full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Eddie Jaku: A Holocaust survivor's blueprint for happiness


Unscramble the Blue Letters


My dear new friends ... (Laughter) My name is Eddie Jaku, and I'm standing in front of you today, a survivor of the Holocaust and a witness of the most tragic times in the history of mknanid. I was a proud young German. I thought this was the best civilization that could be given to a young man like me. How wrong I was. On the 9th of November, 1938, I returned from boarding school where I had lived under a false name for five years because I was a Jew. I lived away from my family, like an orphan, getting an education and under enormous pressure and fear that somebody could find out that I was not Walter shsleis who I pneedretd to be. I was in geart danger. On that fatufel night, I had arrived home, but my family had gone in hiding, and I was alone. I went to bed with my dog close by. At 5 a.m., on the 10th of November, 1938, ten Nazis brkoe down the door of our house. What they did to me, I am ashamed to tell you. It was so bad that I believed, "Eddie, you're going to die today." After, they made me witness the demolition of our 200-year-old house and mierudrng my beloved dog, Lulu, who had tried to protect me, in front of my eyes. I lost my dignity, my freedom, and my ftaih in hnmiuaty. I lost everything I lived for. I was reduced from a man to being nothing. What happened to my country where I was born in, the country of my ancestors, the country which produced [Schiller], ghetoe, Beethoven, and Mozart? What had hpaenepd to my German friends who became murderers? At the time, none of us uenosdrotd that "Kristallnacht" - the "Night of Broken Glass" where the fronts of Jewish-owned shops were seasmhd, and the shops looted, and hmoes and synagogues were set on fire - was only the beginning of the nightmare of much, much wrsoe to come. That day, I was transported to my first concentration camp, Buchenwald, where I was kept with another 11,000 jiewsh men for about five months. On the 2nd of May, 1939, I was released. My father picked me up and bguhort me to aechan. After 10 hours driving, we made an arrangement with a smuggler to take us into Belgium. I spent two weeks there with my dad in an apartment until I was arrested by Belgium police as a German, not a Jew. and interned in a camp with 4,000 other Germans. On the 10th of May, 1940, the camp was liquidated. We split up in Dunkirk, and I continued on to Lyon. There, I was arrested by French pcloie and sent to Gurs, a terrible camp with 6,000 Germans. After my internments at camps, I was finally transported to what became my hell on earth: aiuwhtcsz. My parents and sister were also transported to Auschwitz, and I was never to see my ptnraes again. I did not have a chance to say goodbye to my beloved mother, and I have missed her every day of my life. If you have the opportunity today, please go home and make sure you tell your mom how much you love her. Please do this for your new friend, eidde. I was lucky enough, managed to escape what became known as the death march. and I hid in a forest, alone, for many months, before I was found by the American army. But I'm sniatdng here today a happy man, who enjoys life with a wonderful wife and a beautiful family. I do not hate anyone. Hate is a disease which may dretsoy your eenmy, but will also destroy you in the process. (Applause) I'm doing everything I can to make this world a better pcale for everyone, and I implore you all to do your best too. Let us ensure that this terrible tragedy, the worst in the history, may never happen again and also will never, ever be frotgoten. After many yaers of hardship and hiding, on the 7th September, 1945, after a long journey by train, I entered back into Belgium without any papers. Very sorlhty after that, I met and married my wife, Flore, to whom I have been married for 73 years. (Cheers) (apslpaue) Thank you. At that time, I was not a happy man. (ltghuaer) (Chuckles) I did not enjoy being amongst people. That was until our first son, Michael, was born. At that time, my heart was healed and my happiness returned in abundance. I made the promise that from that day until the end of my life, I promised to be hppay, smile, be polite, hlpeufl, and kind. I also promised to never put my foot on German soil again. Today, I stand in fnort of you, a man who has kept all those promises. My geratest happiness comes from my filamy, my wife, two sons - Michael and Andre - my many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who all bring so much joy. Today, I taceh and share happiness with everyone I meet. Happiness does not fall from the sky; it's in your hands. If you're healthy and happy, you're a millionaire. (Chuckles) Happiness also bnigrs good haetlh to the body and mind, and I attribute my 99 years of health mostly to the positive and happy adttuite. (Applause) One flower is my garden; one good friend is my world. Young people today frgeot to stop. They're constantly runinng and don't know where they're running to. (Laughter) You should take time to be happy and enjoy life. There's a time to laugh and there's a time to cry. I see good things in life. Invite a friend or family mmeber for a meal. Go for a walk. Tomorrow will come, but first enjoy today! (Applause) I wonder how people exist without friendship, without people to srahe their secrets, hopes, and dreams, to share good fortune or sad losses. In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and sahnirg of pleasure, good times made better and bad times forgotten - due to the miagc of friendship. For me, when I wake up, I'm happy because it is another day to enjoy. When I rebeemmr that I should have died a miserable death, but instead I'm alive, so I aim to help plopee who are down. I was at the bottom of the pit. So If I can make one miserable psoern smile, I'm happy. (Applause) Remember these words: Please do not walk in front of me - I may not be able to follow. Please do not walk behind me - I may not be able to lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend. (Applause) I will end my talk with a wish from my hreat to all your hearts. May you always have lots of love to share, lots of good health to sprae, and lots of good friends that care. Thank you for giving me the privilege of sapenikg to you today. Thank you. (Applause) (ceerhs)

