Washington, DC – The Army has rejected an appeal by the family of Abraham Klausner, a leading advocate for Holocaust survivors, to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The family was told that only Klausner’s cremated remains may be stored at the cemetery, but that his brief service as an Army chaplain did not qualify him to receive full burial honors.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The decision drew protests from Jewish groups and a prominent congressional Democrat, who said a man with his reputation and who witnessed the horrors of a Nazi prison camp, as was reported here on Vos Iz Neias, should be exempt from the rule.
“It’s just unbelievable to me he would be denied being buried at Arlington cemetery,” said Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “It’s a rule that violates religious principles. So I want to know who made the rule and why it wasn’t challenged.”
Army officials attributed the decision to a regulation adopted in 1967 that narrowly restricted ground burials at the popular cemetery to conserve space. In general, the regulation allows burial only of active-duty members, retirees after lengthy service and veterans who have won special awards or medals.
According to Army spokesman Paul Boyce, Klausner qualifies for ground burial at any veterans’ cemetery, but not Arlington. “Since 1967, the Army has not granted any exceptions based on a chaplain’s faith, religious accomplishments, or their personal or religious beliefs,” Boyce said in a statement. [AP – VIN]