In this special re-release of Eyewitness History, we honor the life and legacy of Esther Basch, who passed away on April 14, 2025—exactly 80 years to the day she was liberated from the Salzwedel Concentration Camp by American soldiers.

Known to many as “The Honey Girl of Auschwitz,” Esther survived the horrors of Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and endured a brutal death march before her liberation. In this unforgettable conversation, she shares how her 16th birthday was marked by arrival at Auschwitz, the loss of her parents, the forced labor she endured, and how she came face-to-face with Josef Mengele.

But more than a story of survival, Esther's legacy is one of forgiveness. “I cannot forget, but I can forgive because if I don’t forgive, then I suffer, and I suffered enough,” she would often say.

Until her final days, Esther traveled, spoke, and educated countless people—young and old—about the Holocaust, never turning down an opportunity to tell her story. She became not only a pillar of Holocaust education but also a symbol of resilience, optimism, and love.

We re-release this episode in her memory—with deep gratitude and reverence.

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