COMMEMORATIVE CAMPAIGNS AND EVENTS
Wallenberg Included in an Important Message at the UN
Thanks to the request by IRWF, the UN Secretary-General mentioned Raoul Wallenberg in his message for the UN International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
To read more, click here
Video Released Thanking President Obama for his Recognition of Raoul Wallenberg
In response to President Barak Obama’s televised message exclusively dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg on the occasion of his centennial, the IRWF produced a special video thanking the President for his heartfelt message and support. The message was delivered by the Chairman of the IRWF, Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian.
To watch the video, click here.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Paid Tribute to Raoul Wallenberg
On Monday, May 14, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Janos Martonyi, visited Raoul Wallenberg’s memorial statue in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Organized by the IRWF Mr. Martonyi’s visit is a part of the calendar of activities that the IRWF has designed to commemorate the centennial of Wallenberg’s birth. Mr. Martonyi was accompanied, among others, by Pál Varga Koritár, Ambassador of Hungary in Argentina; Oscar Vicente, Chairman of the NGO Casa Argentina in Israel Holy Land; Nicholas Tozer, Member of the Board of the Wallenberg Foundation, New York; Thomas Kertesz, saved by Wallenberg in 1944 and Robert Urban, representing Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian, Chairman of the Wallenberg Foundation.
To read more, click here.
US Congressional Gold Medal Bestowed Upon Raoul Wallenberg
Legislation to recognize World War II hero Raoul Wallenberg with the country’s highest civilian honor was passed unanimously on July 11th by the senate. The bill, S. 1591, was introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, in an effort to award Wallenberg with a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal, in recognition of his heroic acts during the Holocaust and is expected to be signed by President Obama shortly.
To read more, click here.
The IRWF Berlin; Inauguration of Raoul Wallenberg bust to celebrate Wallenberg’s birthday
The IRWF inaugurated a new memorial to Raoul Wallenberg in Vater-Unser-Gemeinde in Berlin-Wilmersdorf. The Wallenberg’s bust is a work of psychiatrist and artist Prof. Peter Bulow, whose mother and uncle were rescued by Wallenberg. The head of the district’s council Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf Judith Stückler, participated in the event organize by the IRWF Berlin on Saturday, August 4, 2012, at 6.30PM to celebrate the centenary of Wallenberg’s birth.
Secretary General of the UN Meets with the IRWF’s top Authorities
On August 9, the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-moon met with Baruch Tenembaum and Eduardo Eurnekian, Founder and Chairman of the IRWF. On this occasion the top authorities of the IRWF also met with Jan Eliasson, the UN Deputy Secretary General. During the visit, coinciding with the 100th birthday of Raoul Wallenberg, both hosts congratulated the IRWF, for its relentless work to preserve and promote the legacies of the Swedish hero and his likes.
To read more click here.
“Courage in The Face Of Evil” – Commemorating Raoul Wallenberg
A seminar to commemorate Raoul Wallenberg was organized on the 24th of September by the Swedish Embassy to the Holy See, the Union of Italian Jewish Communities and the Community of Sant’Egidio. The main speakers were Bengt Jangfeldt, historian and Wallenberg biographer; Frank Vajda, a Member of the IRWF, saved by Wallenberg; and Claudio Magris, writer and essayist.
To read more click here.
The Raoul Wallenberg Day Proclaimed Across the U.S.
Since 2005, the IRWF has campaigned to establish October 5th as Raoul Wallenberg Day throughout the United States. On October 5th 1981, Raoul Wallenberg became the second person in history to be awarded Honorary U.S. Citizenship.
This year states of Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Missouri and New Jersey joined the IRWF initiative by proclaiming the Wallenberg Day.
To read more click here.
