankl's influence, human connection after liberation, and forgiveness as self-liberation. Short, wise rules about resilience, purpose, and living authentically round out the conversation.
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Dancing To Survive Mengele
- Edith Eger became the “ballerina of Auschwitz” by dancing under Josef Mengele’s inspection to survive selection.
- She says fear pushed her to perform her best dance while not knowing if she would be sent to the gas chamber next.
Use Survivor Self-Talk To Push Through
- Do tell yourself you survived before and can survive now to push through temporary hardship.
- Edith describes self-talk like “I did it before, I can do it now” as a practical strategy to endure fear.
Meaning Emerged Decades After Survival
- Edith's reframing of Auschwitz took decades and was triggered by Viktor Frankl's idea of finding meaning in suffering.
- That shift led her to study psychology, heal others, and view trauma as an education rather than only a wound.
