Why was the Nazi Hunter so controversial?

Simon Wiesenthal, known as the “Nazi Hunter,” dedicated his life to seeking justice for the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. After assembling a list of Nazi war criminals, he relentlessly tracked them down one by one and ensured they faced trial, with his most significant victory being the capture of Adolf Eichmann. Though Wiesenthal was accused of embellishment and self-promotion, his relentless pursuit of justice ensured that the memory of the Holocaust would continue to endure to this day.

Big Ideas

1. The “Nazi Hunter”, Simon Wiesenthal, dedicated his life to seeking justice for the murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust.
2. Wiesenthal is both admired and criticized for his work tracking down over one thousand Nazis and helping send them to trial and prison.
3. Wiesenthal made sure people would remember the Holocaust and that it was a crime against all of humanity, not just against Jews.

Essential Questions

1. How far should we go to bring Nazis and other war criminals to justice?
2. What can we do to remember the Holocaust and ensure that the six million Jews who were murdered are not forgotten?
3. Do Wiesenthal’s embellishments and false claims do damage to the memory of the Holocaust?

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