For the past five years, the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF) has been collecting stories such as Ester’s as part of its “Documenting Wallenberg: An Archival of Testimonials” initiative with this goal in mind.

Today, as the world celebrates what would have been the 99th birthday of this great hero, the IRWF releases a selection of these interviews on an E-book format with the hopes that their availability to libraries, archives, schools and the general public,
will inspire future generations to follow Raoul Wallenberg’s
humanitarian example.

“Documenting Wallenberg – A Compilation of Interviews
with Survivors Rescued by Raoul Wallenberg”
is available for download on our website.

The IRWF is indebted to the many Wallenberg Survivors who opened their homes and their hearts to share their inspirational stories with us. Their testimonies serve as a constant inspiration for our work and will ensure that the legacy and heroism of Raoul Wallenberg will never be forgotten.

As “Documenting Wallenberg” is an ongoing project, the IRWF welcomes new testimonies. If you or someone you know was rescued by Raoul Wallenberg or survived the Holocaust in Budapest please contact us at irwf@irwf.org or 212-737-3275.

We kindly ask you to distribute this E-book to anyone interested in the subject.

To read the E-book please click here.

In Budapest, Hungarian Raoul Wallenberg Association organized a special event at the Holocaust Memorial Center. The event was opened by chairman Dr. Jozsef Sebes, followed by the reading of the greeting letters written by Larry Pfeffer, chief organizer of International Rescuer Day and Baruch Tenembaum, founder of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. The speakers of the event were Her Excellency Cecilia Bjorner, Ambassador of Sweden and Dr. Endre Marinovich, President of the Antall Jozsef Society. Following the ceremony, the participants visited the Wallenberg memorial plaque in the Wallenberg Street, Budapest.

The Honorable Jason Kenney, Canadian Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism issued a statement commemorating January 17 which is celebrated annually as the Raoul Wallenberg Day in Canada.

“Raoul Wallenberg Day is an opportunity to remember the Holocaust and to pay tribute, not only to its victims, but to one of its heroes. By remembering the actions of Raoul Wallenberg, we reaffirm our commitment to fight against the evils of racism, and anti-Semitism.”

To mark the occasion Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs Birgitta Ohlsson will be visiting Budapest to place flowers at Swedish Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg’s memorial on Thursday, January 20, 2011.

“In Europe today we are seeing increasing anti-Semitism, oppression of Roma and discrimination of minorities, all of which is contrary to the EU’s value of liberty. It therefore feels especially important to honor Raoul Wallenberg here this year, when Hungary, in its role of holder of the Presidency of the EU, has chosen to tackle a number of challenges concerning human rights. Not least when it comes to the situation of the Roma,” Birgitta Ohlsson said in her statement.

The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF) commemorate the day of Wallenberg’s disappearance at the Wallenberg Award Ceremony organized on January 16, at the Shoah Museum in Paris, France, when the 2010 Raoul Wallenberg Award was bestowed upon Beate and Serge Klarsfeld in recognition of their devotion to document the Holocaust and their relentless commitment to educate the young generations.  In her speech Pastor Annemarie Werner, a representative of the IRWF who presented the award, expressed the importance of remembering January 17 and the great hero from Sweden, but also other heroes such us Beate and Serge Klarsfeld whose civic courage and determination  made a difference in the lives of all those who thanks to them have seen their persecutors being brought to justice.

The IRWF also created a special visual presentation that commemorates January 17 using parts from its “Documenting Wallenberg” project.

Following the speeches, the Raoul Wallenberg Awards were presented by Edit Rauh, Chairperson of the Raoul Wallenberg Award Committee, to Geza Orian, protestant social worker; to Dr. Bela Csillei, director of a secondary school; and to the Jewish monthly “Budai Sofar”.

Orian and Csillei have been working among Gypsy (Roma) teenagers for decades as social worker and teacher, respectively. The Jewish journal “Budai Sofar” was founded ten years ago and is published by one of the most prosperous Jewish community of Budapest. On behalf of the journal, the award was received by its editor, Viktoria Sarosi.

At the same event, winners of the Holocaust-competition for secondary school students organized by the Raoul Wallenberg Association, the Holocaust Memorial Center and the Budapest Institute of Pedagogy, were rewarded.