City of La Plata Honors Wallenberg
A bust of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat and savior of thousands of lives during the Holocaust was unveiled in La Plata, Argentina, on October 23. The ceremony was led by Mayor Oscar Pablo Bruera, accompanied by Eduardo Eurnekian and Baruch Tenembaum, who donated the bust to the city. The tribute act which took place in the centenary year of the birth of “Hero without Tomb”, was held at the intersection of 51 and 10, and was attended by ambassadors Charlotte Wrangberg of Sweden and Dorit Shavit of Israel.
To read more click here.
Remembering Raoul Wallenberg in Brazil
On October 10, 2012, the ORT School and the Jewish Museum of Rio de Janeiro celebrated the centenary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg at the headquarters of the technical school in the Rio neighborhood of Botafogo. The event was attended by the President of the Jewish Museum of Rio de Janeiro Max Nahamias, the Director of ORT Hugo Majerovich, the Honorary Consul of Sweden in Rio de Janeiro, Bernardo Vaena, Consul of Argentina Marcelo Bali and President of the Israeli Federation of Rio de Janeiro, Jayme Solomon. Rabbi Dario Bialer, Member of the Board of the IRWF and historian Fabio Koifman of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro participated at the event.
To read more click here. (In Spanish)
Transatlantic Panel in Memory of Raoul Wallenberg
The IRWF was one of the sponsors of the transatlantic panel “The transformation of the memory- a Jewish perspective.” The panel between representatives in Stockholm and New York City organized in memory of Raoul Wallenberg was broadcast live on October 28, 2012. The panel was organized by the 92Y in cooperation with the Association for Jewish Culture in Sweden. Group members participated in a debate on the theme of memory in their literary and artistic works. New York panelists were Alex Kershaw and Daniel Mendelsohn. Stockholm Panelists were Etgar Keret, Georg Klein, Hilde Schramm and Lars Dencik moderator. Opening remarks were made by Secretary General of the United Nations Jan Eliasson.
To read more click here.
Raoul Wallenberg – Man Amidst Inhumanity, Ljubljana, Slovenia
A screening of “Good evening Mr. Wallenberg” and a panel discussion on Wallenberg’s legacy were held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on November 22, 2012, to commemorate the centenary of Wallenberg’s birth. The participants of the panel discussion were Dr. Kristian Gerner (Sweden), Dr. Oto Luthar (Slovenia), Dr. András Gerq (Hungary) and Eli Yosef (the IRWF).
To read more click here. (In Slovenian)
Bust of Wallenberg at the Ezeiza Airport
To celebrate the centenary of Raoul Wallenberg’s birth, a bust of Raoul Wallenberg was installed at the Terminal A of the International Airport of Ezeiza in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following an initiative of the IRWF and Aeropuertos Argentina 2000. The piece is a creation of Argentine artist Jerome Villalba.
To read more click here. (In Spanish)
IRWF issues the Franz Werfel stamp
In January the IRWF presented a new commemorative stamp dedicated to the memory and literary legacy of Franz Werfel. Franz Werfel (1890-1945), Austrian poet, modernist playwright, and novelist, was born in Prague, the son of a Jewish merchant. During World War I, Werfel served for several years on the Russian front as a soldier in the Austrian army. A friend of authors Max Brod and Franz Kafka, Werfel later moved to Vienna and Berlin. He was forced to leave the Prussian Academy of the Arts in 1933. His 1933 novel, Die vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh (The Forty Days of Musa Dagh), detailed the mass murder and expulsion of Armenians from eastern Anatolia in 1915 and received much attention in the United States.
To read more click here.
IRWF issued a postage stamp in tribute to Jan Karski in Israel
Jan Karski was a liaison officer of the Polish underground who infiltrated both the Warsaw Ghetto and a German concentration camp to see first-hand what was happening to the Polish Jews. He carried the first eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust to Anthony Eden, the British foreign secretary, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President of the United States. He did everything in his power to inform the world about the genocide in Europe.
In honor of his efforts on behalf of Polish Jews, Karski was made an honorary citizen of Israel in 1994. On June 2, 1982, Yad Vashem recognized Jan Karski as a member of Righteous Among the Nations.
