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A Swedish diplomat, Budapest, and the Holocaust

I just finished reading Alex Kershaw's To Save a People. It tells the story of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swede posted to his country's embassy in Budapest during WWII. He was posted for the express purpose of saving as many Jewish people in Budapest as he could. His funding for this project came in part from President Roosevelt's administration. Kershaw's writing, as usual, is clear and concise. I discovered another "Righteous among the Nations" who took incredible risks -- dare I say heroic risks -- to save his fellow humans during extraordinary times. Wallenberg's reward for this was not glory.

Wallenberg as quoted by those who interacted with him:

"Sure, it gets a little scary, sometimes [...] but for me there's no choice. I've taken on the assignment and I'd never be able to go back to Stockholm without knowing inside myself that I'd done all a man could do to save as many Jews as possible."

On going to Buda as the Russians were nearing the city to see what he could do to help the desperate Jewish people there despite the Arrow Cross (Hungarian Nazis) distributing photos of him to their military units in Buda: "My life is one life, but this is a matter of saving thousands of lives."

For those of you who read my trip reports, "the young adult" found the story depressing. I found a story that reflects the reality of a world where noble, righteous behavior often is not rewarded. I hope to go to Budapest in the fall... I will visit the Holocaust memorials to pay honor to those who suffered/perished and will look for the Wallenberg statue to pay my respects to him.

Posted by
546 posts

"Here I stand, I can do no other"

Hard realization to come to. Hope I'm not ever there.

Posted by
345 posts

Thank you for posting about this book. The name of this Righteous Gentile Raoul Wallenberg, as well as others like him and Schindler, including Nicholas Winton of the Kindertransport, who put their life on the line in a time of moral depravity, should always be remembered as a blessing to society. Anthony Hopkins plays Winton in the movie "One Life" which may interest you.

Posted by
3084 posts

TFS

We don't have to wait for things to get so far along before acting righteously this time around. Education is not a panacea but it is certainly key over the long term to have a populace that is generally in agreement over issues of good character. The more immediate timescale calls for asserting the importance of democratic institutions rather than making excuses for efforts that undermine them.

Posted by
5366 posts

Thanks for the book name, Dave - I will add it to my reading list. I have read a couple of others you have recommended through the years and found them helpful. I have been to the memorial for Wallenberg at the Dohany Synagogue….

I have also read several recommended by Mr. Ë. I was woefully ignorant of most of Hungary’s history.

Posted by
40 posts

My personal quests on my 2017 visit to Stockholm included finding memorials to Wallenberg (and Palme). They weren’t well documented at that time. You now can find useful info on the unusual and moving Wallenberg memorial/monument. It’s located in a park at Nybrohamnen near the ferry harbor.

Posted by
10854 posts

Thanks for this recommendation, Dave.

In going to look for a hotel that a fellow Forum member had stayed at in Stockholm, I stumbled on a sign that said this building used to be the U.S. Embassy and that Wallenberg had worked in a building on the same courtyard and that this was apparently how the Americans had first met Wallenberg and then approached him to do the first mission.

As someone who lived in Hungary a couple of different times, I have heard of Wallenberg for a long time, but i would really like to learn about him, so I am going to find that book. Thank you.

Posted by
7596 posts

You now can find useful info on the unusual and moving Wallenberg
memorial/monument. It’s located in a park at Nybrohamnen near the
ferry harbor.

The place is called Raoul Wallenbergs torg (Raoul Wallenberg's square) now and is next to the bus/tram stop Nybroplan. And if you're interested in him, there is a movie made about him from 1990 titled God afton, herr Wallenberg (Good Evening, mr Wallenberg) with Stellan Skarsgård as Raoul Wallenberg.

And, his last name is WallenbErg.

Posted by
10854 posts

Thanks for that information and movie recommendation, Badger !