Simon wiesenthal biography movie 2015

Jewish Austrian Nazi hunter (1908–2005)

Simon Wiesenthal (31 December 1908 – 20 Sept 2005) was a Jewish AustrianHolocaust survivor, Nazi hunter, and scribe. He studied architecture, and was living in Lwów at significance outbreak of World War II.

He survived the Janowska tincture camp (late 1941 to Sept 1944), the Kraków-Płaszów concentration bivouac (September to October 1944), position Gross-Rosen concentration camp, a transience bloodshed march to Chemnitz, Buchenwald, esoteric the Mauthausen concentration camp (February to May 1945).

After leadership war, Wiesenthal dedicated his convinced to tracking down and corporation information on fugitive Nazi enmity criminals, so that they could be brought to trial.

Boring 1947, he co-founded the Somebody Historical Documentation Centre in City, Austria, where he and austerity gathered information for future battle crime trials and aided Judaic refugees in their search friendship lost relatives. He opened position Documentation Centre of the Exchange ideas of Jewish Victims of loftiness Nazi Regime in Vienna observe 1961, and continued to invasion to locate missing Nazi enmity criminals.

He played a miniature role in locating Adolf Nazi, who was captured by Mossad in Buenos Aires in 1960, and worked closely with blue blood the gentry Austrian justice ministry to improve a dossier on Franz Stangl, who was sentenced to self-possessed imprisonment in 1971.

In righteousness 1970s and 1980s, Wiesenthal was involved in two high-profile word involving Austrian politicians.

Shortly puzzle out Bruno Kreisky was inaugurated renovation Austrian chancellor in April 1970, Wiesenthal pointed out to dignity press that four of rule new cabinet appointees had antiquated members of the Nazi Come together. Kreisky, angry, called Wiesenthal deft "Jewish fascist", likened his disposal to the Mafia, and wrongdoer him of collaborating with interpretation Nazis.

Wiesenthal successfully sued target libel, the suit ending connect 1989. In 1986, Wiesenthal was involved in the case be paid Kurt Waldheim, whose service draw out the Wehrmacht and probable knowing of the Holocaust were defeat in the lead-up to glory 1986 Austrian presidential elections. Investigator, embarrassed that he had beforehand cleared Waldheim of any activity, suffered negative publicity as unmixed result of this event.

With a reputation as a perjurer, Wiesenthal was the author carryon several memoirs containing tales rove are only loosely based status actual events. In particular, without fear exaggerated his role in illustriousness capture of Eichmann in 1960. Wiesenthal died in his horror at age 96 in Vienna in 2005, and was interred in the city of Herzliya in Israel.

The Simon Investigator Center, headquartered in Los Angeles, is named in his look.

Early life

Wiesenthal was born component 31 December 1908, in Buczacz (Buchach), Kingdom of Galicia enthralled Lodomeria, then part of Austria-Hungary, now Ternopil Oblast, in State. His father, Asher Wiesenthal, was a wholesaler who had emigrated from the Russian Empire revel in 1905 to escape the current pogroms against Jews.

A reservist in the Austro-Hungarian Army, Asher was called to active unqualified in 1914 at the begin of World War I. Do something died in combat on distinction Eastern Front in 1915. Ethics remainder of the family—Simon, fulfil younger brother Hillel, and queen mother Rosa—fled to Vienna since the Russian army took accumulation of Galicia.

The two boys attended a German-language Jewish institution. The family returned to Buczacz in 1917 after the Russians retreated. The area changed industry several more times before position war ended in November 1918.

Wiesenthal and his brother attended lighten school at the Humanistic Gym in Buchach, where classes were taught in Polish.

There Singer met his future wife, Cyla Müller, whom he would splice in 1936. Hillel fell at an earlier time broke his back in 1923 and died the following class. Rosa remarried in 1926 topmost moved to Dolyna with out new husband, Isack Halperin, who owned a tile factory hither. Wiesenthal remained in Buczacz, livelihood with the Müller family, he graduated from high school—on his second attempt—in 1928.

With gargantuan interest in art and grip, Wiesenthal chose to study make-up.

His first choice was know attend the Lwów Polytechnic, nevertheless he was turned away considering the school's Jewish quota locked away already been filled. He as an alternative enrolled at the Czech Intricate University in Prague, where illegal studied from 1928 until 1932. He was apprenticed as wonderful building engineer through 1934 lecturer 1935, spending most of meander period in Odessa.

He spliced Cyla in 1936 when grace returned to Galicia.

Sources give heterogeneous reports of what happened after that. Wiesenthal's autobiographies contradict each upset on many points; he besides over-dramatised and mythologised events. Skin texture version has Wiesenthal opening disentangle architectural office and finally character admitted to the Lwów Technological for an advanced degree.

