Holocaust Survivor Finds Healing and Hope

The first time I met Liliane Anshel, she was pushing a small stroller in Diebert Park with two miniature poodles inside. We instantly bonded because I was also pushing a stroller that contained my elderly Scottie, Sophie. We laughed at the silliness of our appearance; however, our commitment to our animals and gratitude for their unconditional love caused us both to shirk the eye rolls of others and push on, happy to make our pups final years good ones.

I would often see her at the park dressed in a colorful jogging suit. Her lovely silver finger waves hung just above her shoulders in a 1930s style that betrayed her age, for apart from that you would have no idea she was in her late eighties. Her beautiful brown eyes, charming French accent and easy laugh gave her the appearance of someone decades younger. I typically saw her at the end of my walks and we would talk about the weather, current events, and dogs we had loved, both past and present as we strolled together.

At the time that I met Liliane, my mother, who was two years younger than Liliane, was still alive. I had learned by watching my mother in action to pay attention to others, because unlike our culture which worships youth, beauty, wealth and success—God treasures everyone. Mom had once remarked to me how frustrating it was to get older because people often ignore, interrupt or talk over you. It broke my heart when she shared that, but then I began to notice how often it happened, and what a shame because my mother was wise, wonderful, loving and fun. 

One day, Carol Clemmons, a dear high school friend of mine, who was home for the funeral of her mother, asked me to join her for dinner at the home of her mom’s best friend. I was delighted when I arrived at the home of the “friend” to discover it was Liliane. Several neighbors had been invited, and we all enjoyed an amazing meal Liliane prepared with authentic French flair, including a divine chocolate pudding made from avocados—who knew?

Carol shared with us that Liliane had survived a Nazi labor camp during World War II. When confronted with a revelation of this magnitude, it often casts a hush over the room as people struggle to find anything to say. I was dumbfounded to learn that someone who emanated so much light and joy could have survived something so horrific. I asked Liliane how she managed, and she demurred saying she didn’t like to talk about that time in her life, but one thing she did know is that God had spared her. And I thought to myself, yes, God is good even in the midst of great suffering. He is with us.

I later learned from Liliane’s daughter, Michelle Anshel Ray, that Liliane, her aunt Therese, and her uncles were all taken to the forced labor camp. Here, Liliane witnessed the murder of her beloved uncles, who were shot by the Nazis. At the time, Liliane’s father was fighting in Africa against the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan). Initially, Liliane and her aunt were able to escape, but Liliane was captured again. According to the Wiener Holocaust Library:

“As in most Nazi camps, conditions in forced labor camps were inadequate. Inmates were only ever seen as temporary, and, in the Nazis view, could always be replaced with others: there was a complete disregard for the health of prisoners. They were subject to insufficiencies of food, equipment, medicine and clothing, whilst working long hours. There was little or no time for rest or breaks. As a result of these conditions, death rates in labor camps were extremely high. By 1945, more than 14 million people had been exploited in the network of hundreds of forced labor camps that stretched across the whole of Nazi-occupied Europe.”

Thanks be to God, Liliane’s mother and father, as well as her three brothers, Robert, Alain, and Bernard Bach, all survived the war. What’s more, Liliane met and married a widower, David Anshel, who had two daughters Karen, who was 16, and Michelle, who was three. Later, Liliane officially adopted Michelle as her own, and eventually would know the joy of being blessed with both grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Over the next several years, Liliane would invite me to her home for dinner, and it was always a treat. She found great joy in advocating for animals. For well over 50 years, she had financially supported and volunteered for a variety of pet rescue organizations. I believe that because she suffered so much abuse at the hands of Nazis that helping the helpless became a passion that caused her light to burn brighter and brighter with each passing year.

On one of the occasions that she invited me to dinner, I was perusing her bookshelf when I saw Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I asked her what she thought of it and she replied that she loved Jesus and recognized Him as God’s Son. I was overjoyed to discover she was a fellow believer. I asked her if her faith in Jesus had caused her any difficulties. She told me it had made her unpopular at the Temple, but to her it was obvious that Jesus was the Son of God, so she quit going to Temple. I asked her if she would like to go to church with me sometime, and she politely declined saying that she preferred to spend time with God at home. 

Although at 91, Liliane appeared to be in excellent health, she had developed troubling leg sores that would not heal. I would have never have known about them if it weren’t for my friend Carol, who “told on” Liliane to me, much to her chagrin. When I called Liliane to ask what was going on, she confessed it had been quite difficult, but that she didn’t like to burden anyone and was going to be fine. My mother had been a champion health hider, not letting anyone know something was wrong until it was nearly an emergency, so I went to see Liliane immediately.

The sores were awful and I told her, “Liliane, I love you dearly and although the doctors may have trouble getting you healed, I believe Jesus will heal you. I know you are funny about going to church, but will you please let me take you to the healing service at Grace House?” She paused for a long moment and then said, yes. I was thrilled. The healing service was scheduled to take place that Saturday, and wanting to leave nothing to chance, I told her I would pick her up at nine that morning.

I have a special respect for Messianic Jews, and while Romans 2:11 tells us God does not show favoritism, I do believe there is an order to God’s blessings and they go to the Jew first (Romans 2:10). This belief is why I talked long and hard to God all week telling Him I wanted—no, needed—Him to show up and show out. I told the Lord that I wanted Pastors’ Mikki and Eddie to personally pray over Liliane because they are our leaders and I knew Liliane was His special treasure.

The Saturday I brought Liliane, God was outrageously kind and answered every prayer. She was met at the door by Bill Siegel, who took her on his arm and helped her to the front, where Mikki and Eddie had just finished praying for someone. They both came and laid hands on her and were soon joined by others. As Eddie prayed, we all learned something I never knew in all the time I spent with Liliane and that is that she was deaf in her left ear due to abuse she had suffered at the labor camp. Although she was not ready to believe for her hearing to be restored, she was willing to believe for her legs and over the course of the next week the sores began to completely heal.

Liliane was so impressed by the love and warmth she had encountered that she said she would go again with me to Grace House. She was also floored that Pastor Eddie had asked her to pray for him because she recognized God’s presence in him and felt humbled that such a request would be made of her. I told her, “Liliane, we are the ones who are blessed that God would allow us to pray for one of his most precious treasures.”

Unfortunately, a few weeks later, Liliane developed a throat polyp that required her to be hospitalized. During that time Bill Siegel and others from the Grace House care team visited her. On the tenth day in the hospital, while awaiting surgery, Liliane passed away from a heart attack. She never got to return to Grace House, but I trust that upon her last breath, she returned to her Father’s house and received quite a welcome from His Son that she loved so well.

Oftentimes when we hear the verse, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” (Matthew 6:21), we tend to see it as a warning about loving “things” too much. But, if you think of this verse in the context of its Source and Author, you can see that where His treasure is, His heart is also. God has generously hidden great treasures in the form of people all along your path, and if you go on a “hunt” with Him, you will find the greatest treasure of all—His heart.