Following the ceremony, the participants visited the the Wallenberg memorial plaque in the Wallenberg Street, where Dr. Jozsef  Sebes, Chairman of the Hungarian RWA, delivered a short speech and read the letters written by Dr. Ferenc Madl and Dr. Laszlo Solyom, former Presidents of Hungary. The ceremony was attended by Ambassadors Cecilia Bjorner (Sweden), Aliza Bin-Noun (Israel), António Augusto Jorge Mendes(Portugal), Mayor Jozsef Toth and Tibor Szanyi, MPs of the 13th district of Budapest, among many others.

Numerous Holocaust survivors reunited on August 4th at the headquarters of Casa Argentina en Israel Tierra Santa (CAITS) in Buenos Aires. Tomas Kertesz, one of the Wallenberg survivors, was in charge of blowing the candles, while the Happy Birthday song was sang. Members of the Board and many friends of the IRWF and CAITS were present for the occasion.

The IRWF’s delegations in Israel and the U.S. placed flowers at the monuments dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg in Tel Aviv and New York.

Wallenberg’s birthday celebration was also organized in the Raoul Wallenberg School in Babahoyo, Ecuador, with the participation of the school’s teachers and students.

”Raoul Wallenberg gave us an unparalleled profile in courage. He and the many he inspired in the waning days of World War II saved thousands of Hungary’s Jews from the Holocaust. We honor him as a man who chose to do the right thing in a desperate time,” said Ambassador Martínez, ”and we must all take from his life a lesson in standing up to racism and injustice.”

At the event organized by the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation Buenos Aires office, Ambassador Martínez gave a speech next to the statue that honors the great hero of the WWII. Bishop of Zárate-Campana, Monsignor Oscar Sarlinga and Nicholas Tozer, member of the Board of Directors of the IRWF, also took part in the official program.

Wallenberg is credited with saving as many as 100,000 Hungarian Jews from death through a variety of unconventional and risky efforts during the second half of 1944. He was supported in his efforts by the Swedish Government as well as by the World Jewish Congress, the United States Government, and many private individuals. The Wallenberg Foundation celebrates an event annually under a the event under his statue in Buenos Aires on or around the anniversary of his disappearance, on January 17, 1945. His fate has never been definitively determined.

”In 1981, the United States Congress named Wallenberg one of only two, to that date, ”honorary citizens”. The other was Sir Winston Churchill. Wallenberg’s designation by the U.S. Congress was grounded in the ideals he represented, specifically his courageous personal stand against racism, injustice, and genocide,” said Ambassador Martínez.

Ambassadors and diplomatic delegations attended the ceremony. Among them: Daniel Gazit, Ambassador of Israel; Francisco Carlos Bustillo Bonasso, Ambassador of Uruguay; Rafael Estrella, Ambassador of Spain; Mira Martinec, Ambassador of Croatia; Carla del Ponte, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation; Ion Vilcu, Ambassador of Rumania; Vladimir Karmishalyan, Ambassador of Armenia; Judith de la Mata, Ambassador of Perú; Stephan Apostolov, Ambassador of Bulgaria; Shan Morgan, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain; Robert Zisch, Ambassador of Austria; Pál Varga Koritár, Ambassador of Hungary; Per Sjonell, First Secretary of the Embassy of Sweden; Monika Konieczna, Consul of Poland; Mehmet Bulut, Counselor of the Embassy of Turkey; Alma Margarita Carvalho Soto, First Secretary of the Embassy of México; Louise Corbin, Charge de Affairs of the Embassy of Canada; Ondrej Pometlo, Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of Check Republic; May Mahnken, Head of Protocol of the Embassy of Germany; Taras Boietskyi, Counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine; Julio Bitelli, Counselor of the Embassy of Brazil.

Many Holocaust survivors paid respectful tribute to the ”Hero without a grave,” among them: Myriam Kesler, David Galante, Peter Janosi, Tomás Kertesz, Sara Celma and Eva Sebestyen.