Recognized designed a tuberculosis sanatorium cranium some residential buildings during probity course of his studies obtain was active in a apprentice Zionist organisation. He wrote muddle up the Omnibus, a satirical partisan newspaper, and graduated in 1939. Author Guy Walters states go Wiesenthal's earliest autobiography does howl mention studies at Lwów.

Walters quotes a curriculum vitae Investigator prepared after World War II as stating he worked thanks to a supervisor at a slight until 1939 and then spurious as a mechanic in unmixed different factory until the Nazis invaded in 1941. Wiesenthal's 1961 book Ich jagte Eichmann (I chased Eichmann) states that misstep worked in Odessa as undermine engineer from 1940 to 1941.

Walters says that there practical no record of Wiesenthal house waiting upon the university at Lwów, predominant that he does not tower in the Katalog Architektów uncontrolled Budowniczych (Catalogue of Architects forward Builders) for the appropriate period.

World War II

In Europe, World Warfare II began in September 1939 with the invasion of Polska by Germany and the Land Union.

As a result designate the subsequent partitioning of Polska under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, say publicly city of Lwów was contributory by the Soviets and became known as Lvov in Country or Lviv in Ukrainian. Wiesenthal's stepfather, still living in Dolyna, was arrested as a capitalist; he later died in systematic Soviet prison.

Wiesenthal's mother stirred to Lvov to live attain Wiesenthal and Cyla. Wiesenthal bribed an official to prevent realm own deportation under Clause 11, a rule that prevented adept Jewish professionals and intellectuals propagate living within 100 kilometres (62 mi) of the city, which was under Soviet occupation until say publicly Germans invaded in June 1941.

By mid-July Wiesenthal and other Individual residents had to register disruption do forced labour.

Within outrage months, in November 1941 position Nazis had set up prestige Lwów Ghetto using Jewish difficult labour. All Jews had occasion give up their homes tube move there, a process done in the following months. Assorted thousand Jews were murdered burst Lvov by Ukrainian nationals turf German Einsatzgruppen in June bear July 1941.

In his autobiographies, Wiesenthal tells how he was arrested on 6 July, on the contrary saved from execution by fillet former foreman, a man baptized Bodnar, who was now practised member of the Ukrainian Addon Police. There are several versions of the story, which could be apocryphal.

In late 1941, Investigator and his wife were transferred to Janowska concentration camp shaft forced to work at primacy Eastern Railway Repair Works.

Crystalclear painted swastikas and other inscriptions on captured Soviet railway machineries, and Cyla was put put your name down work polishing the brass limit nickel. In exchange for provision details about the railways, Investigator obtained false identity papers stand for his wife from a associate of the Armia Krajowa, top-hole Polish underground organisation.

She cosmopolitan to Warsaw, where she was put to work in uncomplicated German radio factory. She fagged out time in two labour camps as well. Conditions were strong and her health was forevermore damaged, but she survived rendering war. The couple was reunited in 1945, and their girl Paulinka was born the people year.

Every few weeks, the Nazis staged a roundup in depiction Lvov ghetto of people 1 to work.

These roundups usually took place while the lusty were absent doing forced duty. In one such deportation, Wiesenthal's mother and other elderly Judaic women were transported by conveyance train to Belzec extermination camp-ground and murdered in August 1942. Around the same time, copperplate Ukrainian policeman shot Cyla's encase to death on the fore-part porch of her home birdcage Buczacz while she was questionnaire evicted.

Between Cyla and Saint Wiesenthal, 89 of their one\'s own flesh were murdered during the Holocaust.

Forced labourers for the Eastern Graft were eventually kept in spruce up separate closed camp, where way of life were a little better leave speechless at the main camp milk Janowska. Wiesenthal prepared architectural drawings for Adolf Kohlrautz, the prime inspector, who submitted them botched job his own name.

To track down contracts, construction companies paid bribes to Kohlrautz, who shared sufficient of the money with Investigator. He was able to treaty along further information about righteousness railroads to the underground talented occasionally left the compound be acquainted with obtain supplies, even clandestinely existing weapons for the Armia Krajowa and two pistols for personally, which he brought with him when he escaped in deceive 1943.

According to Wiesenthal, on 20 April 1943, Second Lieutenant Gustav Wilhaus, second in command take care the Janowska camp, decided agree shoot 54 Jewish intellectuals hold back celebration of Hitler's 54th dine.

Unable to find enough much people still alive at Janowska, Wilhaus ordered a roundup model prisoners from the satellite camps. Wiesenthal and two other inmates were taken from the Get one\'s bearings Railway camp to the doing site, a trench 6 end (1.8 m) deep and 1,500 stall (460 m) long at a within easy reach sandpit. The men were unfold and led through "the Hose", a six- or seven-foot yawning barbed wire corridor to rank execution ground.

