IRWF New York reunites Wallenberg survivors for the first time

"When I look at my children, at my grandchildren; when I look at my family, I see Raoul Wallenberg's face," said Kayla Kaufman, one of the many Holocaust Survivors rescued by Raoul Wallenberg. Along with Kaufman, the lives of 100,000 people would change their course thanks to the birth of the Swedish diplomat on August 4th, 1912. Wallenberg's heroism was crowned by tragedy. In 1945 he was arrested by Soviet troops. His fate still remains a mystery.

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.

Agnes Adler and Sylvia Jonas

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

David Adler and George Schwartz

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.

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Buenos Aires remembers Wallenberg

Per Sjönell, Marcos Aguinis and Daniel Gazit

On August 4th 2009, the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF) organized a public tribute in Buenos Aires in celebration of the 97th birthday of the Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of lives during the Holocaust. More than a hundred people gathered to remember the deeds of Raoul Wallenberg, who disappeared after having been imprisoned by the Soviet Army.

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.

Hernán Lombardi

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.

Danny Rainer and Yoav Tenembaum

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.

Raoul Wallenberg School, Babahoyo, Ecuador

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.

IRWF honours Raoul Wallenberg in Tel Aviv

Danny Rainer, Benjamim Escaig and Larry Pfeffer

A special screening of the documentary film: "The case of Raoul Wallenberg: Saviour and victim", directed by Klaus Dexel, took place at the Tel Aviv Cinemateque, commemorating the 97th birthday of Raoul Wallenberg

Among the attendants were Mr. Danny Rainer and Ms. Viviane Epstein of the IRWF. Mr. Larry Pfeffer of the Jerusalem Working Group, Mr. Benjamin Escaig, First Secretary of the Swedish Embassy in Tel Aviv, Ms. Noemi Gur (Holocaust survivor who was saved by Raoul Wallenberg) and her husband, Mr. David Gur, a former member of the Zionist Youth Movement in Hungary, who fought against the Nazis and their collaborators and was active in the rescue of fellow Jews.

Mr. Rainer acted as master of ceremonies and made a brief speech, underscoring the life of Raoul Wallenberg and the activities of the IRWF.

Mr. Escaig greeted to audience and stressed the importance of passing on the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg. Ms. Noemi Gur gave a first hand account of her brief encounter with Raoul Wallenberg and how he saved her from certain death, while Mr. Pfeffer underscored the mission of Raoul Wallenberg and the fact that many Jews had made his mission possible.

Gathering at the London Wallenberg Statue

A special gathering organized by the Western Marble Arch Synagogue took place at the Raoul Wallenberg Statue in London. The delegation was presided by Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld and Sir Sigmund Sternberg. Marcus Engstrom, representing the Swedish Embassy, also attended the moving ceremony.

Mrs. Jill Blonsky, volunteer of the Wallenberg Foundation, made a speech as did Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld and Sir Sigmund.

Flowers were laid and Psalm 123 was read aloud.