Irish Holocaust survivor Tomi Reichental dies aged 90
The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland said it is ‘deeply saddened’ by the passing of Mr Reichental, who lost 35 family members during the Holocaust
Tomi Reichental(Image: Image: Mick O’Neill/Daily Mirror/Irish Daily Star.)
Holocaust survivor Tomi Reichental has passed away at the age of 90.
Born in Czechoslovakia in 1935, Mr Reichental was nine-year-old when he and his family were transported to the infamous Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, the same camp where diarist Anne Frank was sent. He survived, but lost 35 family members during the Holocaust.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror about his experience in Bergen-Belsen, Mr Rechental said: “The moment we boarded the train, the cattle car, we were like animals that were being transported.
“Seven days of travel, nine years of age, all of it terrifying.”
Mr Rechental continued: “Inmates were like skeletons, just skin and bone, walking slowly but it was also we were in the area in the camp where the hospital was situated and when I say ‘hospital’, I mean, they didn’t cure anybody.
Tomi Reichental with his book “i was a boy in Belson” about his experience during the Holocaust, a genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945.(Image: Mick O’Neill.)
“In fact, the doctor of the camp, after the liberation, there was a trial and he was sentenced to death because there was a whole block filled up with all the medicine that was needed to cure people of typhus, of tuberculosis and diphtheria and he never used it.
“So people are dying like flies because typhus is contagious and once you get it, it is like being sentenced to death if you are not treated.
Mr Reichental moved to Ireland in 1959 and built a new life in Dublin, where he raised his family and dedicated much of his time to ensuring future generations would learn from the Holocaust.
In 2011, he published his autobiography ‘I Was a Boy in Belsen’, and appeared in two documentaries chronicling his experiences as a survivor.
Mr Reichental also spent many years touring schools throughout the country, with thousands of Irish children gaining an understanding of the Holocaust through his personal accounts. The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland expressed that it is “deeply saddened” by Mr Reichental’s passing.
The organisation described Mr Reichental as one of Ireland’s “most remarkable voices of remembrance, education, and humanity”, noting that for decades he shared his testimony with students, communities, and audiences throughout Ireland, reports Dublin Live.
“Having survived the horrors of Bergen-Belsen as a child, he dedicated much of his later life to ensuring that future generations would learn from the Holocaust and understand the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and indifference,” they said. “Tomi was not only a survivor; he was a teacher, a witness, and a cherished member of Irish society.
“His contribution to Holocaust education and to the fight against antisemitism and racism leaves a lasting legacy.” A memorial service is due to be held at a later date to pay tribute to Mr Reichental.
Source: https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/irish-holocaust-survivor-tomi-reichental-37228887