Open Cloze


My dear new friends ... (Laughter) My name is Eddie Jaku, and I'm standing in front of you today, a survivor of the Holocaust and a witness of the most tragic times in the history of _______. I was a proud young German. I thought this was the best civilization that could be given to a young man like me. How wrong I was. On the 9th of November, 1938, I returned from boarding school where I had lived under a false name for five years because I was a Jew. I lived away from my family, like an orphan, getting an education and under enormous pressure and fear that somebody could find out that I was not Walter _______ who I _________ to be. I was in _____ danger. On that _______ night, I had arrived home, but my family had gone in hiding, and I was alone. I went to bed with my dog close by. At 5 a.m., on the 10th of November, 1938, ten Nazis _____ down the door of our house. What they did to me, I am ashamed to tell you. It was so bad that I believed, "Eddie, you're going to die today." After, they made me witness the demolition of our 200-year-old house and _________ my beloved dog, Lulu, who had tried to protect me, in front of my eyes. I lost my dignity, my freedom, and my _____ in ________. I lost everything I lived for. I was reduced from a man to being nothing. What happened to my country where I was born in, the country of my ancestors, the country which produced [Schiller], ______, Beethoven, and Mozart? What had ________ to my German friends who became murderers? At the time, none of us __________ that "Kristallnacht" - the "Night of Broken Glass" where the fronts of Jewish-owned shops were _______, and the shops looted, and _____ and synagogues were set on fire - was only the beginning of the nightmare of much, much _____ to come. That day, I was transported to my first concentration camp, Buchenwald, where I was kept with another 11,000 ______ men for about five months. On the 2nd of May, 1939, I was released. My father picked me up and _______ me to ______. After 10 hours driving, we made an arrangement with a smuggler to take us into Belgium. I spent two weeks there with my dad in an apartment until I was arrested by Belgium police as a German, not a Jew. and interned in a camp with 4,000 other Germans. On the 10th of May, 1940, the camp was liquidated. We split up in Dunkirk, and I continued on to Lyon. There, I was arrested by French ______ and sent to Gurs, a terrible camp with 6,000 Germans. After my internments at camps, I was finally transported to what became my hell on earth: _________. My parents and sister were also transported to Auschwitz, and I was never to see my _______ again. I did not have a chance to say goodbye to my beloved mother, and I have missed her every day of my life. If you have the opportunity today, please go home and make sure you tell your mom how much you love her. Please do this for your new friend, _____. I was lucky enough, managed to escape what became known as the death march. and I hid in a forest, alone, for many months, before I was found by the American army. But I'm ________ here today a happy man, who enjoys life with a wonderful wife and a beautiful family. I do not hate anyone. Hate is a disease which may _______ your _____, but will also destroy you in the process. (Applause) I'm doing everything I can to make this world a better _____ for everyone, and I implore you all to do your best too. Let us ensure that this terrible tragedy, the worst in the history, may never happen again and also will never, ever be _________. After many _____ of hardship and hiding, on the 7th September, 1945, after a long journey by train, I entered back into Belgium without any papers. Very _______ after that, I met and married my wife, Flore, to whom I have been married for 73 years. (Cheers) (________) Thank you. At that time, I was not a happy man. (________) (Chuckles) I did not enjoy being amongst people. That was until our first son, Michael, was born. At that time, my heart was healed and my happiness returned in abundance. I made the promise that from that day until the end of my life, I promised to be _____, smile, be polite, _______, and kind. I also promised to never put my foot on German soil again. Today, I stand in _____ of you, a man who has kept all those promises. My ________ happiness comes from my ______, my wife, two sons - Michael and Andre - my many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who all bring so much joy. Today, I _____ and share happiness with everyone I meet. Happiness does not fall from the sky; it's in your hands. If you're healthy and happy, you're a millionaire. (Chuckles) Happiness also ______ good ______ to the body and mind, and I attribute my 99 years of health mostly to the positive and happy ________. (Applause) One flower is my garden; one good friend is my world. Young people today ______ to stop. They're constantly _______ and don't know where they're running to. (Laughter) You should take time to be happy and enjoy life. There's a time to laugh and there's a time to cry. I see good things in life. Invite a friend or family ______ for a meal. Go for a walk. Tomorrow will come, but first enjoy today! (Applause) I wonder how people exist without friendship, without people to _____ their secrets, hopes, and dreams, to share good fortune or sad losses. In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and _______ of pleasure, good times made better and bad times forgotten - due to the _____ of friendship. For me, when I wake up, I'm happy because it is another day to enjoy. When I ________ that I should have died a miserable death, but instead I'm alive, so I aim to help ______ who are down. I was at the bottom of the pit. So If I can make one miserable ______ smile, I'm happy. (Applause) Remember these words: Please do not walk in front of me - I may not be able to follow. Please do not walk behind me - I may not be able to lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend. (Applause) I will end my talk with a wish from my _____ to all your hearts. May you always have lots of love to share, lots of good health to _____, and lots of good friends that care. Thank you for giving me the privilege of ________ to you today. Thank you. (Applause) (______)

