On behalf of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Ambassador to Denmark, Professor Dr. Pascal Hector, awarded Ruth Weiss the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in Skoerping, Denmark, in recognition of her decades of diverse educational work in the fight against anti-Semitism and racism.
We will soon submit a photo addendum of the beautiful event, which was followed by Ruth Weiss’s impressive reading in front of members of the Rebild Rotary Club and students from the Gymnasium of Stoevring.
You will also find the award speech and Ruth Weiss’ words of thanks here.
Quote: Press release of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Copenhagen of April 30, 2024On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Ambassador Prof. Dr. Pascal Hector presented the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany to Fr. Ruth Weiss in Skørping.
The award is a recognition of decades of diverse educational work in the fight against anti-Semitism and racism.
On the occasion of the presentation of the medal, Ambassador Prof. Dr. Hector stated:
“The impressive life and work of Ruth Weiss illustrate how valuable freedom, understanding, and human rights are. As a child, she experienced the severe consequences of criminal anti-Semitism in Germany first-hand, and as a young woman, she witnessed systematic, racist oppression in South Africa. On the basis of these experiences, Ruth Weiss has been campaigning against racism, anti-Semitism, and exclusion on several continents for decades. Their diverse educational work makes the wrong paths of the past clear and emphasizes our responsibility for the future. In recognition of these comprehensive merits, Federal President Steinmeier has awarded Ruth Weiss the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
Ruth Weiss was born in Fürth in 1924 to Jewish parents and fled with her family to South Africa in 1936 to escape Nazi persecution. From 1960 onwards, she used her position as a recognized journalist to protest against the injustice of apartheid policy in South Africa. She made contact with numerous personalities from the African independence and freedom movements, including Nelson Mandela. Ruth Weiss has been sharing her impressions and experiences for decades in diverse educational work.
In 2014, Ruth Weiss was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class, and in 2023, she received the South African National Order “Companions of O.R. Tambo”. Her commitment is also reflected in other tributes; for example, in 2010, a secondary school in Aschaffenburg was named after Ruth Weiss.
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