The Story

A spirited South African Holocaust survivor reveals her astonishing life journey. Born in 1921 Warsaw, Ella Blumenthal grew up with a large family and a love for swimming. WWII changed everything: from the Warsaw Ghetto uprising to Bergen-Belsen, Ella and her niece, Roma, bore witness to the unthinkable, persevering only with hope and faith.

Today Ella lives in Cape Town, greeting each day with optimism and even compassion for those who would deny her past. Ella’s memories, shared for the first time, are illustrated through evocative hand-drawn animation. Against rising xenophobia worldwide, this beautifully rendered Holocaust memoir shares a vital message of resilience.

Read: Explore the Jewish Holocaust Centre's virtual collection of eyewitness accounts from Melbourne-based Holocaust survivors.