My Voice: Ruth Lachs

The My Voice Project is a unique initiative by The Fed, Manchester's leading social care charity serving the Jewish community. The My Voice Project empowers Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution who settled in the UK to share their entire life stories including experiences before, during and after the war years. This project involves a bespoke methodological approach, producing books that preserve their unique voices. The My Voice Project ensures firsthand accounts are remembered and valued for future generations, highlighting the critical role of individual perspectives in ensuring a deeper historical understanding.

Ruth Lachs was born in Hamburg in 1936. Following the devastating impact of Kristallnacht, her family decided that they should move to Holland. At the age of six, she narrowly escaped deportation. To hide her Jewish identity, Ruth assumed a new name. Under the pretence of being an orphan, she was taken to a gathering place and hidden overnight in a sand pit to avoid being listed by the Germans to be taken away.

Ruth married Werner Lachs in August 1962. They met in Holland and settled in Manchester, where they had three children, Joanne, Sharon, and Martin. Ruth went on to work in healthcare at The Christie Hospital and Tameside General. Ruth has spoken to many schoolchildren over the years about her experiences of the Holocaust.

Ruth's book is part of the My Voice book collection.