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Even though most of you may not know who this man was, there are many who do, and who will always think of him with a great deal of honor and respect, I am one of them. Simon Wiesenthal, was a Holocaust survivor who helped track down numerous Nazi war criminals following World War II and spent the later decades of his life fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice against all people. He died on Sept. 20, 2005 at the age of 96. The contribution of this man to history is best described as keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive during the crucial years.
In the 1950s, the US was busy with the Cold War, while Israel had its own troubles with the Arabs. He just took the job. It was a job no one else wanted. He was the only full-time Nazi hunter. A day after World War II ended, Wiesenthal handed over a crumbling list of Nazis to US Army intelligence. He did not want to be a Nazi hunter, he was an architect by profession. However, the Holocaust forced him into action; 89 members of his family were murdered by the Nazis. He couldn't forget, he believed someone had to go after the criminals. In the last couple of years his health deteriorated, but his mind remained clear. Aside from Adolph Eichmann, among the 1,100 Nazi war criminals Wiesenthal helped bring to justice, were the commanders of Treblinka and Sobibor, and also the Nazi who arrested Anne Frank, Karl Silberbauer. More than anyone else in the world, he represented the belief that anti-Semitism and crimes against humanity are not mitigated with passing time, nor are they ever forgiven.
"May he rest in eternal peace knowing he did what was right."
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simon
weisenthal
Added: 20th September 2007
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Posted By: Naomi |
 
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