Victorio Taccetti, Deputy Foreign Minister; Cármen Argibay, Member of Supreme Court of Justice; Aldo Donzis, President of DAIA; Guillermo Borger, President of AMIA; writer Marcos Aguinis; Pablo Bruera, Mayor of La Plata; Hernán Lombardi, Minister of Culture of Buenos Aires; Diego Santilli, Minister of Urban Development of Buenos Aires; Esteban Bullrich, Minister of Education of Buenos Aires; Sergio Widder, Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Argentina; Graciela Gass García Hamilton; Members of the Parliament: Patricia Bullrich, Héctor ”Toty” Flores, Federico Pinedo and Gabriela Michetti; Claudio Avruj, Director of Institutional Relations of the Government of Buenos Aires; Edgardo Lobos, City Councilor of La Matanza; Soledad Bordegaray, from the Union of Unemployed Workers of La Matanza; Marta Nercellas, Israel Imar y Guillermo Yanco; Aída Ender, from the ”Generations of the Shoah” organization; Susana Luterstein, Vice-President of Sherit Hapleitá; Benjamín Bromberg, Representative of ”Casa de Tucumán” in Buenos Aires; Lidia Assorati, Nieves Fariña and Aldo Nasjleti, were also among the attendance.

After the official program, the attendees placed flowers next to the Wallenberg statue, work of the UK artist Philip Jackson.

• Image Gallery

The award was established by the Hungarian Raoul Wallenberg Association, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, the National Alliance of Self-governments and the Roma (Gipsy) Civil Right Foundation. The speakers of the event were Edit Rauh, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, chair-person of the Raoul Wallenberg Award Committee; Erno Kallai, Parliamentary Commissioner for National and Ethnic Minority Rights; Anders Karlsland, the Swedish Ambassador’s deputy, and Dr. Jozsef Sebes, Chairman of the Hungarian Raoul Wallenberg Association.

The recipients of the award were: Geza Dul, catholic priest, chairman of the St. Elisabeth Charity Foundation; Laszlo Somos, catholic priest, dean, teacher; Dr. Laszlo Rozner, President of the Jewish Community of the 4th District of Budapest; Dr. Jozsef Szecsi, catholic theologician, general secretary of the Christian-Jewish Society; Mrs. Jozsefne Toth, teacher, editor of the monthly, Roma (Gipsy) Family News. The event was attended by Catholic Bishop, Dr. Miklos Beer.

At press conference held the same day, Dr. Jozsef Sebes, Chairman of the Hungarian Raoul Wallenberg Association, delineated the organization’s last year activities. Andras Sipos, Executive of the Association, announced the new initiation of the organization. The Association suggests a program for the peaceful solution of social and ethnical conflicts. Moreover, it initiates a ”Movement for Social Peace,” in special consideration of this year parliamentary and local elections.

Following these events, a commemorative celebration took place at the Raoul Wallenberg Street, in front of the Wallenberg memorial plaque, where Dr. Sebes delivered a speech. The ceremony was attended by Anders Karlsland, the Swedish Ambassador’s deputy; Jozsef Toth, Mayor of the 13th district of Budapest; Andras Puskas, Vice-Mayor of the 5th district; MPs Tibor Szanyi and Pal Steiner.

The events had a high presence in both printed and electronic press. In addition to daily newspapers, radio and television stations reported the events, including interviews with Dr. Sebes, Mr. Sipos and the awardees. Among them, it is worth mentioning the report produced by the main state-owned television station, which interviewed Mr. Sipos and Dr. Szecsi, one of the awardees.

Showcased in its totality for the first time in the U.S., ”The Wallenberg Series” by Austro-Canadian artist Armand Frederic Vallée was organized to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the disappearance of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg at the hands of the Soviet troops on January 17th, 1945.

”Writers, composers, filmmakers, painters, and sculptors have found Wallenberg’s deeds, courage and values as the point of departure and motivation to create,” highlighted Daniela Bajar from the IRWF when introducing artist Armand Vallée’s work. ”With the opening of this Cultural Space, we hope to provide artists and their pieces the opportunity to tell these courageous stories,” she concluded.

Following Ms. Bajar’s speech, Dr. Mordecai Paldiel, IRWF’s Senior Research Consultant pointed out the importance of finding out what happened to Raoul Wallenberg after he was supposed to hold a meeting with the Soviet military to discuss the fate of the Jewish refuges 65 years ago, but he also stressed that ”perpetuating the memory on this outstanding person’s deeds, is maybe more important than knowing where he was buried. His deeds are going to stay with us and serve as role models of goodness.” Dr. Paldiel also gave a short overview of the cases of rescuers that the IRWF has recently researched, honored and conveyed to Yad Vashem. Some cases have already been honored with the ”Righteous among the Nations” title, others are waiting to be evaluated by Yad Vashem’s commission. ”It is the time to honor the people who saved lives and acted in spirit of Raoul Wallenberg, before it is too late,” Dr. Paldiel concluded.

