Wiesenthal Center’s Chief Nazi-Hunter Meets Chairman of Russian Senate Committee for Foreign Affairs to Discuss Cooperation in Combating Glorification of Nazism and Distortion of Holocaust History in Post-Communist Eastern Europe

Wiesenthal Center's 2007 Annual Report on Worldwide Investigation and Prosecution of Nazi War Criminals Notes Continued Failure of Estonia to Take Legal Action Against Holocaust Perpetrators

Wiesenthal Center Criticizes Glorification by Estonia of its Support
for Nazi Germany During World War II

Jerusalem – The Simon Wiesenthal Center today harshly criticized the recent celebrations held in Estonia to mark the anniversary of the battles between pro-Nazi Estonian forces and the Soviet Army. In a letter sent from Jerusalem by its chief Nazi-hunter, Israel director Dr. Efraim Zuroff, to Estonia’s nonresident ambassador to Israel Aino Lepik von Wiren, the Center noted the participation of Estonian Minister of Defence Jak Aaviksoo and member of parliament Trivimi Velliste, as well as dozens of foreign neo-Nazis who attended the event.

According to Zuroff:
“We view these events as a glorification of those who fought alongside the forces of Nazi Germany, the regime which planned, initiated and implemented the Holocaust and is responsible for the mass murder of millions of innocent civilians. Thus glorifying those who fought for a victory of the Third Reich is an unpardonable insult to that regime’s many victims and those who fought to save Europe from its tyrannical rule.

“Given these circumstances, we find the participation of Estonian Defense Minister Jak Aaviksoo and member of parliament Trivimi Velliste in these events incomprehensible and worthy of condemnation. In fact, it is totally incompatible with Estonia’s membership in NATO and the European Union. In addition, the fact that these events attracted dozens of foreign neo-Nazis clearly demonstrates the danger that they will encourage the rebirth of fascism and racist extremism.

“We kindly request that you convey our protest to the Estonian government which we hope will take appropriate action so that such shameful events will not be repeated in Estonia.”

For more information call 00-972-50-7214156

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Wiesenthali keskus kritiseerib, et Eestis ülistatakse toetust Natsi-Saksamaale II maailmasõja ajal

Jeruusalemm – Simon Wiesenthali keskus kritiseeris täna teravalt hiljutisi sündmusi Eestis, kus tähistati natsimeelsete Eesti vägede ja Nõukogude Armee vaheliste lahingute aastapäeva. Keskuse peamine natsikütt, Iisraeli osakonna direktor dr. Efraim Zuroff saatis täna Jeruusalemmast kirja Eesti mitteresideeruvale Iisraeli suursaadikule Aino Lepik von Wirenile, märkides, et tähistamisel osales Eesti kaitseminister Jaak Aaviksoo ning parlamendiliige Trivimi Velliste, samuti kümned välismaa neonatsid.

Zuroff ütles:
„Meie näeme neid sündmusi Natsi-Saksamaa vägedega külg külje kõrval võidelnute ülistamisena. Natsi-Saksamaa režiim planeeris, juhtis ja viis täide holokausti ning vastutab miljonite süütute tsiviilisikute massimõrva eest. Seega on Kolmanda Reichi võidu nimel võidelnute ülistamine andestamatu solvang selle režiimi paljude ohvrite ning nende suhtes, kes võitlesid, et päästa Euroopat sellest türanniast.“

„Arvestades neid asjaolusid leiame, et Eesti kaitseministri Jaak Aaviksoo ja parlamendiliikme Trivimi Velliste osalemine nendel sündmustel on mõistetamatu ja hukkamõistu vääriv. Ausalt öeldes on see sobimatu Eesti liikmelisusega Euroopa Liidus ja NATOs. Lisaks, asjaolu, et need sündmused tõmbasid ligi kümneid välismaa neonatse, näitab ohtu, et nad julgustavad fašismi ja ja rassistliku ekstremismi taassündi.“

„Palume, et edastaksite meie protesti Eesti valitsusele ja loodame, et viimane võtab tarvitusele meetmed, et selliseid häbiväärseid sündmusi Eestis enam ei toimuks.“

Lisainfo: +972-50-7214156

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Wiesenthal Center: Removal by Estonian Government of Soviet-Era Memorial From City Center Reflects Lack of Sensitivity to Nazi Crimes and Insults Their Victims

Jerusalem - The Simon Wiesenthal Center today criticized the removal from the center of Tallinn to a military cemetery by the Estonian government late last week of a Soviet memorial commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany, which had stood for decades in the center of the Estonian capital.

