A Nazi's Worst Nightmare

knew Goering. It was his idea, not just California’s legislature for their importance Making a Difference Yisrael—if they behave in the right way. If theirs. He already had these beliefs. No in helping to assure an accurate account of Rabbi Hier’s message to Zman readers is they do, their non-Jewish acquaintances will pogroms—that’s just beating up a few what really happened from the years leading a summary of his own life’s work: say, “I like that guy.” hundred Jews. We need a big aktion! We up to the Holocaust down to the aftermath. We can’t help that the Ribono Shel need something systematic and coming They include the writings and photographs Do you think the Master of the Universe Olam created only 14 million Jews in the from the state…. of various European Jews from before and created a person and told him, “What I world… but we Jews don’t have to only during the war, Jews who have otherwise would like from you is to open a business, talk to ourselves. We can talk to the whole The letter forms part of a larger project disappeared from history. This preserves have three meals a day, and that’s all?” world. Every Jew can make a Kiddush of the Center, namely their Library and the legacy of a vibrant, active Jewish world Or, does the Ribono Shel Olam want us to Hashem by his personal conduct, and Archives. They maintain a vast repository in pre-War Europe. perfect His world? in this way we can be around until the of original books, letters, and documents Additionally, the Simon Wiesenthal This world is not Gan Eden. Not yet. We coming of Mashiach. which record key pieces of recent history. Center has begun to collect other documents live in a physical world. Every Jew has, in his You know how in the airport they have The Archives contain over 30,000 volumes pertaining to the general struggle for civil own power, a chance to make thousands of a “ fast track?” I’m waiting to see the fast and were recently recognized by the State of rights in the United States and beyond. friends for the Jewish people and for Eretz track to Mashiach! Yaakov Astor A Nazi’s Worst Nightmare Simon Wiesenthal The Life and Times of the World's Most Famous Nazi Hunter You either loved him or hated him. It was hard to be neutral about Simon Wiesenthal. To the thousands of Nazis hoping to escape justice after the war, he was their worst nightmare. Those who fled to South America could not feel safe… even decades later. To most Jews, he was the legendary fighter for a cause that made them proud, the voice of the six million kedoshim. He was also the irritating conscience to a non-Jewish world that increasingly wanted to forget their plight and forgive their unrepentant tormentors and murderers. But he irritated fellow Jews too, including fellow Nazi hunters and Holocaust survivors. Read about his life and times, including some of his numerous brushes with death before, during and after the Holocaust, as well as some of his most important successes in hunting Nazis. Whether you hated him or loved him, one thing was certain: when it came to Simon Wiesenthal, there was never a dull moment. 140 | ZMAN • August 2012 ZMAN • Av 5772 | 141 eter Miller, a blond-haired, blue- important truth—and how bloodthirsty In some ways, the saga of bringing eyed, non-Jewish German freelance these Nazis are. Now he is more determined Roschmann to justice characterizes the Preporter, has been hot on the trail of incredible life and methods of Simon Wiesen- a secret, post-war Nazi organization called Paranoid that every shadow is an ODESSA thal. It was his combination of brash ODESSA, which stands for Organization assassin,than ever andto find wondering Roschmann. if the government showmanship and dogged determination der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen, meaning that made Simon Wiesenthal the legendary “Organization of Former SS Members.” The cahoots with the Nazi organization, Miller Nazi hunter he was. purpose of the ODESSA is to establish and officials he’s contacted are somehow in facilitate secret escape routes, “ratlines,” hideout in Austria. Under the cover of night, Holocaust Experiences to allow SS members to avoid capture Millerfinally sneakstracks inside.down Roschmann in a castle and prosecution for war crimes. Although Simon Wiesenthal was born to Rosa designed as a worldwide clandestine escape enters a room where a distinguished-look- and Asher Wiesenthal on December 31, network, it is also rumored to be pursuing ing,After gray-haired almost mangetting is pouringcaught, hehimself finally a 1908, in Buczacz (now Buchach), almost the reorganization of a Fourth Reich by drink. It is Roschmann! 