To see the stamp click here.
IRWF at the Holocaust Remembrance Program in Buenos Aires
Invited by the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Associations, the IRWF took part at the Holocaust Day and Heroism Remembrance Act, on the 69th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The event took place at the Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Representing the IRWF and its founder, Baruch Tenenbaum, Chairman Eduardo Eurnekian lit a memorial candle for the millions of Jews killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
To read more, click here.
HONORING
Joseph and Louise Materne Receive Posthumously the Title of Righteous Among the Nations
The couple of Joseph and Louise Materne of Belgium received posthumously the title of Righteous Among the Nations in Jerusalem in November. In attendance were grandchildren of the Maternes and Dr. Zalman Shiffer, who as a child was rescued by the Materne family. Zalman has tried for many years to regain contact with his saviors. Eventually, only after a thorough and worldwide research made by the IRWF, Zalman managed (70 years after the end of the war) to locate the descendants of the couple that saved his life.
To read more click here.
Wallenberg Foundation Honors Belgian Holocaust Rescuer
On December 12, 2012, the IRWF presented a special recognition to Jean Marie Fox, a Belgian professor who saved the lives of dozens of Jews during the Holocaust. The ceremony took place at the Provincial Palace in the city of Arlon, in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. Eduardo Eurnekian and Baruch Tenenbaum, president and founder of the IRWF participated in the ceremony. Among the attendees were the Governor of the city of Arlon, Bernard Caprasse, the Chief of Staff, Bruno Andrieu, Ambassador Patrick Nothomb, members of the City of Arlon, members of the Jewish community, Mr. Jacque Funklender, Manager of the Association “L’enfant Caché” and several Belgian veterans of WWII.
To read more click here.
The “2012 Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Medals” Presented in Tel Aviv
The prestigious award was presented to Professor Haim Avni, Professor Dina Porat, Mr. Max Grunberg, and the city of Eilat. The event took place on December 6, 2012, at the Tel Aviv University. Among the participants were many diplomats from Australia, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Denmark, Canada, France, Greece, Russia, and the European Union. Mr. Danny Rainer, Executive Director of the IRWF Jerusalem served as a master of ceremonies. The keynote speakers, the Ambassador of Sweden in Israel, H.E. Ms. Elinor Hammarksjold and Dr. Yoav Tenembaum, Vice-President of the IRWF, stressed the symbolism of the event that coincides with the celebrations around the globe of Wallenberg’s 100th birthday; and emphasized the relevance of Wallenberg’s legacy in present time.
To read more click here.
Centenarian to be honored for saving Jews in WWII
Abe Meth, a Hungarian Jew who was saved from Nazi persecution by Raoul Wallenberg in 1944 and who aided Wallenberg’s subsequent rescue efforts by forging Schutzpasses for other Jews, will turn 100 years old this year on June 3rd. The IRWF celebrated his birthday by awarding him with a letter of recognition for his lifetime of accomplishments and for his efforts during WWII that helped save thousands of Jewish lives.
To read more, click here.
The IRWF to Distinguish a Holocaust Heroine
In July 2012 the IRWF decided to distinguish Madeleine Truel Larrabure, the Peruvian rescuer that joined the French Resistance during the Second World War. Thanks to the research of journalist Hugo Coya, who published the book “End Station”, the life of Madeleine Truel has come to light in a documentary by filmmaker Luis Enrique Cam. As a daughter of French immigrants, Madeleine Truel fought the Nazi occupation of France by falsifying documents for the resistance. She was captured in 1944 and died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1945.The IRWF has decided to distinguish Truel for her efforts, solidarity, and civic rights activism.
To read more, click here.
EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES
Raoul Wallenberg Award Scholarships Awarded
On Tuesday January 17, The University of Tel Aviv and the IRWF hosted the event “The Legacy of Raoul Wallenberg” on the 67th anniversary of the diplomat’s disappearance. The “Raoul Wallenberg 2012 Award Scholarships” were awarded during the occasion to doctoral students Orna Keren-Carmel and Yehonatan Alsheh.