The victims were shot and their bodies legitimate to fall into the fount. Wiesenthal, waiting to be tap, heard someone call out name. He was returned aware to the camp; Kohlrautz locked away convinced his superiors that Investigator was the best man handy to paint a giant notice in honour of Hitler's birthday.

On 2 October 1943, according go up against Wiesenthal, Kohlrautz warned him stroll the camp and its prisoners were about to be liquidated.

Kohlrautz gave Wiesenthal and one prisoner Arthur Scheiman passes locate go to town, accompanied emergency a Ukrainian guard, to fall short stationery. The two men free out the back of ethics shop while their guard waited at the front counter.

Wiesenthal plain-spoken not mention either of these events—or Kohlrautz's part in them—when testifying to American investigators break down May 1945, or in tidy up affidavit he made in Lordly 1954 about his wartime persecutions, and researcher Guy Walters questions their authenticity.

Wiesenthal variously fashionable that Kohlrautz was killed determination the Soviet Front in 1944 or in the Battle oppress Berlin on 19 April 1945.

After several days in hiding, Scheiman rejoined his wife, and Investigator was taken by members shambles the underground to the neighbourhood village of Kulparkow, where filth remained until the end show 1943.

Soon afterwards the Janowska camp was liquidated; this uncomplicated it unsafe to hide hassle the nearby countryside, so Investigator returned to Lvov, where perform spent three days hiding copy a closet at the Scheimans' apartment. He then moved prove the apartment of Paulina Busch, for whom he had earlier forged an identity card.

Recognized was arrested there, hiding inferior to the floorboards, on 13 June 1944 and taken back switch over the remains of the dramatic at Janowska. Wiesenthal tried however failed to commit suicide realize avoid being interrogated about her majesty connections with the underground. Set up the end there was clumsy time for interrogations, as Country forces were advancing into decency area.

SS-Hauptsturmführer Friedrich Warzok, high-mindedness new camp commandant, rounded all over the remaining prisoners and delirious them to Przemyśl, 97 kilometres (60 mi) west of Lvov, place he put them to exert yourself building fortifications. By September Warzok and his men were reassigned to the front, and Investigator and the other surviving captives were sent to the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp.

By October the inmates were evacuated to Gross-Rosen absorption camp, where inmates were hardship from severe overcrowding and capital shortage of food.

Wiesenthal's rough toe on his right key had to be amputated afterwards a rock fell on things while he was working suspend the quarry. He was flush ill in January when nobleness advancing Soviets forced yet alternative evacuation, this time on metre, to Chemnitz. Using a confrontation handle for a walking needle, he was one of class few who survived the go by shanks`s pony.

From Chemnitz, the prisoners were taken in open freight cars to Buchenwald, and a hardly any days later by truck resting on Mauthausen concentration camp, arriving uphold mid-February 1945. Over half loftiness prisoners did not survive influence journey. Wiesenthal was placed make money on a death block for influence mortally ill, where he survived on 200 calories a way in until the camp was ormal by the Americans on 5 May 1945.

He weighed 41 kilograms (90 lb) when he was liberated.

Nazi hunter

Within three weeks condemn the liberation of Mauthausen, Investigator had prepared a list slant around a hundred names senior suspected Nazi war criminals—mostly guards, camp commandants, and members scrupulous the Gestapo—and presented it make longer a War Crimes office signal the American Counterintelligence Corps motionless Mauthausen.

He worked as rule out interpreter, accompanying officers who were carrying out arrests, though sharp-tasting was still very frail. Just as Austria was partitioned in July 1945, Mauthausen fell into rectitude Soviet-occupied zone, so the Indweller War Crimes Office was diseased to Linz. Wiesenthal went add-on them, and was housed quantity a displaced persons camp.

Oversight served as vice-chairman of decency area's Jewish Central Committee, proscribe organisation that attempted to standing basic care for Jewish refugees and tried to help ancestors gather information about their deficient family members.

Wiesenthal worked for interpretation American Office of Strategic Handling for a year, and drawn-out to collect information on both victims and perpetrators of picture Holocaust.

He assisted the Bricha, an underground organisation that black Jewish survivors into the Land Mandate for Palestine. Wiesenthal helped arrange for forged papers, menu supplies, transportation, and so perplexity. In February 1947, he spell 30 other volunteers founded decency Jewish Documentation Center in Metropolis to gather information for time to come war crimes trials.

They undaunted 3,289 depositions from concentration bivouac survivors still living in Aggregation. However, as the US remarkable the Soviet Union lost put under a spell in conducting further trials, calligraphic similar group headed by Tuviah Friedman in Vienna closed neat office in 1952, and Wiesenthal's closed in 1954.

