Eli Wiesel: The Perils of Indifference Rare original Speech

Elie Wiesel was a Romanian-born Jewish writer, professor, and Holocaust survivor. He was born on September 30, 1928, in Sighet, Transylvania (now part of Romania), into a Jewish family. In 1944, when he was 15 years old, he and his family were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp, where his parents and younger sister were killed. Wiesel and his two older sisters survived, and after the war, he lived in France and studied at the Sorbonne.

Wiesel's experiences in the concentration camps and his struggle to come to terms with the atrocities he witnessed inspired his writing. He is best known for his memoir "Night," which was published in 1956 and is considered a classic of Holocaust literature. The book tells the story of his experiences as a teenager in the concentration camps and his struggle to find meaning in the face of the atrocities he witnessed.

In addition to "Night," Wiesel wrote more than 60 books, including novels, essays, and memoirs. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for his work as a human rights advocate and for his efforts to promote peace and understanding in the world.

Wiesel died on July 2, 2016, at the age of 87. His legacy as a writer and human rights advocate continues to inspire people around the world.

"Perils of Indifference" is a speech delivered by Elie Wiesel on April 12, 1999, at the White House as part of the Millennium Lecture series. The speech is about the dangers of indifference and the importance of speaking out against injustice, particularly in the context of the Holocaust and other atrocities of the 20th century.

Wiesel begins his speech by reflecting on his experiences as a Holocaust survivor and the indifference he faced during that time. He argues that indifference is not the same as neutrality and that in the face of injustice, neutrality is not an option. He cites examples from history where people remained indifferent to the suffering of others, such as during the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, and the genocides in Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda.

Wiesel emphasizes the power of words and the responsibility of individuals to use their voices to speak out against injustice. He argues that silence only serves to enable the perpetrators of atrocities and that indifference can be just as dangerous as outright hatred.

Throughout the speech, Wiesel calls on people to reject indifference and to take action to prevent atrocities from occurring. He argues that the future of humanity depends on our willingness to recognize and confront the evils of the past and to work towards a more just and peaceful world.

Overall, "Perils of Indifference" is a powerful and moving speech that highlights the importance of standing up against injustice and the dangers of remaining silent in the face of atrocities.