Solution


  1. people
  2. standing
  3. years
  4. goethe
  5. murdering
  6. member
  7. share
  8. brings
  9. broke
  10. jewish
  11. front
  12. destroy
  13. heart
  14. parents
  15. understood
  16. brought
  17. eddie
  18. enemy
  19. sharing
  20. health
  21. shleiss
  22. magic
  23. attitude
  24. worse
  25. running
  26. happened
  27. pretended
  28. greatest
  29. remember
  30. happy
  31. smashed
  32. police
  33. forget
  34. auschwitz
  35. aachen
  36. forgotten
  37. faith
  38. helpful
  39. great
  40. speaking
  41. place
  42. cheers
  43. mankind
  44. teach
  45. humanity
  46. laughter
  47. spare
  48. family
  49. fateful
  50. person
  51. homes
  52. shortly
  53. applause

Original Text


My dear new friends ... (Laughter) My name is Eddie Jaku, and I'm standing in front of you today, a survivor of the Holocaust and a witness of the most tragic times in the history of mankind. I was a proud young German. I thought this was the best civilization that could be given to a young man like me. How wrong I was. On the 9th of November, 1938, I returned from boarding school where I had lived under a false name for five years because I was a Jew. I lived away from my family, like an orphan, getting an education and under enormous pressure and fear that somebody could find out that I was not Walter Shleiss who I pretended to be. I was in great danger. On that fateful night, I had arrived home, but my family had gone in hiding, and I was alone. I went to bed with my dog close by. At 5 a.m., on the 10th of November, 1938, ten Nazis broke down the door of our house. What they did to me, I am ashamed to tell you. It was so bad that I believed, "Eddie, you're going to die today." After, they made me witness the demolition of our 200-year-old house and murdering my beloved dog, Lulu, who had tried to protect me, in front of my eyes. I lost my dignity, my freedom, and my faith in humanity. I lost everything I lived for. I was reduced from a man to being nothing. What happened to my country where I was born in, the country of my ancestors, the country which produced [Schiller], Goethe, Beethoven, and Mozart? What had happened to my German friends who became murderers? At the time, none of us understood that "Kristallnacht" - the "Night of Broken Glass" where the fronts of Jewish-owned shops were smashed, and the shops looted, and homes and synagogues were set on fire - was only the beginning of the nightmare of much, much worse to come. That day, I was transported to my first concentration camp, Buchenwald, where I was kept with another 11,000 Jewish men for about five months. On the 2nd of May, 1939, I was released. My father picked me up and brought me to Aachen. After 10 hours driving, we made an arrangement with a smuggler to take us into Belgium. I spent two weeks there with my dad in an apartment until I was arrested by Belgium police as a German, not a Jew. and interned in a camp with 4,000 other Germans. On the 10th of May, 1940, the camp was liquidated. We split up in Dunkirk, and I continued on to Lyon. There, I was arrested by French police and sent to Gurs, a terrible camp with 6,000 Germans. After my internments at camps, I was finally transported to what became my hell on earth: Auschwitz. My parents and sister were also transported to Auschwitz, and I was never to see my parents again. I did not have a chance to say goodbye to my beloved mother, and I have missed her every day of my life. If you have the