Elie Wiesel was born in 1928 in Sighet, Romania to Orthodox Jewish parents who owned a grocery store. During World War II, the Nazis occupied Sighet and deported Wiesel and his family to concentration camps. Wiesel and his father survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald, but Wiesel's mother and younger sister perished in Auschwitz. After the war, Wiesel published his memoir Night about his Holocaust experiences, which brought international attention. He went on to write over 40 books and receive numerous honors including the Nobel Peace Prize for his work raising awareness about human rights issues.