Tomi Reichental was just nine when he was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, he lost 35 family members during the Holocaust before dedicating his life to education and remembrance in Ireland
A Holocaust survivor who saw 35 relatives killed during the horror has died at the age of 90. Tomi Reichental just nine when and his family were deported aged nine to the notorious Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where diarist Anne Frank was imprisoned.
Tomi, who was born in Czechoslovakia 1935, survived until the site was liberated by allied forces in 1945. But 35 members of his family were murdered in the holocaust, in which six million Jews were brutally killed at an industrial scale.
He relocated to Ireland in 1959 and established a fresh life in Dublin, where he brought up his family and devoted considerable time to ensuring future generations would learn from the Holocaust, reports the Irish Mirror.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror about his ordeal in Bergen-Belsen, Mr Reichental said: “The moment we boarded the train, the cattle car, we were like animals that were being transported.
“Seven days of travel, nine years of age, all of it terrifying. Inmates were like skeletons, just skin and bone, walking slowly but it was also we were in the area in the camp where the hospital was situated and when I say ‘hospital’, I mean, they didn’t cure anybody.”
“In fact, the doctor of the camp, after the liberation, there was a trial and he was sentenced to death because there was a whole block filled up with all the medicine that was needed to cure people of typhus, of tuberculosis and diphtheria and he never used it.
“So people are dying like flies because typhus is contagious and once you get it, it is like being sentenced to death if you are not treated.”
In 2011, he released his memoir “I Was a Boy in Belsen”, and featured in two documentaries detailing his experiences as a survivor.
Mr Reichental also dedicated countless years visiting schools across the nation, with thousands of Irish pupils learning about the Holocaust through his firsthand testimonies. The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland stated it is “deeply saddened” by Mr Reichental’s death.
The organisation branded Mr Reichental as one of Ireland’s “most remarkable voices of remembrance, education, and humanity”, highlighting that for decades he shared his witness account with pupils, communities, and audiences throughout Ireland.
“Having survived the horrors of Bergen-Belsen as a child, he dedicated much of his later life to ensuring that future generations would learn from the Holocaust and understand the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and indifference,” they said.
“Tomi was not only a survivor; he was a teacher, a witness, and a cherished member of Irish society. His contribution to Holocaust education and to the fight against antisemitism and racism leaves a lasting legacy.” A memorial service is scheduled to take place at a later date to honour Mr Reichental.
Founder of the Irish Muslim Council, Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, described Mr Reichental as “a remarkable human being, whose life journey embodied both the tragedy of humanity’s darkest moments and the hope that can emerge from resilience, forgiveness, and compassion”.
He posted on social media: “He consistently spoke out against hate, division, and the dehumanisation that paves the way for violence and atrocity.
“He was also a passionate supporter of Syrian refugees in Ireland. Having experienced persecution and displacement in his own life, he showed immense empathy towards those fleeing war and oppression.
“His compassion for refugees was a testament to his belief in our shared humanity and our collective responsibility to care for the vulnerable.”
He said: “Today, I join people of all faiths and backgrounds in mourning his loss. I am heartbroken by his passing.”
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