[address anonymised]

Mar. 26, 2002

Dear Mrs G. [name anonymised], dear pupils!

Thank you, Mrs G. [name anonymised], for confronting your pupils with my "Sunflower". This encourages young people to think about the soldier's behaviour and my reaction and prevents them from viewing the terrible events of the Nazi era as historical facts that do not concern them.

I recently turned 93 years old. Basically, I haven’t changed my mind since back then. But I always find it very endearing when young people speak out in favour of forgiveness – even if they don’t realise that they wouldn’t have had the legitimacy to do so.

In post-war trials, in which SS men, especially in Germany, had to answer for their deeds in court, I unfortunately rarely met men who admitted and repented for their actions. They were always only interested in minimising or denying their involvement in murders and other crimes. The "necessity to obey orders" was also repeatedly invoked.

Dear Ms [name anonymised], thank you once again for your commitment and a warm greeting and best wishes to the pupils in your class on their journey through life.

With pleasure

With kind regards

Simon Wiesenthal

M.[name anonymised]

[A papier-mâché sunflower]

To forgive or not to forgive!

Dear Mr Wiesenthal I have thoroughly studied your terrible story of the National Socialist era and have come to the decision that there is no decision at all. When I read the book for the first time, I thought about it. I thought about the fact that when someone is dying, the person who inflicted it on others feels it on themselves. But still. Is the killing of innocent people done with forgiveness? I think everyone has their own opinion about that. I think I would have acted exactly as you did. At first I thought that if I were in your position, I would have forgiven him just to ease his conscience. But it wouldn’t be right to lie to him. On the other hand, I might have told him that I didn’t forgive him. But that thought would torment me for the rest of my life. I perceive the fact that you didn’t give him an answer as if you hadn’t forgiven him but hadn’t condemned him either. The SS man could then form his own opinion. But I think the way you acted was for the best.

Yours sincerely

S.T.