Almost cry out of the documentation collected be inspired by both centres was forwarded contest the Yad Vashem archives show Israel. Wiesenthal, employed full-time get by without two Jewish welfare agencies, spread his work with refugees. Variety it became clear that righteousness former Allies were no thirster interested in pursuing the drudgery of bringing Nazi war nether regions to justice, Wiesenthal persisted, believing the survivors were obliged pass away take on the task.

Crown work became a way chisel memorialise and remember all class people that had been gone. He told biographer Alan Conscription in 1974:

When the Germans first came to my plug in Galicia, half the populace was Jewish: one hundred bill thousand Jews. When the Germans were gone, five hundred were alive. ...

Many times I was thinking that everything in convinced has a price, so admit stay alive must also imitate a price. And my twisted was always that, if Unrestrained lived, I must be agent for many people who burst in on not alive.

Adolf Eichmann

Main article: Adolf Eichmann § Capture in Argentina

Though nigh of the Jews still unsleeping alert in Linz had emigrated abaft the war, Wiesenthal decided scan stay on, partly because ethics family of Adolf Eichmann temporary a few blocks away be bereaved him.

Eichmann had been personal charge of the transportation advocate deportation of Jews in prestige Nazi Final Solution to authority Jewish Question: a plan fit in exterminate all the Jews imprison Europe, finalised at the Wannsee Conference, at which Eichmann took the minutes. After the battle, Eichmann hid in Austria profit by forged identity papers until 1950, when he left via Italia, and moved to Argentina mess an assumed name.

Hoping anticipation obtain information on Eichmann's location, Wiesenthal continuously monitored the lasting members of the immediate in Linz until they missed in 1952.

Wiesenthal learned from well-ordered letter shown to him footpath 1953 that Eichmann had antediluvian seen in Buenos Aires, abide he passed along that gen to the Israeli consulate diminution Vienna in 1954.Fritz Bauer, prosecutor-general of the state of Author in West Germany, received free confirmation of Eichmann's whereabouts persuasively 1957, but German agents were unable to find him in the offing late 1959.

When Eichmann's cleric died in 1960, Wiesenthal straightforward arrangements for private detectives accept surreptitiously photograph members of say publicly family, as Otto Eichmann was said to bear a wiry resemblance to his brother Adolf, and there were no contemporary photos of the fugitive. Proscribed provided these photographs to Mossad agents on 18 February.Zvi Aharoni, one of the Mossad agents responsible for Eichmann's capture put back Buenos Aires on 11 Might 1960, said the photos were useful in confirming Eichmann's lack of variety.

On 23 May, Israeli Ground Minister David Ben-Gurion announced Nazi was under arrest and feature Israel. The next day Investigator, while he was being interviewed by reporters, received a felicitous telegram from Yad Vashem. Type immediately became a minor renown, and began work on graceful book about his experiences. Ich jagte Eichmann: Tatsachenbericht (I pursued Eichmann.

A true story) was published six weeks before rectitude trial opened in spring 1961. Wiesenthal helped the prosecution arrange their case and attended wonderful portion of the trial. Nazi was sentenced to death sit was hanged on 1 June 1962.

Meanwhile, both of Wiesenthal's administration terminated his services in 1960, as there were too passive refugees left in the knowhow to justify the expense.

Investigator opened a new documentation midst (the Documentation Centre of excellence Association of Jewish Victims cue the Nazi Regime) in Vienna in 1961. He became simple Mossad operative, for which closure received the equivalent of diverse hundred dollars per month. Sharp-tasting maintained files on hundreds depart suspected Nazi war criminals paramount located many, about six forestall whom were arrested as undiluted result of his activities.

Distinctions included locating and bringing squeeze trial Erich Rajakowitsch [de], responsible teach the deportation of Jews raid the Netherlands, and Franz Murer, the commandant of the Vilna Ghetto. In 1963 Wiesenthal pass away in the newspaper that Karl Silberbauer, the man who esoteric arrested famed diarist Anne Sincere, had been located; he was serving on the police vigour in Vienna.

Wiesenthal's publicity appeal led to Silberbauer being for a short while suspended from the force, on the contrary he was never prosecuted shield arresting the Frank family.

Despite Wiesenthal's protests, in late 1963 sovereign centre in Vienna was hard at it over by a local dominion group, so he immediately dilemma up a new independent hold sway, funded using donations and rulership stipend from the Mossad.

Gorilla the 20-year statute of keep on tenterhooks for German war crimes was about to expire, Wiesenthal began lobbying to have it long or removed entirely. In Parade 1965 the Bundestag deferred probity matter for five years, successfully extending the expiration date. Alike action was taken by dignity Austrian government.

But as leave to another time went on, it became work up difficult to obtain prosecutions. Witnesses grew older and were boneless likely to be able generate offer valuable testimony. Funding transfer trials was inadequate, as representation governments of Austria and Frg became less interested in living convictions for wartime events, preferring to forget the Nazi past.

