Simon Wiesenthal Has Died

**NewsGuy** · 09-19-2005, 11:17 PM

BBC Breaking News:

From news article:
Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal has died in the Austrian capital Vienna aged 96.

Mr Wiesenthal was credited with helping to bring more than 1,100 Nazi war criminals to justice in the decades following World War II.

His biggest disappointments were his failure to secure the capture of Gestapo chief Heinrich Muller and Auschwitz doctor Josef Mengele.

His death was announced by officials at the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Center.

A true Jewish hero. May he rest in peace.

golani · 09-19-2005, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by NewsGuy

BBC Breaking News:

From news article:
Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal has died in the Austrian capital Vienna aged 96.

Mr Wiesenthal was credited with helping to bring more than 1,100 Nazi war criminals to justice in the decades following World War II.

His biggest disappointments were his failure to secure the capture of Gestapo chief Heinrich Muller and Auschwitz doctor Josef Mengele.

His death was announced by officials at the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Center.

A true Jewish hero. May he rest in peace.

A really true jewish hero
While I am not very religious, I prayed a "bracha" for his neshema

Am israel hai,
Golani

Justcurious · 09-20-2005, 12:02 AM

The death was the leading news item in Finland at 0800 UTC. His merits are, no doubt, great, but I don't think many young people have ever heard of him.

**Womble** · 09-20-2005, 12:26 AM

We've lost a great man- and a great Jew.

**Mil** · 09-20-2005, 09:38 AM

A great man, a great life, a great human being!!!! Thank God who gave him a peaceful death.....

Mira · 09-20-2005, 09:43 AM

Thank you to a man who made the world a little safer because of his determination not to let murderers get away with their crimes. Who will take his place?

minusthejihad · 09-20-2005, 09:52 AM

Yes, a great person died today, a defender of justice. But there is much more work to be done. Thank you Simon for your endless hard work. We pledge to follow in your footsteps!

determinism · 09-21-2005, 01:49 PM

He was a decent man and sincere defender of justice. Certainly a loss for all.

ygreenman · 09-22-2005, 12:05 AM

I am normally an editor for VirtualJerusalem.com and I wanted to let you guys know that though I am a young person I have still heard of Simon Wiesenthal. The moment I noticed the article I knew right away who he was and posted it. Not because he was the Nazi hunter but rather from all the organizations that he has founded.

It is a tremendous loss, but sadly we are continually loosing many great members. Without these people how will we remember!!!

minusthejihad · 09-22-2005, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by ygreenman

It is a tremendous loss, but sadly we are continually loosing many great members. Without these people how will we remember!!!

Through memory, education, story telling, films, books, the internet, and continuing on his mission. There are nazis who haven't even been born yet, and I for one hope to make their lives miserable.

ygreenman · 09-22-2005, 08:32 PM

That was a little harsh, however the reality is your correct there will always be people hating the Jews. If one reads the history you will notice that there has not been such extreme distruction as the Nazis. I was not commenting on who will remember what non jews do to us, but rather I was commenting about who will remember the disgusing and revolting acts that animals can do to people.
Yaakov Greenman
VJ Editor

Gilgamesh · 09-25-2005, 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by determinism

He was a decent man and sincere defender of justice. Certainly a loss for all.

Great loss to us Jews, and a great gain to your people.

Festival times for Austria and Germany...

Past and present crimes of Austria and Germany will not go unpunished for long.

determinism · 09-25-2005, 02:43 PM

Gil,

hardly the place for a dirt throwing contest don't you think?!

ina any case, imo Wiesenthal had great personal integrity and actually wanted justice not blind revenge. He for instance did not condemn Waldheim when the rest of the world was performing a witch hunt.
Also if you perhaps noticed the high ranking austrian officials offered their condolence and participated in the ceremony in vienna.

Gilgamesh · 09-25-2005, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by determinism

Gil,

hardly the place for a dirt throwing contest don't you think?!

ina any case, imo Wiesenthal had great personal integrity and actually wanted justice not blind revenge. He for instance did not condemn Waldheim when the rest of the world was performing a witch hunt.
Also if you perhaps noticed the high ranking austrian officials offered their condolence and participated in the ceremony in vienna.

Wiesenthal has a lesson to us all: He was looking for justice, and was hunting Nazis, only to have them later released, pardoned or recive reduced sentances due to the fact Wiesenthal had these Nazis tried by other Nazis, of the German and Austrian "justice" system.

Wiesenthal had proven that Nazis can't judge other Nazis. Justice was not met. Wiesenthal had proved that the Germans and Austrian changed very little since the Nazi period.

KSO · 09-26-2005, 03:17 AM

Originally Posted by Gilgamesh

Wiesenthal has a lesson to us all: He was looking for justice, and was hunting Nazis, only to have them later released, pardoned or recive reduced sentances due to the fact Wiesenthal had these Nazis tried by other Nazis, of the German and Austrian "justice" system.

Wiesenthal had proven that Nazis can't judge other Nazis. Justice was not met. Wiesenthal had proved that the Germans and Austrian changed very little since the Nazi period.

It's not that simple isn't it? there are many reasons for the fact many Nazis & their colloborators didn't face justice (or were quickly pardoned) most of them are connected to cold war politics, some because of US pressure to do it as quickly as possible (so they would punish some and use the others in the war on communism) and in the former communist republics (especially Poland) those things were hidden under the rug because Poland in the 60s had an official anti-semitic policy (and of course reminding how to which extent the Poles collaborated would not be a smart move from theyre side)