The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor; by Eddie Jaku

A few days ago, I read an amazing book, “The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor,” by Eddie Jaku. I was shaken to the core when I read firsthand experiences of holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, through this book.

Eddie describes a warm childhood in Leipzig where family, culture, and simple values shaped him. He recalls his father’s lesson that giving brings more pleasure than taking and how that lesson would later help him survive emotionally when everything else was lost.

The rise of Nazi hatred shatters normal life and identity as anti‑Jewish laws and public hostility escalate. Eddie remembers being stunned when neighbors turned away and when simple pleasures were replaced by fear.

Kristallnacht and its aftermath mark the collapse of safety; violence and humiliation become public and sanctioned. Eddie recounts how shops were smashed, synagogues attacked, and how the sense of belonging evaporated overnight.

Deportation strips people of names and dignity and teaches cruel routines of survival; being useful often meant staying alive. Eddie was a skilled toolmaker, which helped him survive the initial camps and learn to hide small possessions, including bits of bread.

Arrival at Auschwitz brings the rawest brutality: selections, constant hunger, and forced labor. Eddie describes how bread was rationed to near absurdity and how prisoners would hide crumbs, share a crust in secret, or trade favors for a bite, because a single crust could be the difference between life and death.

Friendship and small mercies become lifelines amid horror; his friendship with Kurt and others kept Eddie human through shared stories and protection. Eddie explains how prisoners slept huddled together to protect each other from the cold, using bodies as blankets and rotating positions to keep weaker men warm.

Daily life in the camp required improvisation, humor, and stubbornness to endure forced labor and humiliation. Eddie recalls scrounging extra rations, bartering scraps for soup, and using tiny moments of levity to survive another night.

Death marches and transfers test endurance and solidarity as hope flickers. Eddie remembers marching hours on frozen ground, someone slipping and being left behind, and how clutching a shared piece of bread or a whispered encouragement could keep a comrade moving.

Liberation brings freedom shadowed by grief; surviving meant rebuilding identity from losses. Eddie speaks of the strange relief of liberation tempered by the realisation that family, friends, and a former life were gone.

Reconstruction begins with small, steady choices: rebuilding relationships, learning trades, and choosing gratitude. Eddie’s move to Australia, marriage, and family life show how persistence and tiny acts of kindness rebuild a meaningful life.

Forgiveness and the deliberate choice of happiness become central practices. Eddie explains he chose not to let hatred rule him, instead smiling, being kind, and making happiness an active decision each day.

Education, testimony, and simple daily habits become Eddie’s legacy: speak up, teach, and practice small kindnesses. He emphasises practical acts such as sharing food when possible, listening to others, and sleeping close to protect those more vulnerable in times of crisis.

The life of Eddie seems to be full of pain, stress, and survival instincts, yet he chose to remain in the present and vowed to be happy till the last breath. He lived a full of 101 years. I feel Eddie wanted us to see life as it is and keep smiling till its end.

Despite all such hardships and betrayal from his own country, he remained a proud citizen, raised a family, and contributed to society. Everyone should read this book to understand the beauty of being in the present and really living.

Thanks, Eddie Jaku, for sharing your life through this incredible memoir.