The second World War, also known as World War II started in the year 1939 and ended in the year 1945. It is said to have started in 1st September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. During 1944, many people from Romania and other parts of the world were shipped to major World War II countries like Poland. They were bought to be treated like slaves. The children were torn away from their mother’s arms, and the twins were used as guinea pigs for experiments conducted by the Nazi’s.
Eva’s Life
Eva was born in 1934 with her twin sister Miriam. They were born in Porţ, Kingdom of Romania. hey had two older, siblings and their parents were farmers. In 1944, Eva and her family, expect her father were deported from Cehei ghetto to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in May. Soon, when asked if Eva and her sister, Miriam were twins, her mother said yes. Soon the twins were pulled out from her arms. That was the last time either of them ever saw their mother.
For the next 10 months, they were being measured and injected with chemicals every alternate day. They were a part of the experimentation led by SS Doctor Josef Mengele. A few weeks into the camp, Eva fell sick due to one of the injections that she had received. Her arms and legs were all swollen and were very painful. She was taken to the hospital when she was told she only has two weeks to live. Two weeks later, her fever broke and she was reunited with her twin sister.
On January 27th the Red Army liberated Auschwitz. Kor and her sister were among approximately 180 children, most of whom were twins, to survive the camp. Initially, the twins were sent to a convent in Katowice, Poland, which was being used as an orphanage. By searching a nearby displaced person’s camp, Eva and Miriam located Rosalita Csengeri, a friend of their mother who also had twin daughters used by Mengele (The doctor who led the experiment). Csengeri took responsibility for Eva and Miriam, helping them return to Romania.
Eva’s Late Life
After World War II ended, Eva and her twin sister Miriam moved back to Romania. In Romania, they attended a school which helped them get back up from their experiences in Auschwitz. At the age of 16, they left Romania and immigrated to Isreal. Here, both of them served the Israeli army.
Later on, Eva married an American citizen Micheal Kor, a survivor as well. Miriam, on the other hand, had kidney problems. Eve donated her kidneys and said, “I have one sister and two kidneys, so it was an easy choice”. Miriam died in 1993 of kidney cancer.
Later on, Eva faced her share of health problems, which were a result of the chemicals that were injected into her body. On July 4, 2019, Kor died while in Kraków, Poland, accompanying a CANDLES group on an educational trip to Auschwitz. She made the trip annually to share her childhood experiences and give tours from her perspective as a survivor.
Eva’s Awards And Honours
- 2020: Posthumously given the ‘Friend of Education’ award by the Indiana State Teacher’s Association
- April 2017: Sachem Award by Governor Eric Holcomb
- April 2016: Make a difference award from WTHI-TV
- April 2016: Daughters of WWII, The Bush Institute
- November 2015: Honorary Eagle, Florida Gulf Coast University,
- 2015: Mid-America Regional Emmy, Forgiving the Nazis: Life Lessons from the Holocaust
- 2015: Indiana Heros Award, Indiana Wesleyan University,
- 2015: Anne Frank Change the World Award
- 2015: The Mike Vogel Humanitarian Award
- 2015: Femme a’l’honneur Prix du Pardon
- April 2015: United Way of the Wabash Valley Woman of Influence
- March 2014: Community Global Engagement Award, Indiana State University
- May 2013: Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Mike Pence,
- May 2013: Honorary Doctor of Public Service, Christian Theological Seminary
- November 2012: Distinguished Who’s Who Award
- February 2012: Ambassador of Goodwill, Arkansas Traveler
- June 2010: Education Outreach and Service Award
- August 2008: Forgiveness Hero Award, Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance
- May 2008: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College
- 2006: Hoosier Heros Award by Indiana Dollars for Scholars
- November 2005: Keeper of the Light, a Woman Torch Bearer Award
- January 2005: Sagamore of the Wabas by Governoer Joe Kernan
- April 2004: Americanism Award by the Daughters of the American Revolution
- January 2004: Gilbault Excellence Award Education Sectors
- 1995: Woman of Valor by the Terrre Haute Jewish Community
- 1990: Emmy Award (regional) for co-producing the video, “CANDLES”
- 1985: Jewish Activism Award by News and View a Jewish radio station in New York
- 1985: News Woman of the Year voted by the Israeli Press.
