Simon Wiesenthal

The survivors of the Holocaust spent years trying to rebuild their lives and pick up the shattered pieces of what they had left. While many went on to become writers, filmmakers, or humanitarians, others focused on other efforts. Simon Wiesenthal survived life in five different concentration camps including Janowska and Plaszow before the war ended. After the war ended, he devoted most of his time and energy to helping track down fugitive Nazi war criminals.
 
Wiesenthal lost as many as 89 members of his and his wife's family during the holocaust, and after the end of the war he quickly went about beginning his work tracking down the perpetrators of the atrocities.
 
Two years after the end of the war he helped found the Jewish Historical Documentation Center in Austria. This center focused on gathering information to help track down and try war criminals and also helped survivors find their lost relatives. He played a part in finding Adolf Eichmann, one of the most sought-after war criminals from the war.
 
Wiesenthal also helped in the search of numerous other criminals including Franz Stangl, Josef Mengele, and Hermine Braunsteiner. Although not always successful in extraditing the war criminal for trial, Wiesenthal did make numerous finds that helped bring many to justice. Over the years he received numerous death threats and actually was targeted by an assassination attempt in 1982 when neo-Nazis planted a bomb at his home.
 
Simon Wiesenthal died at 96 of natural causes and was buried in Israel. Over the years he has been the focus of numerous movies, documentaries, and books. He's been portrayed by Ben Kingsley and a character based on him was played by Laurence Oliver as well.
 
Wiesenthal's work lives on thanks to the numerous books he published over the years including "I Chased Eichmann: A True Story", "Sails of Hope: The Secret Mission of Christopher Columbus", "Max and Helen: A Remarkable True Love Story", and "Justice, Not Vengeance". He also published numerous journal articles throughout his life.
 
Wiesenthal won numerous awards for his work helping to bring war criminals to justice and also for his work helping survivors track down their families. While the general public may not be as familiar with him as they are with various other survivors, there is no doubt that he remains one of the most respected and inspirational holocaust survivors in history. To this day, his grave is regularly visited by those wishing to pay their respects.