The Story of Eddie Jaku

Meet Eddie Jaku, born Abraham Jakubowicz in 1920, Germany. For the first few years of his life, he had what most would call a normal childhood—until the rise of the Nazis changed everything.

At school, Eddie was suddenly expelled, not because of his grades or behavior, but simply because he was Jewish. His father, determined not to let hatred define his son’s future, secretly enrolled him in an engineering school. That decision would later prove to be lifesaving.

Surviving the Holocaust

At 18, Eddie was arrested and deported to a concentration camp. His parents and most of his family were murdered. He was left with nothing - except his skill as a precision engineer.

That skill made him “useful” to the Nazis. Eddie repaired machines, built parts, and did whatever was required to survive. Work became his lifeline. By the time World War II ended in 1945, Eddie weighed less than 30 kilograms. He had lost his home, his family, and his entire world.

Yet somehow, he endured.

Finding Happiness in the Ordinary

After the war, Eddie rebuilt his life. He married his sweetheart and moved to Australia. Together, they raised two sons, and over the years, their family grew to include many grandchildren.

For Eddie, this so-called “ordinary life” was not ordinary at all. It was his greatest treasure.

Unlike what many of us assume, happiness did not come from wealth, status, or fame. Eddie became known as the happiest man on earth because he had lived through a world without the simplest joys—and came to appreciate them all the more deeply.

His Philosophy on Life

In his memoir, The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie shared timeless wisdom shaped by unimaginable suffering:

“I do not hate anyone. Hate is a disease which may destroy your enemy, but will also destroy you in the process. Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.”

Eddie Jaku’s story is not just one of survival, but of choosing gratitude, love, and joy when bitterness would have been the easier path.

A Legacy of Hope

Eddie lived to be over 100 years old, passing away in 2021. Through his words and his example, he leaves us with a powerful reminder: life’s beauty often lies in the small, ordinary moments we take for granted.

Happiness is not found despite suffering, but sometimes because of it.