The program continued with Rebbetzin Judith Friedlander from the Lisker Congregation who gave a touching account on the day when she accompanied her father, the Lisker rabbi, for a meeting with Wallenberg who gave them the Schutz-pass they later on forged, and thus managed to provide the protection for the members of their community. ”I waited 65 years to say ‘thank you’ to this great man,” said Rebbetzin Friedlander, standing in a room full of people and among the paintings that reminded her so much of the Budapest of her childhood.

Created in 1985/86, ”The Wallenberg Series” consists of fourteen paintings that narrate the Swedish diplomat’s quest to save victims. ”The fact that the artist has not been able to finish the last painting of the series seems to speak of his difficulty to cope with Wallenberg’s own unfinished story,” stated the IRWF Founder Baruch Tenembaum, upon studying the paintings.

The series was donated to the Wallenberg Foundation by Liesel Paris, trustee of Mr. Vallée’s estate, following the artist’s passing in February 2009. ”I made it my responsibility to respect Armand’s wish to exhibit ‘The Wallenberg Series ‘at the International Wallenberg Foundation in New York,” stated Ms. Paris.

Backed by the War Refugee Board, an organization that was headed by President Franklin Roosevelt, Raoul Wallenberg traveled to Budapest in 1944 with the aim of rescuing what was left of the Hungarian Jewry. Wallenberg was responsible for the survival of tens of thousands of people before his mysterious disappearance by the Soviet Army on January 17, 1945. Despite several accounts of his status as a prisoner over the years, the Soviet and now Russian government has yet to produce a satisfactory explanation as to Wallenberg’s fate and whereabouts.

”The Wallenberg Series” is the one of the many series of programs designed by the IRWF to promote Wallenberg’s values through art, and is going to be open on weekdays from 1pm to 5pm till January 29th, 2010.

• See the Exhibit
• Picture Gallery

This is the second time the IRWF organizes a reunion of Wallenberg Survivors. More than twenty survivors living in the New York-New Jersey area gathered a month ago to commemorate the Swedish Diplomat’s 97th birthday.

The survivors were thankful for the opportunity to express their gratitude to their rescuer’s relative and were eager to know more about Wallenberg’s fate and the toll his disappearance took for the Wallenberg family. Diligently, Louise spoke about her grandparent’s tireless search and the countless letters sent inquiring about Wallenberg. She also mentioned the research his father, Guy von Dardel, conducted in the Russian archives and the work her aunt, Nina Lagergren, does to commemorate Wallenberg’s deeds.

Born five years after Wallenberg’s disappearance, Louise was particularly interested in learning more about her uncle’s drive and personality. One by one, Wallenberg Survivors shared their experiences and encounters with the Swedish diplomat. ”The stories were amazing,” said Louise after the gathering, ”all so different and still full of synchronicities and miracles.”

Marianne Balshone described the three miracles Wallenberg performed for her family, saving her husband, her parents, and her grandfather. George Schwarz told how Wallenberg personally drove his mother back home after rescuing her from the brick factory, a dreary place where Jews where gathered before being sent to the camps. And Judita Hruza emphasized the hope the Wallenberg’s Schutz-Pass inspired when she finally obtained one in the death march. ”Many of them said my uncle was an angel. Probably he was,” concluded Louise.

In order to celebrate what would be his 97th birthday, the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF) has organized a variety of events in Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Montevideo, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and London. In New York, dozens of survivors saved by Wallenberg gathered for the first time to celebrate the man who saved their lives. Accompanied by relatives and friends, the reunion turned out to be a touching experience for many of them.

