Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Holocaust survivor, has passed away at 87. His memoir, Night, is one of the best accounts of the horror of the Holocaust. The book details his experience in concentration camps.
He was born in 1928 in Romania and was sent to Auschwitz at the age of 15. His mother and sister were killed at the camp. After that, Elie and his father were taken to another camp, Buchenwald. His father was malnourished and sick; he died after a beating from a guard.
His autobiography, Night, was released in 1955. He continued to fight against injustice for decades after he survived the Holocaust. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for his work in Yugoslavia and Darfur.
When he won the prize, the committee described him as a “messenger to mankind” and:
“…one of the most important spiritual leaders and guides in an age when violence, repression and racism continue to characterize the world.”
President Obama described him as “the conscience of the world.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Wiesel:
“…gave expression to the victory of the human spirit over cruelty and evil, through his extraordinary personality and his fascinating books.”
He vowed:
“Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.”
His daughter, Elisha Wiesel, said:
“My father raised his voice to presidents and prime ministers when he felt issues on the world stage demanded action. But those who knew him in private life had the pleasure of experiencing a gentle and devout man who was always interested in others, and whose quiet voice moved them to better themselves.”
If you haven’t done so, read his book. This man was brave and brilliant.
For more on the courageous and brilliant man, see video below:
