Born in Romania in 1928, Elie Wiesel was the son of a grocer and seem destined to a life that would follow in his father’s footsteps. A world war would interfere with these plans and his Jewish heritage would make him a target. Those experiences would also make him a global activist for human rights, but not take away the target that was placed on him because of his heritage and message for the world. Here are some interesting facts about Elie Wiesel that may shock you about this infamous man.
1. He Was Attacked For His Experiences.
Some people deny the Holocaust ever happened. One of those individuals attacked Wiesel to force him to say that the concentration camps never happened. Wiesel was not harmed and his attacker would end up spending two years in prison and then have another 4 years of being out on parole.
2. He Has Won Multiple Awards.
Wiesel was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for his work in protecting human rights. He’s also been given the US Congressional Gold Medal, been awarded with honorary knighthood, and been given the National Humanities Medal. He’s been an American citizen since 1963.
3. Two Fateful Photographs Changed His Life.
Wiesel can be seen in one of the famous photographs that were taken at Buchenwald. He is one of the men that is in the bunk beds and the images would help the rest of the world understand what Nazi Germany was doing. A journalist also took his picture while at an orphanage after his camp was liberated, which his sister recognized and the two were later reunited because of it.
4. A Man Who Was Trusting – Maybe Too Trusting.
Wiesel had millions of dollars invested with Bernard Madoff through his organization and with his personal life savings. The Ponzi scheme was eventually shut down, but the average investor that was involved with Madoff would only receive about one-third of their initial investments back.
Elie Wiesel is one of those individuals who proves that one person really can change the world with the choices they make. There will always be some who try to take advantage of this, but in the end, it is people like Wiesel that the world will continue to remember.