200 miles southeast of Lvov in present-day networking with remote Nazi colonies Pulling out a gun, Miller tells Roschmann Ukraine. Like many Jews, his father had overseas. to remain quiet. He then reminds him of Miller’s interest in ODESSA has little to poverty and rampant anti-Semitism, Asher do with Jews. Rather, his focus is upon one unusual decoration. Roschmann remembers Wiesenthalfled the pogroms made ina Russiagood living in 1905. trading Despite in man: Eduard Roschmann, commandant of andthe murderadmits killingof the theGerman man. However,officer with at thatthe commodities such as sugar, and the family the Riga ghetto during 1943, a man also moment, Miller lets down his guard for an known as “The Butcher of Riga.” Although instant and Roschmann escapes… eventu- In 1915, Asher, a reservist in the Austro- Roschmann has the blood of thousands of Hungarianenjoyed a certain Army, levelwas ofkilled affluence. while serving Jews on his hands, it is one particular victim on the Eastern Front. In order to escape that captures Miller’s primary concern: a ally fleeing to Argentina. Eduard Roschmann, commandant of the Riga ghetto the marauding Cossacks, the family moved during 1943, escaped to South America in 1948. German Army captain wearing an unusual to Vienna, where they settled in the Jewish military decoration. Miller believes it If this sounds like the plot of a spy Even more remarkably, Roschmann was identi- quarter. They returned to Buczacz two years matches a unique decoration of his late novel—well, it is. • later. father who had died serving in that area. The story comes from a bestselling piece Wiesenthal used to tell the story of how, The diary entry of a Holocaust survivor has The Odessa File tofied nearby and arrested Paraguay. by the Although Argentine he police! was never when he was 12, horsemen of the Ukrainian led him to believe that it was none other by Frederick Forsythe. However, in this case, caught,Unfortunately, he died alone he skippedand on the bail run and a yearfled leader Simon Petliura attacked the town. than Eduard Roschmann who killed his notof fiction only would in the truth1970s turn called out to be stranger later (1977). “I can still see it as vividly as if it father, and for a petty reason. The other factual person in Forsythe’s happened yesterday,” he told a biographer Miller began his pursuit of Roschmann criminal to justice. years later. “We were virtual prisoners in through the normal channels, such as thanAt fiction,the time, but Eduard fiction Roschmann, would bring the a real-true Simon Wiesenthal. When Forsythe was our houses.” life former commandant of the Riga ghetto, researchingotherwise fictional his book, novel he employed was, of Wiesencourse,- Venturing outside in search of food for he found, though, was frustrating. No one in was living free in Argentina, like many other thal’s service as a “documentary advisor.” post-warGermany’s Germany Attorney was General’s prepared office. to search What Nazis after the war. However, the worldwide He initially wanted to make his villain a for or prosecute former Nazis. After almost popularity of The giving up, Miller turned to the one man who Odessa File put a Wiesenthal suggested, when there were had not given up, renowned Nazi hunter spotlight on him. plentyfictional of Nazi,real ones but around.why use a fictional one, Simon Wiesenthal. As a result, remark- It was then that he brought the name of ably, the embassy Eduard Roschmann to Forsythe’s attention. Nazi commandant, Miller closes in on the of West Germany in Wiesenthal did so, he later admitted, to cast whereaboutsBased on Wiesenthal’sof Roschmann. file aboutHowever, the Argentina initi- light on Roschmann and hopefully bring as he does so he does not realize that his ated a request for about his arrest. Although the Roschmann own life is in danger. One day, he gets into his extradition to of The Odessa File his car and, only due to a lucky accident, Germany to face real-life drama around his discovery and walks away from it just before it explodes. charges of multiple the successful attempt was tofictionalized, bring him theto Unscathed but shaken, he realizes now how murders of Jews some measure of justice is not. Once more, high the stakes are, how close he is to some during World War II. Wiesenthal had gotten his man. The Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum in Riga, Latvia. 142 | ZMAN • August 2012 ZMAN • Av 5772 | 143.

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