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Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Wallenberg was considered one of the heroes of World War II and one of the first victims of the Cold War. Raul was a Swedish diplomat in Budapest and saved thousands of Hungarian Jews from death during the Holocaust. Raoul was born August 4, 1912 to a wealthy and affluent family. He attended the University of Michigan, and after working in South Africa and Haifa, returned to Sweden to work and subsequently save Jews.
Given his position and status, Raoul was able to travel freely in Germany, France, and Hungary. Wallenberg even learned how the Nazi German Bureaucracy worked, and how he could work with their "modus operandi". By 1944, Raoul was determined to do whatever possible to save the remaining Jews in Budapest by accepting an appointment as a special diplomatic envoy. He was quoted as saying: "If I can help, if I can save a single person, I will go."
Wallenberg opened a branch of the Swedish Legation in the Jewish Quarter of Budapest, and began issuing passports to 20,000 Jews so they could emigrate to Sweden. He also sheltered 12,000 in safe-houses with Swedish flags, making them "de facto annexes" of the Swedish legation. Despite the personal risks, Raul retrieved Jews from marches and the trains, confronted Adolf Eichmann, forged papers, and provided food and medical supplies.
In January, 1945, Wallenberg was taken by the Soviet Army after the city had fallen. It appears that he was arrested, but it is unclear as to what happened. The Russians claimed Raoul died of a heart attack on July 17, 1947, while in custody. There are many conflicting reports concerning Raoul Wallenberg's fate. What is true is that his tireless efforts affected many Jews and other persons, and saved 100,000 Hungarian Jews from many aspects of the Holocaust and certain death.
Sources:
de Zayas, Alfred. "Wallenberg, Raoul." Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity. Ed. Dinah L. Shelton. Vol 3. Detroit: Macmillian Reference USA, 2005. 1137-1140. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIV. 15 May 2008 http://0-go.galegroup.com.novacat.nova.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=novaseu_main
"Wallenberg, Raoul (1912-1947?)." Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of Way and Reconstruction. Ed. John Merriman and Jay Winter. Vol 5. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. 2667-2669. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIV. 15 May 2008 http://0-go.galegroup.com.novacat.nova.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=novaseu_main>
"Raoul Wallenberg." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC
"Raoul Wallenberg." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines, Book II. Edited by Deborah Gillan Straub. Gale Research, 1992. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center.Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet.BioRC
"Raoul Wallenberg." People of the Holocaust. U*X*L. 1998 Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/Bio/RC
Given his position and status, Raoul was able to travel freely in Germany, France, and Hungary. Wallenberg even learned how the Nazi German Bureaucracy worked, and how he could work with their "modus operandi". By 1944, Raoul was determined to do whatever possible to save the remaining Jews in Budapest by accepting an appointment as a special diplomatic envoy. He was quoted as saying: "If I can help, if I can save a single person, I will go."
Wallenberg opened a branch of the Swedish Legation in the Jewish Quarter of Budapest, and began issuing passports to 20,000 Jews so they could emigrate to Sweden. He also sheltered 12,000 in safe-houses with Swedish flags, making them "de facto annexes" of the Swedish legation. Despite the personal risks, Raul retrieved Jews from marches and the trains, confronted Adolf Eichmann, forged papers, and provided food and medical supplies.
In January, 1945, Wallenberg was taken by the Soviet Army after the city had fallen. It appears that he was arrested, but it is unclear as to what happened. The Russians claimed Raoul died of a heart attack on July 17, 1947, while in custody. There are many conflicting reports concerning Raoul Wallenberg's fate. What is true is that his tireless efforts affected many Jews and other persons, and saved 100,000 Hungarian Jews from many aspects of the Holocaust and certain death.
Sources:
de Zayas, Alfred. "Wallenberg, Raoul." Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity. Ed. Dinah L. Shelton. Vol 3. Detroit: Macmillian Reference USA, 2005. 1137-1140. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIV. 15 May 2008 http://0-go.galegroup.com.novacat.nova.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=novaseu_main
"Wallenberg, Raoul (1912-1947?)." Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of Way and Reconstruction. Ed. John Merriman and Jay Winter. Vol 5. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. 2667-2669. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIV. 15 May 2008 http://0-go.galegroup.com.novacat.nova.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=novaseu_main>
"Raoul Wallenberg." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC
"Raoul Wallenberg." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines, Book II. Edited by Deborah Gillan Straub. Gale Research, 1992. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center.Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet.BioRC
"Raoul Wallenberg." People of the Holocaust. U*X*L. 1998 Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/Bio/RC
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