In a statement issued in Jerusalem by its chief Nazi-hunter, Israel director Dr. Efraim Zuroff, the Center noted that the removal of the monument minimizes the severity of the crimes of the Holocaust in Estonia and insults the Nazis‘victims in the country.

According to Zuroff:
“While the Center unequivocally condemns the crimes committed against Estonians of all faiths and nationalities under Soviet rule, it must never be forgotten that it was the Red Army which effectively stopped the mass murder conducted by the Nazis and their local collaborators on Estonian soil until the final day of its occupation by Nazi Germany. Thus the removal of the monument from the center of Tallinn by the government reflects a regrettable lack of sensitivity to the depth of Nazi criminality and is an insult to its victims. This is not surprising in a country which has proven to be indifferent to the crimes committed by Estonian Nazi collaborators, not a single one of whom has been held accountable since Estonia became independent, whereas numerous Communist collaborators have been prosecuted by the local judicial authorities.”

Estonia received an “F” or failing grade in the Wiesenthal Center’s last (2007) Annual Status Report on the worldwide investigation and prosecution of Nazi war criminals, published this month .

For more information please contact: 972-51-214-156
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Wiesenthal Center Calls Conclusions of Estonian Investigation of Suspected Nazi War Criminal Harry Mannil “A Pathetic Political Whitewash” and Categorically Rejects Prosecutor's Assessments of the Case

The Simon Wiesenthal Center today rejected the findings, announced late last week in Tallinn, of the Estonian government's investigation into the activities during World War II of suspected Nazi war criminal Harry Mannil, which cleared the resident of Caracas, Venezuela, of any criminal responsibility and closed his file. The Center, which years ago identified Mannil as a member of the Estonian Political Police, which actively participated in the persecution and murder of civilians in the Estonian capital in 1941, has been trying to facilitate his prosecution ever since he was discovered living in Venezuela in the wake of the investigation in 1992 of his superior Evald Mikson.

In a statement issued today in Jerusalem by its chief Nazi-hunter , Israel director Dr. Efraim Zuroff, the Center reiterated its contention that Mannil should be held accountable for his role in the fate of Estonian civilians persecuted and murdered by the Nazis and their Estonian collaborators. The Center also termed “absolutely outrageous” the statement made last Friday by Estonian state prosecutor Heino Tonismagi who, according to the Estonian media, accused the Wiesenthal Center of purposely targeting Mannil (a multimillionaire philanthropist) since he was “one of the most outstanding Estonians,” and absolved the Estonian authorities of any crimes since the country was occupied at the time.

In response, Zuroff called the Estonian investigation of Mannil “a pathetic whitewash for political reasons of an active Nazi collaborator who thanks to the ineptitude and/or corruption of the Estonian prosecution will apparently never be held accountable for his crimes.” Zuroff noted that the prosecutor's totally baseless accusation that Mannil was purposely targeted by the Wiesenthal Center is the best proof that Estonia lacked the political will to prosecute a prominent Estonian and pointed out that Mannil is currently barred from entering the United States due to his wartime activities. It is obvious that Estonia , which has hereto failed to convict a single local Nazi war criminal since it regained its independence, still lacks the political courage to face the practical implications of the active complicity of its nationals in Holocaust crimes.” Said Zuroff.