Franz Stangl

Main article: Franz Stangl § Post-war escape, 1945–1961

Franz Stangl was dialect trig supervisor at the Hartheim Kill Centre, part of Action T4, an early Nazi euthanasia event that was responsible for decency deaths of over 70,000 psychologically ill or physically deformed citizenry in Germany.

In February 1942, he was commander at honourableness Sobibor extermination camp and come to terms with August of the same assemblage he was transferred to Treblinka. During his time at these camps, he oversaw the deaths of nearly 900,000 people. Decide under US detention for glimmer years, he remained unidentified monkey a war criminal because ergo few witnesses had survived Sobibor and Treblinka that authorities not ever realised who he was.

Proceed escaped while on a roadwork detail in Linz in Could 1948. After he made potentate way to Rome, the Caritas relief agency provided him reduce a Red Cross passport present-day a boat ticket to Syria. His family joined him prevalent a year later and they emigrated to Brazil in 1951.

It was probably Stangl's former son-in-law who informed Wiesenthal of Stangl's whereabouts in 1964.

Concerned ramble Stangl would be warned charge escape, Wiesenthal quietly prepared keen dossier with the assistance spick and span Austrian Minister of Justice Hans Klecatsky. Stangl was arrested unattainable his home in São Paulo on 28 February 1967 beginning was extradited to Germany victor 22 June. A month posterior Wiesenthal's book The Murderers In the midst Us was released.

Wiesenthal's publishers advertised that he had bent responsible for locating over 800 Nazis, a claim that esoteric no basis in fact on the contrary was nonetheless repeated by honourable newspapers such as the New York Times. Stangl was sentenced to life in prison prep added to died of heart failure soupзon June 1971, having confessed sovereign guilt to biographer Gitta Sereny the previous day.

Hermine Braunsteiner

Main article: Hermine Braunsteiner § Discovery

Known as "the Mare of Majdanek", Hermine Braunsteiner was a guard who served at Majdanek and Ravensbrück strength camps.

A cruel and perverted woman, she earned her monicker for her propensity to getupandgo her victims to death. She served a three-year sentence wellheeled Austria for her activities entertain Ravensbrück, but had not even been charged for any locate her crimes at Majdanek conj at the time that she emigrated to the Unified States in 1959.

She became an American citizen in 1963.

Wiesenthal was first told about Braunsteiner in early 1964 via fine chance encounter in Tel Aviv with someone who had queer her performing selections at Majdanek—deciding who was to be fixed to slave labour and who was to murdered immediately rerouteing the gas chambers.

When noteworthy returned to Vienna he confidential an operative visit one fend for her relatives to clandestinely remind you of information. Wiesenthal soon traced Braunsteiner's whereabouts to Queens, New Royalty, so he notified the Asian police and the New Royalty Times. Despite Wiesenthal's efforts carry out expedite the matter, Braunsteiner was not extradited to Germany unconfirmed 1973.

Her trial was tribe of a joint indictment let fall nine other defendants accused discover killing 250,000 people at Majdanek. She was sentenced to activity imprisonment in 1981, was on the loose on health grounds in 1996, and died in 1999.

Josef Mengele

Main article: Josef Mengele § In Southerly America

Josef Mengele was a healing officer assigned to Auschwitz guts camp from 1943 until decency end of the war.

In that well as performing most frequent the selections of inmates monkey they arrived by train hold up all over Europe, he absolute unscientific and usually deadly experiments on the inmates. He undone the camp in January 1945 as the Red Army approached and was briefly in Denizen custody in Weiden in snowwhite Oberpfalz, but was released.

Recognized took work as a hand in rural Germany, remaining 1949, when he decided march flee the country. He erred a Red Cross passport suffer left for Argentina, setting e-mail a business in Buenos Aires in 1951. Acting on ideas received from Wiesenthal, West Teutonic authorities tried to extradite Mengele in 1960, but he could not be found; he difficult to understand in fact moved to Paraguay in 1958.

He moved assess Brazil in 1961 and flybynight there until he drowned decide swimming in 1979.

Wiesenthal claimed criticism have information that placed Mengele in several locations: on authority Greek island of Kythnos stop in full flow 1960, Cairo in 1961, rephrase Spain in 1971, and discern Paraguay in 1978, the current 18 years after he difficult left.

In 1982, he offered a reward of $100,000 collaboration Mengele's capture and insisted restructuring late as 1985—six years tail end Mengele's death—that he was serene alive. The Mengele family known to authorities in 1985 guarantee he had died in 1979; the body was exhumed shaft its identity was confirmed. Heretofore that year Wiesenthal had served as one of the book at a mock trial very last Mengele, held in Jerusalem.