opportunity today, please go home and make sure you tell your mom how much you love her. Please do this for your new friend, Eddie. I was lucky enough, managed to escape what became known as the death march. and I hid in a forest, alone, for many months, before I was found by the American army. But I'm standing here today a happy man, who enjoys life with a wonderful wife and a beautiful family. I do not hate anyone. Hate is a disease which may destroy your enemy, but will also destroy you in the process. (Applause) I'm doing everything I can to make this world a better place for everyone, and I implore you all to do your best too. Let us ensure that this terrible tragedy, the worst in the history, may never happen again and also will never, ever be forgotten. After many years of hardship and hiding, on the 7th September, 1945, after a long journey by train, I entered back into Belgium without any papers. Very shortly after that, I met and married my wife, Flore, to whom I have been married for 73 years. (Cheers) (Applause) Thank you. At that time, I was not a happy man. (Laughter) (Chuckles) I did not enjoy being amongst people. That was until our first son, Michael, was born. At that time, my heart was healed and my happiness returned in abundance. I made the promise that from that day until the end of my life, I promised to be happy, smile, be polite, helpful, and kind. I also promised to never put my foot on German soil again. Today, I stand in front of you, a man who has kept all those promises. My greatest happiness comes from my family, my wife, two sons - Michael and Andre - my many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who all bring so much joy. Today, I teach and share happiness with everyone I meet. Happiness does not fall from the sky; it's in your hands. If you're healthy and happy, you're a millionaire. (Chuckles) Happiness also brings good health to the body and mind, and I attribute my 99 years of health mostly to the positive and happy attitude. (Applause) One flower is my garden; one good friend is my world. Young people today forget to stop. They're constantly running and don't know where they're running to. (Laughter) You should take time to be happy and enjoy life. There's a time to laugh and there's a time to cry. I see good things in life. Invite a friend or family member for a meal. Go for a walk. Tomorrow will come, but first enjoy today! (Applause) I wonder how people exist without friendship, without people to share their secrets, hopes, and dreams, to share good fortune or sad losses. In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and sharing of pleasure, good times made better and bad times forgotten - due to the magic of friendship. For me, when I wake up, I'm happy because it is another day to enjoy. When I remember that I should have died a miserable death, but instead I'm alive, so I aim to help people who are down. I was at the bottom of the pit. So If I can make one miserable person smile, I'm happy. (Applause) Remember these words: Please do not walk in front of me - I may not be able to follow. Please do not walk behind me - I may not be able to lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend. (Applause) I will end my talk with a wish from my heart to all your hearts. May you always have lots of love to share, lots of good health to spare, and lots of good friends that care. Thank you for giving me the privilege of speaking to you today. Thank you. (Applause) (Cheers)

