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User:Mahtin/Ivor Perl

< User:Mahtin

Ivor Perl
BEM
Born
Yitzchak Perlmutter

(1932-02-04) February 4, 1932 (age 94)
Makó, Hungary
CitizenshipBritish
OccupationsHolocaust survivor, educator, author
Known forTestimony of Auschwitz and Allach; Holocaust education; memoir Chicken Soup Under the Tree
SpouseRhoda Perl (m 1953-2016)
Children4
AwardsBritish Empire Medal (2016)

Ivor Perl BEM (born Yitzchak Perlmutter, 4 February 1932) is a Hungarian‑born British Holocaust survivor, author, and educator. Deported to Auschwitz–Birkenau at age 12, he survived forced labour, starvation, disease, and a death march before liberation in 1945. After the war he settled in England, where he became an active speaker on the Holocaust and published a memoir, Chicken Soup Under the Tree. His life is the subject of an animated feature film, Survivor, scheduled for release in 2025.

Early life

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Perl was born in Makó, Hungary, into a large Orthodox Jewish family of eleven. He was one of nine children: David, Raizel, Mordechai, Blume, Malka, Moishe, Faigale, and Alec. His parents built a family home in Makó, where he described a warm and loving childhood despite rising antisemitism in Hungary.[1]

He recalled frequent antisemitic abuse, including stones thrown at him and being called a “dirty Jew”.[2]

Deportation and the Holocaust

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Ghettoisation

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After the German occupation of Hungary in March 1944, Jews in Makó were forced into a ghetto. Windows were boarded up to prevent attacks, and families were crowded into small living spaces. Perl’s father and eldest brother were taken for forced labour and never returned.[1]

Before deportation, his mother prepared a pot of chicken soup for the journey and left it under a tree to keep cool. The family was forced onto trains before they could retrieve it—an image that later inspired the title of his memoir.[3]

Auschwitz-Birkenau

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At age 12, Perl arrived at Auschwitz‑Birkenau in April 1944. Prisoners in striped uniforms shouted in Yiddish to claim to be 16. He followed this advice and was selected for labour by Josef Mengele.[4]

His mother and younger siblings were sent directly to the gas chambers. Perl was meant to be tattooed; however, the guards ran out of ink. He was assigned to forced labour. He later described Auschwitz as “literally hell on earth”.[1][5]

Allach and death marches

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Perl and his brother Alec Perlmutter were transferred to Munich-Allach concentration camp[6], the largest sub-camp of the Dachau concentration camp system, where he endured starvation, typhus, and freezing conditions. Because he had claimed to be older, he was forced to perform adult labour despite now having turned 13 at this point.[1][7]

As the Allies advanced, the brothers were forced on a death march as Allied forces closed in on the camp. Alec repeatedly protected Ivor, whom he later credited with saving his life many times.[8]

Liberation and postwar life

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Perl and Alec escaped during the chaos of early May 1945 and were liberated shortly afterwards. They later learned that their parents and seven siblings had been murdered.

The brothers travelled to England[9], where Ivor anglicised his name and rebuilt his life. He married Rhoda, with whom he had four children, and later became a grandfather and great‑grandfather.[10]

He became a long‑standing member of Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre in Golders Green.[11]

Educational work

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Perl has spoken widely in schools, community groups, and public events. His testimony is used by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and March of the Living UK.[1]

He appeared in the BBC One documentary What Happened at Auschwitz (2025), recounting his experiences in the camp.[4]

Honours

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Perl was awarded the British Empire Medal BEM in the 2016 New Year Honours list for services to Holocaust education.[12]

Memoir and film

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Chicken Soup Under the Tree (2023)

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In 2023, Perl published his memoir, Chicken Soup Under the Tree: A Journey to Hell and Back, through the British publisher Lemon Soul.[13][14] The book recounts his early life in Makó, the deportation of his family in 1944, his survival in Auschwitz-Birkenau and Allach, and his postwar rebuilding of life in England. The title refers to one of his final memories of his mother, who prepared a pot of chicken soup for the family before their deportation; the soup was left behind under a tree when the family was forced onto the transport.[13][14]

