Austria honours Nazi-hunter Wiesenthal

Austria’s president honoured famed Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal with one of the country’s highest prizes today, recognising his achievements over decades in tracking criminals from the Second World War.

President Heinz Fischer gave Wiesenthal the country’s Golden Decoration of Merit during a ceremony at the 96-year-old activist’s home.

“Wiesenthal tracked down some of the greatest Nazi war criminals and brought them to justice,” Fischer said in a statement after the ceremony.

Wiesenthal, who survived incarceration in Nazi prison camps, dedicated his life to bringing those responsible for the Holocaust to justice.

He is perhaps best known for helping track down one-time SS leader Adolf Eichmann, who was found in Argentina.

Eichmann was abducted by Israeli agents in 1960, tried and hanged for crimes committed against the Jews.