[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 50 (Thursday, March 21, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING BEN FERENCZ

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                        HON. THEODORE E. DEUTCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 21, 2019

  Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Ben Ferencz. 
Ben is the last living Nuremberg prosecutor and is also celebrating his 
100th Birthday.
  Born in Transylvania in 1920, Ben immigrated to the United States and 
attended public schools in New York. He won a scholarship to Harvard 
Law School where he worked as a research assistant for a professor 
writing a book on war crimes. He received his degree in 1943 and 
promptly joined the U.S. Army as a private in the artillery. He was 
awarded five battle stars for not being killed or wounded at Normandy 
Beach and every major campaign in Europe.
  As the war was ending, he was transferred to General Patton's HQ to 
serve as a war crimes investigator. He entered many Nazi concentration 
camps as they were liberated and the horrors he saw made an indelible 
impression. When he returned home, he was recruited by General Telford 
Taylor to return to Germany to help in the additional war crimes 
trials.
  He was appointed Chief Prosecutor in what was aptly described as the 
biggest murder trial in history--the ``Einsatzgreuppen case.'' All 22 
defendants, including six SS Generals, were convicted of murdering over 
a million innocent men, women, and children. Ben was 27 years old and 
it was his first case.
  Since then, Ben has dedicated much of his life to seeking 
compensation for victims and trying to prevent illegal war-making. He 
became a self-appointed personal lobbyist for peace, with countless 
lectures, publications, and speeches at many universities and in 
countries around the world.
  Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to honor Mr. Ben Ferencz and his 
service to his country, his community, and the world. Happy Birthday to 
Ben.

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