The memoir was launched at Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre in London, in an event attended by four generations of Perl’s family.[15] Perl pledged to donate £1 from every sale to Jewish Care, reflecting his long-standing connection to the organisation.[13][14]

Survivor (2025 animated film)

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Perl’s life is the subject of Survivor, an animated feature film directed by Zoom Rockman and produced by Lemon Soul and Exceptional Agency.[16] The film tells “the true story of one boy’s journey through the Holocaust” and was developed with input from Jewish Care, the Holocaust Educational Trust, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the National Holocaust Centre and Museum, and the Dachau Memorial Site.[17]

The film was released in 2025 in various countries, including Israel on Netflix, to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camps.[18] Further releases in 2026 are planned including in the UK.[19]

Press coverage

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Perl has been profiled in Jewish News, Jewish Care publications, the Daily Mail, and other UK media. Coverage has focused on his memoir, his testimony, and his participation in the BBC documentary.[20][4][21]

Legacy

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Perl’s testimony, memoir, and the forthcoming film have made him a significant figure in Holocaust education in the United Kingdom. His life story is widely used in schools and public commemorations to teach about the Holocaust and the consequences of hatred.

See also

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Bibliography

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  • Perl, Ivor. Chicken Soup Under the Tree: A Journey to Hell and Back. Lemon Soul Publishing, 2023.
  • Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. “Ivor Perl – Life Story.” HMDT Educational Resources.
  • Jewish News. “Holocaust survivor Ivor Perl publishes memoir.” 20 July 2023.
  • Jewish Care. “Launch of Ivor Perl’s memoir.” 21 July 2023.
  • Lemon Soul. Survivor (film) – Production materials and press kit.
  • BBC One. What Happened at Auschwitz (Documentary), 2025.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ivor Perl". Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  2. ↑ Julius, Josh (20 July 2023). "Holocaust survivor Ivor Perl publishes memoir". Jewish News. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Julius, Josh (20 July 2023). "Holocaust survivor Ivor Perl publishes memoir". Jewish News. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Jack Seale (20 January 2025). "What Happened at Auschwitz review – this urgent documentary is a small step back towards enlightenment". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "British Auschwitz survivor testifies at trial of Oskar Gröning". The Telegraph. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "In their name: perspectives on Holocaust remembrance". International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. 22 January 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "Holocaust Memorial Day: Survivors share their experiences". BBC News. 27 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  8. ↑ Julius, Josh (20 July 2023). "Holocaust survivor Ivor Perl publishes memoir". Jewish News. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "The 'Belsen boys' who moved to Ascot". 6 May 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "Holocaust survivor celebrates 90th birthday". Jewish Care. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  11. ↑ "Jewish Care celebrates launch of Ivor Perl's memoir". Jewish Care. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  12. ↑ "New Year Honours List 2016". UK Government. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 "At 12, I was in Auschwitz. My parents and seven siblings were murdered. Here is how I built a life". The Guardian. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Ivor Perl (9 August 2023). "Chicken Soup Under the Tree". Lemon Soul Books. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  15. ↑ "Holocaust survivor, Ivor Perl BEM's memoir Chicken Soup Under the Tree". Jewish Care. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  16. ↑ "Survivor - Team". Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  17. ↑ "Survivor – The Film". Lemon Soul. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  18. ↑ "Animated film about Holocaust survivor to premiere in 2025". Jewish News. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  19. ↑ "Watch Survivor tonight". Jewish News. 27 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  20. ↑ Julius, Josh (20 July 2023). "Holocaust survivor Ivor Perl publishes memoir". Jewish News. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  21. ↑ Benny Har-Even (30 November 2024). "How Short Film Survivor Shows The Power Of Animation To Depict Difficult Subjects". Forbes. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
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