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A CENTURY OF WISDOM: lessons from the life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the world’s oldest living Holocaust survivor
A collection of stories and life lessons from this most remarkable woman.
At almost 109 years old, Alice Herz-Sommer is the world’s oldest living Holocaust survivor. She is also the world’s oldest concert pianist.
Alice Herz-Sommer, the oldest living Holocaust survivor. Alice is an accomplished concert pianist who still practises daily.
Born in 1903 Prague to a family of Jewish intellectuals and musicians, Alice Herz-Sommer socialised with the likes of Kafka and Brod.
But in 1943, Alice, a prominent concert pianist, her husband and young son, were deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Alice’s mother and husband perished, but Alice and her young son survived. Alice played more than 100 concerts for her fellow prisoners in the camp, giving them and herself comfort and hope. Her son was one of only 93 children (out of 15,000) to survive that camp.
A Century of Wisdom is a collection of Alice Herz-Sommer’s life stories and the lessons she has taken from them. Despite living through terrible experiences, her outlook is one of understanding, optimism and joy.
D
espite all she has suffered and witnessed, Alice Herz-Sommer harbours no bitterness, which she believes only eats away at the hater.
Alice says, ‘only when we are old, do we realise the beauty of life – life is a present’.
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I have rarely read a Holocaust survivor’s memoir as enriching and meaningful.
- Elie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate
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You will be inspired by the story of Alice Herz-Sommer, who lived to teach us.
- Gloria Steinem
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A sweetly affecting collection
- Kirkus Reviews
Read the Washington Post article on Alice here.
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Click here to watch the US trailer for A Century of Wisdom
Caroline Stoessinger has known Alice for several years. She is a prominent pianist and professor of music at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, producer of arts programmes and has served as artistic director of Legacy of Shoah Film Festivals in Prague and New York. She is working on a documentary film about Alice Herz-Sommer. She lives in New York but travels to London to visit Alice.
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Alice Sommer-Herz reflects on her life in the video clips below.
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Links:
- Alice Sommer-Herz documentary
- We Want the Light: Alice performs with the Cologne Opera Chorus
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Truly inspiring! Thank you Alice
Thank you for bring this lovely lady and her message of “gratitude” to us. She is truly inspiring and a gift to us all!
Alice Herz-Sommer is truly inspirational lady. She has recorded many stories for our website, webofstories.com
Here, Herz-Sommer describes the importance of avoiding boredom! http://www.webofstories.com/play/17995?o=S
For more stories by Alice Herz-Sommer, please visit webofstories.com