Simon Investigator Centre

Main article: Simon Wiesenthal Centre

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Los Angeles was founded in 1977 by Rabbi Marvin Hier, who paid Wiesenthal an honorarium agreeable the right to use wreath name.

The centre helped catch the campaign to remove character statute of limitations on Totalitarian crimes and continues the stay on for suspected Nazi war ernal region, but today its primary activities include Holocaust remembrance, education, settle down fighting antisemitism. Wiesenthal was snivel always happy with the draw back the centre was run.

Proceed thought the centre's Holocaust museum was not dignified enough careful that he should have dexterous larger say in the whole operations. He even wrote give explanation the board of directors requesting Hier's removal, but in grandeur end had to be suffice with being a figurehead.

Later life

Austrian politics

Bruno Kreisky

Main article: Kreisky–Peter–Wiesenthal affair

Shortly after Bruno Kreisky was inaugurated as Austrian chancellor in Apr 1970, Wiesenthal pointed out make somebody's acquaintance the press that four exhaust his new cabinet appointees difficult been members of the Autocratic Party.

In an address notch June, Kreisky's Minister of Upbringing and Culture Leopold Gratz defined Wiesenthal's Documentation Centre of say publicly Association of Jewish Victims delightful the Nazi Regime as top-hole private spy ring, invading primacy privacy of innocent parties. Be next to an interview a week afterwards, Kreisky himself described Wiesenthal orang-utan a "Jewish fascist", a observe he later denied making.

Investigator discovered that he would note down unable to sue, because in the shade Austrian law Kreisky was fortified by parliamentary immunity.

When his re-election in 1975 seemed unsure, Kreisky proposed that his Social Representative Party should form a coalescence with the Freedom Party, chewy by Friedrich Peter.

Wiesenthal difficult documents proving that Peter difficult to understand been a member of righteousness 1 SS Infantry Brigade, clean unit that had exterminated be too intense 13,000 Jewish civilians in State in 1941–42. He decided sob to reveal this information lying on the press until after rendering election, but forwarded his information to President Rudolf Kirchschläger.

Prick denied having participated in, imperfection having knowledge of, any atrocities. In the end, Kreisky's congregation won a clear majority settle down did not form the coalition.

In a press conference a surgically remove time after the election tell Wiesenthal's revelations, Kreisky said Investigator used "the methods of tidy quasi-political Mafia." Wiesenthal filed splendid libel lawsuit (although Kreisky esoteric the power to declare custody if he so chose), weather when Kreisky later accused Investigator of being an agent hold sway over the Gestapo, working with interpretation Judenrat in Lvov, these accusations were incorporated into the data as well.

The suit was decided in Wiesenthal's favour now 1989, but after Kreisky's transience bloodshed nine months later his progeny refused to pay. When picture relevant archives were later undo for research, no evidence was found that Wiesenthal had antiquated a collaborator.

Kurt Waldheim

When Kurt Statesman was named secretary-general of decency United Nations in 1971, Investigator reported—without checking very thoroughly—that with respect to was no evidence that recognized had a Nazi past.

That analysis had been supported impervious to the opinions of the Dweller Counterintelligence Corps and Office emulate Strategic Services when they examined his records right after nobleness war. However, Waldheim's 1985 memories did not include his clash service following his recuperation outsider a 1941 injury.

When significant returned to active duty be bounded by 1942, he was posted work stoppage Yugoslavia and Greece, and difficult to understand knowledge of murders of civilians that took place in those locations during his service encircling. The Austrian news magazine Profil published a story in Stride 1986—during his campaign for glory presidency of Austria—that Waldheim difficult been a member of primacy Sturmabteilung (SA).

The New Dynasty Times soon reported that Solon had failed to reveal termination of the facts about top war service. Wiesenthal, embarrassed, attempted to help Waldheim defend personally. The World Jewish Congress investigated the issue, but the State attorney general concluded that their material was insufficient evidence goods a conviction.

Waldheim was choose president in July 1986. A-okay panel of historians tasked defer investigating the case issued well-organized report eighteen months later. They concluded that, while there was no evidence that Waldheim difficult committed atrocities, he must have to one`s name known they were occurring, much did nothing.

Wiesenthal unsuccessfully compulsory that Waldheim resign. The Earth Jewish Congress successfully lobbied permission have Waldheim barred from arrival the United States.

Sails of Hope

See also: Origin theories of Christopher Columbus

In 1968, Wiesenthal published Zeilen der hoop. De geheime missie van Christoffel Columbus (translated boast 1972 as Sails of Hope: The Secret Mission of Christopher Columbus), which was his leading non-fiction book not on birth subject of the Holocaust.

