Portraits of Elie Wiesel

Nicole Kahn, widow of Jean Kahn, writes to Professor Elie Wiesel to invite him to a public tribute for her late husband. The event is scheduled for December 1, 2014, in Paris at the Hemicycle of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council. The tribute will consist of testimonials from various personalities, focusing on Jean Kahn's humanist, democratic, and human rights actions. Nicole Kahn, on behalf of herself and her sons, expresses how honored they would be if Professor Wiesel could attend and deliver a 5-7 minute speech about his shared experiences with Jean Kahn. She explains that the contributions from the ceremony will be preserved through videos on a dedicated website or through publication. She requests a response by September 15, 2014, to aid in the organization of the event. The letter concludes by affirming the high esteem and friendship Jean Kahn held for Wiesel.

This press release from The Eisenhower World Affairs Institute and Gettysburg College announces that Nobel Laureate and human rights advocate Elie Wiesel will be awarded the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Prize on May 20, 1997, at the Washington Hilton and Towers. The award recognizes Wiesel's significant contributions to human rights and leadership, reflecting President Eisenhower's legacy. Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, highlights Eisenhower's visit to Buchenwald in 1945 as a pivotal moment for memory and strategic planning. General Colin Powell is slated to pay tribute to the liberators of death camps at the event. The document also details Wiesel's other accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the establishment of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, emphasizing his commitment to human rights and ethical discourse. Background information on the prize, the Institute, and Gettysburg College's historical ties to Eisenhower is also provided.

After a visit from her brother Ben, Rebecca writes to her sister-in-law Ann, expressing relief at his safe arrival home. She also updates her on the health and travels of family and friends, discusses the current memoir she is reading, and reflects on the state of France before the French Revolution.

This document is a draft speech intended for the decoration of Marion Wiesel, dated October 25, 2000. The speaker expresses pleasure in honoring Marion Wiesel, acknowledging her modesty and preference for action over recognition. The speech highlights her unwavering commitment to peace, dialogue, and combating hatred, notably through her role as Vice President of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. It recalls her personal history as a Holocaust survivor, detailing her childhood experiences in Vienna, her escape through Europe, and time spent in internment camps. The speech praises her cultural contributions, particularly her translation work for her husband Elie Wiesel, and her poignant documentary, 'Les enfants de la nuit,' which aimed to bear witness to the plight of Jewish children deported by the Nazis. It also emphasizes her dedication to human rights, her organizational skills, and her work assisting Ethiopian Jews and providing educational support in Israel. The speaker concludes by conferring upon Marion Wiesel the title of Officer of the Legion of Honor on behalf of the President of the Republic.

Rebecca writes to her sister-in-law Maria, questioning the origins of the Christian holiday, Twelfth Night, and informs her on the reception of the writer Harriet Martineau in Philadelphia. She also updates her on the shipment of Maria's cloaks.