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Sep. 20, 2005
World leaders mourn famed Nazi hunter
By JPOST STAFF and AP
World leaders, human rights activists and Jewish organizations mourned for Simon Wiesenthal since his passing on Tuesday, praising his courage and determination to seek justice — rather than revenge — against Nazi atrocities.
The famed Nazi hunter’s tireless drive to avenge the victims in court and not in the streets earned tributes from many who said Wiesenthal helped make it possible for Europe to both recognize the sins of the Holocaust and to move past them.
US President George Bush mourned the passing of Wiesenthal. "Laura and I are saddened by the death of Simon Wiesenthal, a tireless and passionate advocate who devoted his life to tracking down Nazi killers and promoting freedom."
The president’s statement continued: "Throughout his long career, he relentlessly pursued those responsible for some of the most horrific crimes against humanity the world has ever known. Simon Wiesenthal fought for justice, and history will always remember him."
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director and a Holocaust survivor, issued a statement as well: "Simon Wiesenthal was a hero who carried the torch of justice at a time when there was a paralysis of conscience over responsibility for the Holocaust. People accused him of vengeance, but his was a quest for justice and not for vengeance. In the aftermath of the war there was an avalanche of cover up, a conspiracy of silence as the Allies began to work with former Nazis and the Soviets, but Simon Wiesenthal never relented in his pursuit of those who bore responsibility for the Holocaust, and he wouldn’t take ’no’ for an answer. He brought a measure of justice to the six million victims of the Nazi genocide."
Foxman continued: "Even though many of those responsible for the crimes of the Holocaust were never brought to justice, they never had a peaceful night from the day Simon Wiesenthal raised his voice. No Nazi war criminal, big or small, was able to rest peacefully because he never knew when Wiesenthal’s voice of moral outrage would find him. His determined leadership in the fight against anti-Semitism and all forms of prejudice will be sorely missed."
On behalf of the Israeli government, Deputy Minister of Social and Diaspora Affairs in charge of Anti-Semitism, Rabbi Michael Melchior, issued the following statement:"The Israeli government mourns the passing of a great man. One of the greatest figures in the Jewish world has passed away. Simon Wiesenthal was a man who emerged from the infernal concentration camps with the purpose of pursuing justice.
According to Melchior, "Wiesenthal, more than anyone else in the world, represented the belief that anti-Semitism and crimes against humanity are not mitigated with passing time, nor are they ever forgiven."
Yad Vashem also responded to Wiesenthal’s passing: "Yad Vashem has learned with sadness of the passing of Simon Wiesenthal, in Vienna. Wiesenthal dedicated his life to bringing Nazi criminals to justice and to ensuring that the memory of the Holocaust will never fade."
"The symbol of Nazi-Hunting, Wiesenthal began his mission immediately after the war ended, and did not rest until his final days. Through his tireless efforts, many Nazi war criminals were prevented from escaping their due punishment, compelled instead to face the force of international law. He was unique in an environment that did not do enough to bring the guilty to justice."
"In his determination to expose the crimes of Nazis, Wiesenthal was the world’s conscience, determined to document the full extent of Nazi war crimes, and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Yad Vashem mourns this tremendous loss to the Jewish and international community."
"In the mid-1950’s, Wiesenthal gave Yad Vashem hundreds of files and material from his the Jewish Historical Documentation Center in Linz, Austria, which he closed. In 1960 he gave Yad Vashem a written testimony, and in 1986 he gave Yad Vashem audio testimony," the statement concluded.
President Moshe Katsav hailed Wiesenthal as the "biggest fighter‘ of his generation. ’He represented the morality of humanity; he represented the free world, the democratic world,‘ Katsav said during a visit to Latvia. ’He devoted his life to fighting racism, anti-Semitism, Nazism and he really contributed to making a better world for the next generation."
World leaders noted his passing with a mixture of grief at his death and admiration for his life. Among the first to issue a statement of praise was former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who noted with sadness that "his voice will be missed in the future."
"Simon Wiesenthal, like few others … personally felt the shadow of history in its brutality,‘ Kohl said in a statement. ’Despite this, I was always touched by the fact that he was not bitter and fought for justice admirably. I personally thank him for his advice and friendship."
UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw expressed his sorrow at Wiesenthal’s death."Simon Wiesenthal will forever be rightly credited with ensuring justice was done for some of the worst crimes in history…He was tireless in his efforts and he gave the Jewish communities in the UK and around the world a lifetime of service, and future generations will forever be indebted to him.
"His important work will be continued by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, ensuring that his name and legacy are preserved. The name Simon Wiesenthal will forever be synonymous with justice and fostering tolerance and understanding."
MK Yuval Steinitz also honored Wiesenthal’s memory, calling his life work crucial in "educating future generations."
"I think it was of supreme importance that someone made sure that those who committed some of the most vile crimes in human history were prosecuted," Steinitz said.
Upon hearing of Wiesenthal’s death, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, mourned the passing of a man "who served as an inspiration to us all."
"We mourn today the passing of a special man and a great European. Simon Wiesenthal was both a victim and a witness to the Holocaust. His response to a crime of unparalleled proportions was not to seek revenge but to pursue justice. He dedicated his life to that cause with unyielding courage and determination. His lifetime’s work has served as an inspiration to all of us who believe that peace must be built on justice, tolerance and human rights," Solana said in a statement released from New York, where he was attending the annual UN General Assembly summit.
"Without Simon Wiesenthal’s relentless effort to find Nazi criminals and bring them to justice, and to fight anti-Semitism and prejudice, Europe would never have succeeded in healing its wounds and reconcile itself,‘ said Terry Davis, chairman of the Council of Europe. ’He was a soldier of justice, which is indispensable to our freedom, stability and peace."
Poland’s President Aleksander Kwasniewski described him as an indefatigable man moved by conviction "that for the common good one has to search for truth."
Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said he would "bow my head before his memory.‘ ’Humanity is poorer because a just man, Simon Wiesenthal, is gone," he said.
French President Jacques Chirac recalled Wiesenthal as a "tireless campaigner for justice and rights," while Austria’s President Heinz Fischer declared that Wiesenthal’s message would be carried on through his worldwide work and documentation center.
One of Wiesenthal’s most famous moments was the capture of one time SS leader Adolf Eichmann. But Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain, a spokesman for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain, said he also would live on as a fighter for human rights.
"For many, his greatest achievement was turning the phrase `Never again’ from a catchy slogan into an effective international campaign against the perpetrators of genocide of all kinds, from Nazi Germany to modern Rwanda," he said.
Jewish organizations from Johannesburg to Jerusalem mourned Wiesenthal. Michael Bagraim, National Chairman of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, said Wiesenthal’s most important legacy was the lesson that justice does not have a "sell-by date" but had to be sought — even after years had passed.
Fellow Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld, president of the Association of Jewish Deportees in France, described him as a trailblazer and warrior, a fighter for those who had no voice.
"We have the impression that a legendary horseman is leaving on his horse for another world,‘ Klarsfeld said. ’An era has ended and a legendary figure has left us."
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