Die Sonnenblume

You are a concentration camp prisoner. A dying SS soldier asks you for forgiveness. What do you do? This was the very decision faced by Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal in 1942. In his narrative "The Sunflower," the great fighter for justice and righteousness recounts his moral dilemma, which haunted him for decades. Had he done the right thing? Can the unforgivable be forgiven? If so, how? If not, how does one continue to live? Simon Wiesenthal's questions touch the very foundations of humanity. Over 60 outstanding men and women confront these questions: clergy and theologians, psychologists and philosophers, Holocaust survivors and human rights activists. Their answers are as diverse as their experiences in the world and demonstrate that Wiesenthal's question is just as relevant today. The book challenges us to reconsider our own stance on forgiveness and reconciliation.