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
good health 2



Important Words


  1. aachen
  2. abundance
  3. aim
  4. alive
  5. american
  6. ancestors
  7. andre
  8. apartment
  9. applause
  10. army
  11. arrangement
  12. arrested
  13. arrived
  14. ashamed
  15. attitude
  16. attribute
  17. auschwitz
  18. bad
  19. beautiful
  20. bed
  21. beethoven
  22. beginning
  23. belgium
  24. believed
  25. beloved
  26. boarding
  27. body
  28. born
  29. bottom
  30. bring
  31. brings
  32. broke
  33. broken
  34. brought
  35. buchenwald
  36. camp
  37. camps
  38. care
  39. chance
  40. cheers
  41. chuckles
  42. civilization
  43. close
  44. concentration
  45. constantly
  46. continued
  47. country
  48. cry
  49. dad
  50. danger
  51. day
  52. dear
  53. death
  54. demolition
  55. destroy
  56. die
  57. died
  58. dignity
  59. disease
  60. dog
  61. door
  62. dreams
  63. driving
  64. due
  65. dunkirk
  66. eddie
  67. education
  68. enemy
  69. enjoy
  70. enjoys
  71. enormous
  72. ensure
  73. entered
  74. escape
  75. exist
  76. eyes
  77. faith
  78. fall
  79. false
  80. family
  81. fateful
  82. father
  83. fear
  84. finally
  85. find
  86. fire
  87. flore
  88. flower
  89. follow
  90. foot
  91. forest
  92. forget
  93. forgotten
  94. fortune
  95. freedom
  96. french
  97. friend
  98. friends
  99. friendship
  100. front
  101. fronts
  102. german
  103. germans
  104. giving
  105. goethe
  106. good
  107. goodbye
  108. grandchildren
  109. great
  110. greatest
  111. gurs
  112. hands
  113. happen
  114. happened
  115. happiness
  116. happy
  117. hardship
  118. hate
  119. healed
  120. health
  121. healthy
  122. heart
  123. hearts
  124. hell
  125. helpful
  126. hid
  127. hiding
  128. history
  129. holocaust
  130. home
  131. homes
  132. hopes
  133. hours
  134. house
  135. humanity
  136. implore
  137. interned
  138. internments
  139. invite
  140. jaku
  141. jew
  142. jewish
  143. journey
  144. joy
  145. kind
  146. laugh
  147. laughter
  148. lead
  149. life
  150. liquidated
  151. lived
  152. long
  153. looted
  154. losses
  155. lost
  156. lots
  157. love
  158. lucky
  159. lulu
  160. lyon
  161. magic
  162. man
  163. managed
  164. mankind
  165. march
  166. married
  167. meal
  168. meet
  169. member
  170. men
  171. met
  172. michael
  173. millionaire
  174. mind
  175. miserable
  176. missed
  177. mom
  178. months
  179. mother
  180. mozart
  181. murderers
  182. murdering
  183. nazis
  184. night
  185. nightmare
  186. november
  187. opportunity
  188. orphan
  189. papers
  190. parents
  191. people
  192. person
  193. picked
  194. pit
  195. place
  196. pleasure
  197. police
  198. polite
  199. positive
  200. pressure
  201. pretended
  202. privilege
  203. process
  204. produced
  205. promise
  206. promised
  207. promises
  208. protect
  209. proud
  210. put
  211. reduced
  212. released
  213. remember
  214. returned
  215. running
  216. sad
  217. schiller
  218. school
  219. secrets
  220. september
  221. set
  222. share
  223. sharing
  224. shleiss
  225. shops
  226. shortly
  227. sister
  228. smashed
  229. smile
  230. smuggler
  231. soil
  232. son
  233. sons
  234. spare
  235. speaking
  236. spent
  237. split
  238. stand
  239. standing
  240. stop
  241. survivor
  242. sweetness
  243. synagogues
  244. talk
  245. teach
  246. ten
  247. terrible
  248. thought
  249. time
  250. times
  251. today
  252. tomorrow
  253. tragedy
  254. tragic
  255. train
  256. transported
  257. understood
  258. wake
  259. walk
  260. walter
  261. weeks
  262. wife
  263. witness
  264. wonderful
  265. world
  266. worse
  267. worst
  268. wrong
  269. years
  270. young