Simon Wiesenthal: "The Conscience of the Holocaust, Dies in Vienna" at 96

September 28, 2005

Simon Wiesenthal: "The Conscience of the Holocaust, Dies in Vienna" at 96

Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi Hunter has died in Vienna at the age of 96, the Simon Wiesenthal Center announced (September 20^th).

"Simon Wiesenthal was the conscience of the Holocaust," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the International Human Rights NGO named in Mr. Wiesenthal’s honor, adding, "When the Holocaust ended in 1945 and the whole world went home to forget, he alone remained behind to remember. He did not forget. He became the permanent representative of the victims, determined to bring the perpetrators of the history’s greatest crime to justice. There was no press conference and no president or Prime Minister or world leader announced his appointment. He just took the job. It was a job no one else wanted.

The task was overwhelming. The cause had few friends. The Allies were already focused on the Cold War, the survivors were rebuilding their shattered lives and Simon Wiesenthal was all alone, combining the role of both prosecutor and detective at the same time."

Overcoming the world’s indifference and apathy, Simon Wiesenthal helped bring over 1,100 Nazi War Criminals before the Bar of Justice.

For biographical information and photographs on Simon Wiesenthal's life,  use this link.

ISRAEL

Simon Wiesenthal's funeral took place in Herzliya, Israel on Friday, September 23^rd.

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LOS ANGELES
Use this link to read Rabbi Hier's eulogy to Simon Wiesenthal.


A Memorial for Simon Wiesenthal was held at the Museum of Tolerance on Monday, September 19^th.

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PARIS


A Memorial Service for Simon Wiesenthal was held in Paris, France. L-R: Shimon Samuels, SWC Director for International Liaison; Stephane Seigneurie, Under Secretary of State for Justice; Michel Blangy, Chief of Staff of Elysee Palace (who made the eulogy on behalf of President Chirac); Richard Odier, SWC-Europe Secretary General; Rabbi Olivier Kaufman of the Synagogue of the Deportees where the service was held.

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NEW YORK


Attending the Memorial in New York were: NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Secretary-General Kofi Annan; Consul General Arye Mekel; Mayor Ed Koch; Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter; Martin Rosen; Nelson Peltz; Co-Chairman, SWC Board of Trustees, Nelson Peltz; SWC Board Member, Ira A. Lipman; Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier; and Cantor Joseph Malovany.

  Use this link to read the Secretary General Annan's remarks.

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center For Holocaust Studies
TORONTO, CANADA

A Memorial Service for Simon Wiesenthal took place in Toronto on September 26^th at the Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in North York.

Pictured L-R: Avi Benlolo, Canadian Director, FSWC; Cantor Aron Bensassoon; Malka Green, FSWC Board Member; Councillor Mario Racco, MPP; Monte Kwinter, MPP, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services; Rabbi Meyer May, Executive Director of Simon Wiesenthal Center; The Honourable James K. Bartleman, O. Ont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; John Torry, MPP and Leader of the Official Opposition and the Progressive Conservative Party; Susan Kadis, MPP; Councillor Mike Feldman, Deputy Mayor of the City of Toronto; Stockwell Day, MP, Senior Opposition Critic and Foreign Affairs Critic.

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FLORIDA
Miami

Memorial Services took place concurently on September 29th in Aventura and Boca Raton, Florida. The Service at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center is pictured above and below.

Alexander Lewy, Congressional Aide to Congessman Kendrick B. Meek is shown presenting the Statement in the Congressional Record submitted by Congressman Meek honoring the legacy of Simon Wiesenthal, to Robert Novak, SWC National Director of Development/Director of the Southern Region.

Among those who spoke at the service were: Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC Associate Dean; George Feldenkreis, Member SWC Board of Trustees; Israel's Consul General, Yitschak Ben Gad and Susan Gottlieb, Mayor of Aventura and the daughter of a concentration camp liberator.

The colors were presented by the South Florida Shomrim Society.

Boca Raton

SWC past honorees and supporters, Jane and Alan Cornell at the Service held in Boca Raton.  

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For more information call the Public Relations Department at 310 553-9036, or email: publicrelations@wiesenthal.com