Posted on 04/30/2006 9:47:59 AM PDT by wolf78
Leader of Germany's Jewish community dies
Holocaust survivor helped secure government recognition, funds
BERLIN - Holocaust survivor Paul Spiegel, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, died on Sunday aged 68 after a long illness, the council said.
Spiegel had since 2000 headed the council, which represents some 100,000 Jews in the country that once tried to wipe them out.
In a statement, the council announced “with great mourning” that Spiegel had died early on Sunday in Duesseldorf. It said he had been suffering from leukemia.
Chancellor Angela Merkel was saddened by Spiegel’s death, her office said.
“The late president of the Central Council of the Jews was an impressive personality, who campaigned with great passion and all his energy for a good future for the Jewish community in Germany,” Merkel’s office added in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Moshe Katsav
ping
Spiegel was not only a "great patriot of the Jewish nation", he was first of all also a great German who loved his country with the bottom of his heart. We Germans lost one of our most important comtemporary compatriots.
I had the fortune to meet Mr. Spiegel more than once. I really liked this guy for his normal attitude on Germany and the Germans. He didn´t view being Jewish to be exceptional, and that was refreshing after some bitterness of his predecessors. He once said "I´ll be happy when one day a man can introduce himself to another and say ´I´m Jewish´ and the other will reply ´ok, so what?´" I think many Germans have made Mr. Spiegel happy, unfortunately, there´re still a lot who have prejudices.
May you rest in peace! Your work is appreciated and will not be forgotten!
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