Dancing for the Devil: Dr. Edith Eger on Surviving the Holocaust and Turning Trauma Into Purpose

Thanks For Asking

Feelings & Co.

Mental Health, Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Health & Fitness

4.7 • 13.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 May 2026

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Edith Eger was only 16 years old when the Nazis invaded Hungary during World War II. Her future was ripped from her when she and her family were imprisoned at Auschwitz concentration camp. Edith’s parents were sent to the gas chambers immediately – but Edith survived, forced to entertain Dr Mengele – known as the Angel of Death – until she survived the death march. For many years after, Edith struggled with her past, rife with horror and trauma. It was only after reading Viktor Frankl's Man’s Search for Meaning that Edith stopped running from her trauma and faced it head on. When we interviewed her, Dr. Edith Eger was a 93-year-old clinician, speaker and author who is so full of wisdom and light, we could’ve done ten episodes with her. She passed away on April 27th, 2026, but her light, her words, and her impact will live on forever. You can buy Dr. Eger’s book, “The Gift,” from our Bookshop.org storefront or wherever you like to shop books. Watch us on YouTube here! Get this episode ad-free here! Listen to Geoffrey’s album on Spotify and Apple! Check out Nora’s Instagram here! Check out Nora’s TikTok here! Check out Nora’s Facebook here! Check out Nora’s LinkedIn here! Our Sponsors: ❤️ Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to ⁠Quince.com/TFA⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Go to ⁠Quince.com/TFA⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. ⁠⁠Quince.com/TFA⁠⁠ ❤️ ⁠Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of my favorite bras and underwear, at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.⁠ ❤️ Experience your juiciest and deepest sensual experience with a bottle of Foria. FORIA is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting ⁠foriawellness.com/tfa⁠ OR use code TFA at checkout. That’s F-O-R-I-A WELLNESS DOT COM FORWARD SLASH TFA for 20% off your first order. I recommend trying Awaken or their Pleasure Set with all three of their best sellers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, how are you there?
0:07.1	Hi.
0:08.6	Hey, Nora.
0:11.8	I'm Nora McInerney, and this is thanks for asking, a call-in show about what matters to you.
0:30.6	Just remember, the more you suffer, the stronger you become.
0:32.8	You're a good survivor.
0:35.2	You know, you carry good blood. So your ancestors never gave up.
0:38.8	We carry good blood.
0:40.5	And we always find the light, no matter how dark it is.
0:49.0	I'm Nora McNerney, and this is thanks for asking.
0:53.2	That was Edith Eager, who was born in Hungary in 1927.
0:57.0	Edith was born into a family that was just supremely talented. Her sister Magda played piano. Her sister
1:05.0	Clara was a violin prodigy, and Edith did ballet.
1:10.0	I had a very wonderful ballet master, and my mother took me to a ballet school, and he said to me
1:17.5	that God made us in such a wonderful way, that all the ecstasy has to come from inside out.
1:25.3	I didn't know any ecstasy or anything what he was talking about.
1:31.0	Of course she didn't.
1:33.1	She was a teenager and her teacher was talking to her about ecstasy coming from inside out.
1:39.5	Edith wouldn't know until 1944 when the Nazis invaded Hungary.
1:45.0	Clara was hidden by a violin teacher,
1:48.0	but Edith, Magda and their parents were sent to Auschwitz.
1:52.0	The first night, their parents were sent to the gas chambers.
	...

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