Holocaust survivor honoured with peace award

Eva Clarke was awarded a Personal Peace Award Photo credit: Cardiff Council

Eva Clarke, a Holocaust survivor born in the Mauthausen concentration camp, was awarded a Personal Peace Award by Cardiff’s Lord Mayor, Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones, on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Born on April 29, 1945, just days before the end of World War II, Clarke’s survival story is nothing short of miraculous. She was born in Mauthausen, Austria, shortly before the camp’s gas chambers were destroyed and just days before American forces liberated the site. Tragically, most of her family, including her father and several relatives, perished in Auschwitz-Birkenau, leaving Eva and her mother, Anka, as the only survivors.

The Lord Mayor praised Clarke’s courage, saying: “Eva Clarke's story is a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of the human spirit. We are honoured to recognise her contributions to our community and beyond.

“Her willingness to share the heart-breaking experiences her family endured ensures that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten and that future generations understand the importance of remembering the past to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again."

A Life Shaped by History

Eva's parents, Bernd Nathan and Anka Kauderová, were deported to Terezín (Theresienstadt) in 1941. While there, Anka became pregnant with a son, Dan, who tragically died of pneumonia at two months old. This loss unknowingly spared Eva's life, as Anka was not visibly pregnant when she was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Anka was later transferred to a labour camp, where she endured a brutal three-week train journey. Upon arriving at Mauthausen, Anka gave birth to Eva in the open, without medical assistance. Both mother and daughter survived, thanks to the camp’s liberation by American forces shortly after.

After the war, the family returned to Prague before emigrating to the UK in 1948. Eva later moved to Cambridge, where she met her husband, a law professor.

Clarke has dedicated her life to Holocaust education, sharing her story to ensure future generations understand the importance of tolerance, human rights, and preventing future genocides.