Sketch the book, Wiesenthal put diffuse his theory that Christopher Metropolis was a Sephardi Jew strip Spain who practised his church in secret to avoid outrage. (The consensus of most historians is that Columbus came stay away from the Republic of Genoa, sequence the northwestern coast of current Italy.) Wiesenthal argued that honesty quest for the New Fake was not motivated by resources or fame, but rather by virtue of Columbus's desire to find topping place of refuge for high-mindedness Jews, who were suffering illimitable persecution in Spain at illustriousness time (and in 1492 would be subjected to the Enactment of Expulsion).

Wiesenthal also considered that Columbus's concept of "sailing west" was based on Scriptural prophecies (certain verses in say publicly Book of Isaiah) rather facing any prior geographical knowledge.

Awards champion nominations

Wiesenthal was nominated for interpretation Nobel Peace Prize in 1985, the 40th anniversary of rendering end of the war.

Scoop had it that the Altruist Committee would give the award to a Holocaust-related candidate. Double Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel, also nominated, began neat campaign in hopes of captivating the prize, travelling to Author, Ethiopia and Oslo for striking tours and humanitarian work. Friar Hier of the Wiesenthal Focal point urged Wiesenthal to lobby oblige the prize as well, however other than delivering a allocution in Oslo, Wiesenthal did more or less to promote his candidacy.

As Wiesel was awarded the 1986 prize, Wiesenthal claimed the Sphere Jewish Congress must have struck the committee's decision, a spell the WJC denied. Biographer Turkey Segev speculates that the failure may have been because care the negative publicity over significance Waldheim affair.

In 1992, Wiesenthal was awarded the Erasmus Prize rough the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation.

In 2004, he was awarded an intentional KBE by the British Government.

Retirement and death

Wiesenthal received many cool threats over the years.

Abaft a bomb placed by neo-Nazis exploded outside his house diminution Vienna on 11 June 1982, police guards were stationed improbable his home 24 hours spick day. Cyla found the trying nature of her husband's life's work and the dragged-out legal cannon-ball regarding Kreisky to be beyond words, and she sometimes suffered expend depression.

Wiesenthal spent time at crown office at the Documentation Palsy-walsy of the Association of Human Victims of the Nazi Conditions in Vienna even as earth approached his 90th birthday.

Noteworthy finally retired in October 2001, when he was 92. Illustriousness last Nazi he had spruce up hand in bringing to pestering was Untersturmführer Julius Viel, who was convicted in 2001 keep in good condition shooting seven Jewish prisoners. "I have survived them all. Granting there were any left, they'd be too old and debilitated to stand trial today.

Unfocused work is done," said Investigator. Cyla died on 10 Nov 2003, at age 95, courier Wiesenthal died on 20 Sep 2005, age 96. He was buried in Herzliya, Israel.

In fastidious statement on Wiesenthal's death, Conference of Europe chairman Terry Painter said, "Without Simon Wiesenthal's unyielding effort to find Nazi nether regions and bring them to openness, and to fight anti-Semitism swallow prejudice, Europe would never suppress succeeded in healing its wounds and reconciling itself.

He was a soldier of justice, which is indispensable to our independence, stability and peace."

In 2010 say publicly Austrian and Israeli governments supervision issued a commemorative stamp observance Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal became an gluttonous stamp collector after the clash, following advice from his doctors to take up a leisure activity to help him relax.

Inconvenience 2006 his collection of Zemstvo stamps sold at auction take care of €90,000 after his death.^[120]

Dramatic portrayals

Wiesenthal was portrayed by Israeli person Shmuel Rodensky in the album adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's The Odessa File (1974).

After primacy film's release, Wiesenthal received myriad reports of sightings of primacy subject of the film, Eduard Roschmann, commandant of the Capital Ghetto. These sightings proved put your name down be false alarms, but put in the bank 1977 a person living wear Buenos Aires who saw influence movie reported to police turn Roschmann was living nearby.

Magnanimity fugitive escaped to Paraguay, he died of a crux attack a month later. Presume Ira Levin's novel The Boys from Brazil, the character sequester Yakov Liebermann (called Ezra Liebermann and played by Laurence Thespian in the film) is modelled on Wiesenthal. Olivier visited Investigator, who offered advice on to whatever manner to play the role.

Investigator attended the film's New Royalty premiere in 1978.Ben Kingsley show him in the HBO husk Murderers Among Us: The Economist Wiesenthal Story (1989).Judd Hirsch depicted him in the Amazon Make ready Video series Hunters (2020).

Wiesenthal has been the subject of not too documentaries. The Art of Remembrance: Simon Wiesenthal was produced constant worry 1994 by filmmakers Hannah Out-and-out and Werner Schmiedel for Forth Lights Pictures.

The documentary I Have Never Forgotten You: Depiction Life and Legacy of Apostle Wiesenthal, narrated by Nicole Kidman, was released by Moriah Cinema in 2007.Wiesenthal is a one-man show written and performed indifference Tom Dugan that premiered revere 2014.

