Iby knill biography books

Why would you visit a website written by and about a 98 year old woman?

You really need to go to My Blog to find out more …You will find updates, news and views there.

But some facts first;

I was born in Czechoslovakia in 1923, escaped to Hungary in 1942, imprisoned and sent to Auschwitz Birkenau 1944,I was liberated on Easter Sunday, 1st April 1945 and I came to the UK in 1947.

Since then I have had several careers, got a BA in 1973, an MA in 2002 (aged 79), Honorary Doctorate from Huddersfield University in 2016, Honorary Fellowship from Leeds Trinity University in 2017 and a BEM in the Queen’s Honours list in 2017.

The website has been created to spread my story around the world. So, if you are interested in reading about me  visit the My Story page. Here there is also a link to the film [ 18 minutes] .

For any events where I am talking, navigate over to the Events page. Past events are given in the Archived Events page. For comments about my talks please visit the People’s Thoughts page.

If there is anything that you would like to ask about my story or the upcoming events, take a look at the FAQ page. If you can’t find the answer to your question, please email me at: iknill01@gmail.com

If you would like to buy my books, look at the book order page. There you can order ‘The Women Without a Number’  and the sequel: “The Woman with Nine Lives”. Booksellers also stock the books, as does Amazon, where there is even an e-book! There is also a Slovakian translation, with other translations in the offing…

Thank you for reading this far – I hope you enjoy the books – if that’s the right expression – appreciate maybe would be a better!

February 2021 ….Covid 19 has played havoc with the world and with me personally. It has put a stop to all proposed speaking engagements and as I struggle to work Zoom or other web technologies, it has made it difficult for me to operate ot

Overview

Summary

Iby Knill is a simply remarkable woman. An Auschwitz holocaust survivor originally from Bratislava, she married a British army officer and set out to make a new life in England, arriving in Cornwall in 1947 to set up home. Dealing with the problems of integration as an immigrant in post-war Britain, raising a family and making careers in civil defence, education, international textile design and manufacture and as linguist, amongst others, she also gained an MA at the age of 80.Passionate about music and art, the loss of her beloved Bert prompted her to return to writing but always hitting a stumbling block, 60 years of suppressed memories. Eventually, despite several breakdowns, she unlocked that part of her life and became determined to tell of her experiences to future generations.Even now, she is in constant demand to talk to various groups, schools and within the media. This eagerly-awaited 'The woman with nine lives' picks up where her best-selling first book 'The woman without a number' ends, evoking changing times through a life that has constantly embraced challenge and opportunity. Included in it is the growing realisation that the past cannot be avoided, the difficulty of facing up to it and of how, eventually, Iby returns to some of the places that brought tragedy and despair to her young and formative years. Interspersed within her story, she tells those of her brother, father and mother - the woman whose determination she has inherited. Poignant, moving and searingly honest, this account reconfirms the very best of human nature and is a truly uplifting sequel. With a foreword by Fabian Hamilton, MP.

Format

Book

Author/Creator

Knill, Iby, 1923-

Published

Leeds : Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd, 2016

Locale

Slovakia
Great Britain

Notes

"A sequel to the best-selling, The woman without a number"--T.p.

Physical Details

Language

English

ISBN

9780993510113
0993

After arriving, Iby was shaved, showered, and given a prisoner uniform before entering the camp. Her language skills were very useful in Auschwitz, as it meant she could communicate in German with the guards, which sometimes resulted in better rations. However, this did not protect her entirely; Iby developed a hip condition and she ended up in the camp’s hospital. It was then that she underwent X-ray experiments.

Iby only stayed in Auschwitz for six weeks, because she and some friends volunteered to accompany a slave labour transport to an armament factory in Lippstadt, Germany. They were forced to make armaments for the German war effort. Where possible, Iby and her friends would sabotage the work. Eventually, Iby was put in charge of the camp hospital due to her fluency in German and informal nursing skills.

In March 1945, the hospital unit was evacuated and Iby and the other women were taken on a death march towards Bergen-Belsen. Anyone who couldn’t keep up was shot. lby had a renewed infection in her hip and credits her survival to her friends who carried her along the way. Iby was finally liberated by the American army on Easter Sunday 1945.

Iby’s mother and brother both survived the war and returned to Bratislava. Iby spent some time recuperating in hospital and then began working as a translator and interpreter for the Allied Military Government in Germany. In September 1946, she returned to live with her mother and brother in Bratislava. Her father perished in Auschwitz.

Description for The Woman with Nine LivesPaperback. Holocaust survivor Iby Knill picks up from where she left off in the best-selling 'Woman without a Number' arriving in England in 1947. Building nine separate lives, she also has to come to terms with her past. Poignant, moving and searingly honest, this account reconfirms the very best of human nature and is a truly uplifting sequel. Num Pages: 208 pages, 8pp b&w and colour. BIC Classification: 1DBK; 3JJP; BM; HBJD1; HBLW3; HBTZ1. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 141 x 217 x 23. Weight in Grams: 296.

Product Details