Dublin-based Holocaust survivor Tomi Reichental has been presented with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the German ambassador, Dr Eckhard Lubkemeier, on behalf of the German government.
The award was made in recognition of Mr Reichental’s work in combating racism and in promoting tolerance and reconciliation.
Mr Reichental, who was born in Slovakia in 1935, was captured in 1944 and deported to Bergen Belsen concentration camp with his mother, grandmother, brother, aunt and cousin.
Mr Reichental has been living in Dublin since 1959 and has three adult children. Holocaust Education Trust Ireland (HETI) commended Mr Reichental’s commitment to educating young people and raising awareness about the Holocaust throughout Ireland. He is one of the four remaining Holocaust survivors living in Ireland; two died in December.
HETI aims to educate and inform people about the Holocaust in order to combat anti-Semitism and all forms of racism and intolerance in Ireland.
Lynn Jackson, director of education at HETI, said Mr Reichental was honoured to have received the award.