It certainly was for Sylvia Jonas and Agnes Adler. The meeting brought together these two women who studied in the same school when growing up in Budapest – the Scottish Girls’ School. In March 19th 1944, the Nazis invaded Hungary and their destinies were split apart, only to be reunited again more than sixty five years later. Similar stories filled up the rooms of the IRWF headquarters, located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Trying to survive the Holocaust, David Adler and George Schwartz found refuge in the same safe house. Protected by the neutral status of the Swedish flag, these buildings established by Wallenberg provided shelter to persecuted people. Armed with the same Schutz-Passes provided by Wallenberg that saved their lives, Wallenberg survivors shared their stories of rescue.

The importance of Wallenberg’s acts was also remembered by Baruch Tenembaum, Founder of the IRWF, Ms. Margareta Barvaeus, Deputy Consul of Sweden in New York, and Dr. Mordecai Paldiel, Research Consultant for the IRWF, who claimed for Wallenberg’s real fate to be revealed. Even though Raoul Wallenberg can undoubtedly be considered one of the biggest heroes humankind has ever seen, he was arrested by the Soviets in January 1945 after they wrested control of Budapest from the Nazi regime. What happened after that, no one knows. Following Dr. Paldiel’s words, guests signed IRWF’s worldwide campaign aimed at uncovering Wallenberg’s fate. More than 27,000 people have already supported the cause which will later be sent to the President of the Russian Federation.

”Let this only be the last year Wallenberg’s birthday is celebrated while he is still missing,” said Tenembaum.

• Image gallery

Presided by the engineer Oscar Vicente, the event took place next to Wallenberg’s statue, located at the corner of Austria Street and Jose Figueroa Alcorta Avenue, in the capital of Argentina. Daniel Gazit, ambassador of Israel, Marcos Aguinis, famous writer, Per Sjönell, first secretary of the Swedish Embassy, and Hernán Lombardi, minister of the Culture Cabinet of the City of Buenos Aires, spoke at the event.

The late Jose Ignacio Garcia Hamilton, vice-president of the Casa Argentina in Israel Tierra Santa and member of the IRWF’s Board of Directors, was remembered with a moving speech. His daughter Delfina attended the ceremony.

Among the ones who attended the event were Ms. Mira Martinec, ambassador of Croatia; Ms. Izabela Matusz, deputy of Business and Trade at the Embassy of Poland; Mr. Andreas Drexler, deputy of Business and Trade at the Hungarian Embassy; Mr. Trond Gabrielsen, first secretary of the Royal Embassy of Norway; Mr. Carlos Medina Drescher, counselor of the Embassy of Spain; Mr. Vasily Zaytsev, member of the Business Section of the Russian Embassy; Mr. Raluca Raducea, second secretary of the Embassy of Romania; and Ms. Alicia Todesca, who was representing the ambassador of the Austrian Embassy, Ms. Gudrun Graf.

Many Argentinean officials were present at the occasion, such as Mr. Jorge Obeid, national Congressman; Mr. Alberto Santa Marina, federal judge; Mr. Aldo Donzis, president of DAIA; and a delegation of students from the Escuela de Comercio Antonio Bermejo, headed by Prof. Fernando Acosta.

Seated in the front row, the event also counted with the participation of the Holocaust Survivors Mr. Jack Fuchs, Ms. Miriam Kesler and Mr. David Galanted, along with Mr. Laszlo Ladanyi and Mr. Tomas Kertesz, who were rescued by Raoul Wallenberg.

In New York, the IRWF hosted the first meeting of Wallenberg’s survivors, gathering in its headquarters at the East 67th Street more than twenty people rescued by the Swedish diplomat.

In Montevideo, Uruguay, Wallenberg’s birthday was also celebrated through several activities organized by the Raoul Wallenberg’s School and ORT School. In London, Ms. Jill Blonsky, IRWF’s volunteer, and Sir. Sigmund Sternberg, community leader, paid their homage to the ”Hero Without a Grave”, next to Wallenberg’s statue created by Philip Jackson, similar to the one placed in Buenos Aires.

Following worldwide celebrations, the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem celebrated Wallenberg’s birthday projecting the movie ”Raoul Wallenberg, Savior and Victim”, from the film director Klaus Dexel. In Tel-Aviv, flowers were also put next to Wallenberg’s monument, as in an additional tribute to the Swedish diplomat.

In Ecuador, Raoul Wallenberg School located in Babahoyo also hosted numerous activities commemorating Wallenberg’s birthday.

Translation: Nathalia Terra, volunteer IRWF NY