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A Legend in his Own Lifetime

The death of Simon Wiesenthal has, justifiably, brought world-wide tributes to him and his quite extraordinary dedication to tracking down Nazis. By all accounts not only did Wiesenthal lead a "charmed life" [well kinda, for the moment ignoring the circumstances - escaping death twice by a hair's breath!] but his tenancity was almost legendary. Others have writtten eloquently and in detail about Wiesenthal. I won't repeat them here.

However, the following 2 extracts from the New York Time's obituary I found "interesting" and revealing -

"It was a matter of pride and satisfaction, he said in 1995, as he approached his 87th birthday, that old Nazis who get into quarrels threaten one another with a vow to go to Simon Wiesenthal"

And this one -

"He was often asked why he had become a searcher of Nazi criminals instead of resuming a profitable career in architecture. He gave one questioner this response: "You're a religious man. You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. When we come to the other world and meet the millions of Jews who died in the camps and they ask us, 'What have you done?' there will be many answers. You will say, 'I became a jeweler.' Another will say, 'I smuggled coffee and American cigarettes.' Still another will say, 'I built houses,' but I will say, 'I didn't forget you.'"

Comments

Antony Loewenstein said…
He most certainly did amazing work over the years. BUT, i wonder, if like elie wisel, he had a massive moral blind spot when it came to israel and palestine. i suspect so...
September 23, 2005 4:20 pm
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