The Happiest Man on Earth

Author: Eddie Jaku

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Year of release: 2020

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biographies, political, Memoir, Holocaust   

Release date: 28^th July 2020 Rating

Synopsis

Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.

Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp.

Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country.

Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom, and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the ‘happiest man on earth’.

Published as Eddie turns 100, this is a powerful, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.

Review

Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first and a Jew second. Growing up he was proud of his country, proud to call himself German however all of that changed in November 1938, on that day Eddie was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. This is his story.

Eddie Jaku spent 7 years being ordered about, receiving beatings if he should speak out against the treatment he and fellow prisoners received, deprived of food and the basic luxuries such as soap. The threat of death by any means available to the officers at the time  was around every corner, you would think and believe  Eddie Jaku to hold nothing but resentment and hate towards every other human being on this planet, I personally  think I would; but this is far from the case when it comes to Mr Jaku his message is rather simple.

“Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.”

Eddie Jaku

This has to be one of the most important books I believe I have ever read, I cried, I smiled I asked the question “What did they do that was so wrong? I believe Eddie has tried his best to answer this

“I still can’t understand how people with whom I went to work, with whom I studied and played sport, could become animals like that. How was it that Hitler could make enemies of friends, turn civilized men into inhuman Zombies? How is possible to create such hate?

-Eddie Jaku

All I can come up with is nothing! They didn’t do anything; no crime was committed and they’re punishment is unthinkable and vile and as I sit here surrounded by my luxuries I struggle to put this into words.

I applaud Mr Jaku’s bravery and courage to share his story with the world for the purpose of spreading hope, to keep moving when it would have been easy to just give in. To relive what I can only describe as a nightmare to put on page for others to read about can’t have been easy. 

Amongst all the darkness there were patches of light, they are shown in Eddie’s friendship with Kurt. I took a deep breath when Eddie and Kurt formed a strong lifelong friendship at last some hope someone to fight to survive with, someone to call friend.

“I cannot emphasise this enough, especially to young people. Without friendship, a human being is lost. A friend is someone who reminds you to feel alive.”

-Eddie Jaku

I had seen this out on shelfs and assumed it was another politician memoir and gave it no more thought, it was chosen by my book club and for this I’m grateful. I think everyone from young adult to adult should make a new friend with Eddie Jaku, you won’t be sorry you might even be grateful. I’m hesitant to treat this like a normal review. As this is not my story to pull apart, this is Eddie’s story.  This story is those of the 6 million Jews who lost their lives, I’ll let Eddie Jaku tell you in his words….

“Please every day, remember to be happy, and to make others happy too. Make yourself a friend to the world. Do this for your new friend,

– Eddie Jaku.” My dear new friend you’ve got a new friend in me.