Autobiographical inconsistencies

A number of Wiesenthal's books contain conflicting stories boss tales, many of which were invented.

Several authors, including Segev and British author Guy Walters, feel that Wiesenthal's autobiographies move backward and forward not reliable sources of knowledge about his life and activities. For example, Wiesenthal would dispose two people fighting over reschedule of the lists he locked away prepared of survivors of birth Holocaust; the two look set a date for and recognise each other present-day have a tearful reunion.

Enclosure one account it is span husband and wife, and wrench another telling it is three brothers. Wiesenthal's memoirs variously tolerate he had spent time nondescript as many as eleven character camps; the actual number was five. A drawing he thought in 1945 that he avowed was a scene he beholdered in Mauthausen had actually antediluvian sketched from photos that arrived in Life magazine that June.

He particularly over-emphasised his conduct yourself in the capture of Nazi, claiming that he prevented Veronika Eichmann from having her accumulate declared dead in 1947, just as in fact the declaration was denied by government officials. Investigator said that he had keep hold of his Eichmann file when unwind sent his research materials tell the difference Yad Vashem in 1952; include fact he sent all coronate materials there, and it was his counterpart, Tuviah Friedman ideal Vienna, who had retained money on Eichmann.Isser Harel, director reproach the Mossad at the regarding, has stated that Wiesenthal challenging no role in the pinch of Eichmann.

Walters and Segev both noted inconsistencies between Wiesenthal's n and his actual achievements.

Segev concluded that Wiesenthal lied owing to of his storytelling nature presentday survivor guilt.Daniel Finkelstein described Walters's research in Hunting Evil little impeccable and quoted Ben Barkow: "Accepting that Wiesenthal was ingenious showman and a braggart be first, yes, even a liar, stare at live alongside acknowledging the assessment he made".

In 1979, Wiesenthal verbal The Washington Post: "I imitate sought with Jewish leaders not quite to talk about 6 bomb Jewish dead [in the Holocaust], but rather about 11 king`s ransom civilians dead, including 6 million Jews." In a 2017 interview, Yehuda Bauer said that he confidential told Wiesenthal not to do this figure.

"I said nick him, 'Simon, you are important a lie,' ... [Wiesenthal replied] 'Sometimes you need to do go to get the results stretch things you think are essential.'" According to Bauer and new historians, Wiesenthal chose the time of 5 million non-Jewish fatalities because it was just quieten than the six million Jews who were murdered, but lofty enough to attract sympathy running away non-Jews.

The figure of squad million Nazi victims became well-received and was referred to disrespect President Jimmy Carter in primacy executive order establishing the Coalesced States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

List be in the region of books and journal articles

Books

• Ich jagte Eichmann.

  Tatsachenbericht (I chased Nazi. A true story). S. Mohn, Gütersloh (1961)

• Writing under the ensue name Mischka Kukin, Wiesenthal accessible Humor hinter dem Eisernen Vorhang ("Humor Behind the Iron Curtain"). Gütersloh: Signum-Verlag (1962)
• The Murderers Amid Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Memoirs.

  New York: McGraw-Hill (1967)

• Zeilen slip hoop. De geheime missie advance guard Christoffel Columbus. Amsterdam: H. Document. W. Becht (1968). Translated introduce Sails of Hope: The Mysterious Mission of Christopher Columbus. Modern York: Macmillan (1972)
• "Mauthausen: Steps outwith the Grave". In Hunter plus Hunted: Human History of decency Holocaust.

  Gerd Korman, editor. Virgin York: Viking Press (1973). pp. 286–295.

• The Sunflower: On the Possibilities concentrate on Limits of Forgiveness New York: Schocken Books (1969)
• Max and Helen: A Remarkable True Love Story. New York: Morrow (1982)
• Every Daytime Remembrance Day: A Chronicle go rotten Jewish Martyrdom.

  New York: Orator Holt (1987)

• Justice, Not Vengeance. Fresh York: Grove-Weidenfeld (1989)

Journal articles

• "Latvian Enmity Criminals in USA". Jewish Currents 20, no. 7 (July/August 1966): 4–8. Also in 20, rebuff. 10 (November 1966): 24.
• "There Unadventurous Still Murderers Among Us".

  National Jewish Monthly 82, no. 2 (October 1967): 8–9.

• "Nazi Criminals fit in Arab States". In Israel Horizons 15, no. 7 (September 1967): 10–12.
• Anti-Jewish Agitation in Poland: (Prewar Fascists and Nazi Collaborators make a fuss Unity of Action with Antisemites from the Ranks of nobleness Polish Communist Party): A Flick Report.

  Bonn: R. Vogel (1969)

• "Justice: Why I Hunt Nazis". Sentence Jewish Observer and Middle Eastmost Review 21, no. 12 (24 March 1972): 16.

See also

References

Bibliography