April 2009

Spanish journalist Eduardo Martin de Pozuelo will be awarded the Raoul Wallenberg Medal

The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, in co-operation with Casa Sefarad from Madrid and Casa Argentina from Israel will present the Raoul Wallenberg Medal to Eduardo Martin de Pozuelo, for his praiseworthy journalist career and his exceptional articles in the series ”The Holocaust Revelations” published in ”La Vanguardia” newspaper.

The ceremony will take place in Madrid, at the Headquarters of the European Commission on May 28, 2009 at 1 pm.

The Raoul Wallenberg Medal was established with the aim to distinguish those people who excel in their exemplary conduct, solidarity spirit and outstanding performance in their respective careers in the spirit of Raoul Wallenberg.

A series of lectures presented by the IRWF Buenos Aires

”The Origin of the Jewish Nation” a series of lectures, will be presented starting from May 11, 2009 at the IRWF Buenos Aires head office. Lidia Assorati, Ph.D., volunteer of the Foundation will be in charge of the lectures that are open to our volunteers, members of the Board of Directors and special guest.

For more information click here

The IRWF meet with people rescued by Wallenberg

April was a month of encounters. Alice Breuer and Erwin Koranyi, both rescued by Wallenberg came to Princeton, New Jersey to visit their dear friend and sister Marta Sebor. Marta herself was also rescued by Wallenberg, whom she was helping by typing Shutz-passes at one of the Swedish protected houses that served as Raoul Wallenberg’s office. We already had Mr. Koranyi’s written testimony in our ”Documenting Wallenberg” project, but this was a rare opportunity to meet all of them since both Ms. Breuer and Mr. Koranyi are living abroad. Currently we are transcribing the interview which will be available on our website.

New rescuers from Hungary

Eleven man and women from Hungary were declared as Rescuers by Yad Vashem at the Ceremony organized on April 7, 2009 at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Budapest. The IRWF is waiting for the confirmation of two other Hungarian rescuers, Karolina and Zsuzsanna Reszeli and in the meantime continues to work around the clock on researching and recognizing unknown rescuers from Spain, Brazil, Belgium, etc. Related to the case of Polish rescuer Stanislawa Slawinska who has been already confirmed, please note that a documentary film about this case is currently being edited. The film underscores the research work done by the IRWF which resulted in the recognition of this Polish rescuer and the reunion between her living relatives and one of the people who were saved by her.

Saviors on the screen

The IRWF’s annual Yom HaShoah film festival dedicated to rescuers, co-organized with the JCC in Manhattan and Simon Wiesenthal Center took place on April 21-22 at the JCC Manhattan. On this forth edition of the Festival the audience had the opportunity to see Blessed is the Match, Pigeon and Just an Ordinary Jew: An Oxymoron in Contemporary Germany.

In the search of Catholic rescuers of Jews

In advance of Benedict XVI’s visit to the Holy Land, the IRWF has launched a world- wide campaign to disclose new stories of Jews who were rescued by Catholics during the Holocaust. During WWII, a great number of Catholic women and men throughout the Europe risked their lives to save Jews and only a fraction of these rescuers were ever properly recognized. Anyone who believes to have information or evidence relating to rescues by Catholics can contact the foundation by email (dannyrainer@irwf.org) or telephone (+1 212-737-3275 in New York, +54-11-4382-7282 in Buenos Aires, or +972-2625-79916 in Jerusalem.)

Sir Martin Gilbert meets with members of the IRWF Jerusalem staff

Last May 1st., 2009, during his stay in Jerusalem, Sir Martin Gilbert, an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation , and his wife, Esther, met with Dr. Yoav Tenembaum and Mr. Danny Rainer, from the Jerusalem office of the Wallenberg Foundation. Sir Gilbert and his wife Esther, took advantage of the meeting in order to explore other venues of further cooperation with the Foundation. Sir Martin Gilbert is Winston Churchill’s official biographer, and a leading historian of the modern world.