For more information please contact: 972-51-214-156
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Wiesenthal Center Outraged By Estonian Refusal to Publish “Operation:Last Chance” Ads in Local Media

The Simon Wiesenthal Center today expressed its shock and outrage in the wake of a decision by an Estonian advertising agency to refuse to publish ads for the Center's “Operation:Last Chance,” a special project which offers financial rewards of $10,000 for information which will lead to the prosecution and punishment of Nazi war criminals in the Baltics. The ads were rejected by the Estonian advertising agency “Media House” on the grounds that the proposed text which said that “During the Holocaust Estonians murdered Jews in Estonia and in other countries” was inflammatory and that according to the Estonian Security Police Board since no Estonians had ever been convicted for the murder of Jews outside Estonia and the Board did not possess “convincing evidence” of such crimes, the assertion by the Center may be in violation of the Estonian Constitution.

In a statement issued today in Jerusalem, the Center's chief Nazi-hunter Dr. Efraim Zuroff, who directs ”Operation:Last Chance” called the decision “totally outrageous,” and “a sad reflection on the inability of far too many Estonians to accept the sad reality of the complicity of some of their nationals in the crimes of the Holocaust.” Zuroff added that he viewed the position adopted by the Security Police Board as particularly problematic in view of the fact that it was the agency entrusted with the investigation and prosecution of Estonian Nazi war criminals. “The Security Police Board has once again shown very clearly that they consider their primary task to be the preservation of the good name of the Estonian people rather than the prosecution of local Nazi war criminals. Given the fact that the International Historians Commission established by President Lennart Meri has confirmed that Estonian police participated in the murder of Jews in Belarus in 1942 and that the Center has found additional evidence to confirm that fact, we stand 100% behind the assertion in the ad. Under the current circumstances, one can only wonder whether an Estonian Nazi war criminal can actually ever be convicted-regardless of the severity of his crimes-in Estonia,” said Zuroff.

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WIESENTHAL CENTER AND “TARGUM SHLISHI” FOUNDATION LAUNCH INNOVATIVE AD CAMPAIGN AS SECOND STAGE OF “OPERATION: LAST CHANCE”

WIESENTHAL CENTER AND “TARGUM SHLISHI” FOUNDATION LAUNCH INNOVATIVE AD CAMPAIGN AS SECOND STAGE OF “OPERATION: LAST CHANCE”

The Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Targum Shlishi Foundation have launched the second stage of their “Operation: Last Chance” campaign which offers financial rewards for information leading to the prosecution and punishment of Nazi war criminals in the Baltics, by initiating an innovative ad campaign which utilizes authentic Holocaust-era photos of Nazi atrocities to urge informants to supply the Center with incriminating information against local Holocaust perpetrators. The ads, which have already appeared in Lithuania and are slated to run in Latvia and Estonia during the coming two weeks, note the tragic fates of the Baltic Jewish communities and the role-played by local collaborators in their liquidation.

In Lithuania, for example, the ad noted, “Lithuanian Jewry did not disappear. They were murdered in Ponar (Vilnius), Fort IX (Kaunas), Kuziai Forest (Siauliai) and over a hundred other places of mass murder…”In Latvia the ad, whose publication will coincide with the anniversary of the large-scale annihilation of 30,000 Riga Jews (on November 30 and December 8, 1941), will focus on that atrocity, the worst in Latvia’s history.

“Our goal is not only to notify the public about “Operation: Last Chance,” but to inform people about the critical role played by local Nazi collaborators in each of the Baltic countries (as well as in other countries) in the implementation of the Final Solution. In that respect, while our immediate focus is on justice and the prosecution of those responsible, our larger goal is education. Although these countries have already been admitted to NATO, they have a long way to go in confronting their World War II past and the active participation of numerous Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians in the crimes of the Holocaust, “ said Dr. Efraim Zuroff, the Center’s chief Nazi-hunter and the coordinator of the project.

“Operation: Last Chance is designed to arouse the conscience of these societies and help them confront their pasts. It’s about justice not revenge. And therein is an important message for today’s terrorists from Al-Quaida, that the guilty will be hunted for decades, if necessary,” said Targum Shlishi founder Aryeh Rubin.