To read more, click here.
New IRWF E-Books
In February and March the IRWF added four new titles in Spanish to its E-book collection. Memoria de un Medico (Memories of a Doctor), La mira en Andrómeda (Eyes over Andromeda), and Camino de Buenos Aires (Road to Buenos Aires), all three by Alberto Kaplan; and
Destino y obra de Camoens (Destiny and Work of Camoens) by Jorge Luis Borges.
To read more, click here and here (In Spanish)
Raoul Wallenberg – A Humanist of the 20th Century, Moscow, Russia
On May 28, Pastor Annemarie Werner, head of the IRWF Berlin, spoke at an academic conference in Moscow called “Raoul Wallenberg-a Humanist of the 20th Century”. The conference was organized by the prestigious Institute of World History, Russian Academy of Sciences, the Hungarian Cultural Center in Moscow, and the embassies of Sweden and Israel in Moscow.
To read more, click here.
“Building Bridges” Initiative
Conference and two-day workshop entitled “Leadership for Peacemaking- How to Overcome Prejudice with Dignity” was organized in June of 2012 within the framework of the IRWF’s Building Bridges Initiative. The conference took place at the Koç University’s Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations between June 19 and June 21. Focused on building bridges between Turkey, Greek Cyprus, Turkish Cyprus and Greece, the conference counted with Dr. Donna Hicks from the Harvard University as its keynote speaker.
To read more click here.
New E-Books
In July the IRWF added two new e-books to its collection, in honor of the centenary of Raoul Wallenberg’s birth. The first entitled “A Missing Man, an Enduring Message” is a collection of creative writing and visual arts inspired by Raoul Wallenberg’s legacy. To read more click here.
The second entitled “We Were There” is a collection of firsthand testimonies of people rescued by Raoul Wallenberg in Budapest. To read more click here.
ART ACTIVITIES
Movie Screening of “The Rescuers” at JCC
On Tuesday January 17, the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, in collaboration with the IRWF, organized a screening of the film THE RESCUERS, by Michael King. As part of Raoul Wallenberg’s Centennial, the documentary focuses on the feats of diplomat rescuers, with special emphasis on Raoul Wallenberg’s incredible work.
Kayla Kaufman , who was saved along with her family by Wallenberg, shared her experiences during the Holocaust in a Q & A session after the event. She was introduced by Andrea Cukier from the IRWF. The discussion was moderated by Isaac Zablocki, the Director of Film Programs at the JCC in Manhattan.
To read more, click here.
Open Call for Artists
Inspired by Raoul Wallenberg, an E-Book Of Creative Writing And Visual Arts:
In March the IRWF called upon artists working within the fields of creative writing, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and mixed media to submit works inspired by the deeds of Raoul Wallenberg and their legacy.
To read more click here.
Filming the Camps, From Hollywood to Nuremberg
The IRWF took part in the special function organized for the exhibit “Filming the Camps, From Hollywood to Nuremberg” curated by historian and film director Christian Delage, designed, created, and circulated by the Mémorial de la Shoah (Paris, France).
This show presents rare footage of the liberation of Dachau and the documentary produced as evidence at the Nuremberg trials, among other historic material, some of them presented in the US for the first time.
“Heart of Stone – Heart of Flesh”
A dramatic play by Eli Yossef, about the life and feats of Raoul Wallenberg, made its premiere in Kiryat Gat, Israel in March. The play was performed by Shalon High-School students, who had previously attended one of Mr. Eli Yossef’s many lectures about Wallenberg on behalf of the IRWF. The class paved the way to the student’s participation in this initiative, proving the importance of instilling Raoul Wallenberg’s legacy in the hearts and minds of the youngsters. The audience included the Mayor of Kiriat Gat, Mr. Abiram Dahary; the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Sweden, Ms. Anette Shary; the Head of the Diaspora Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shmuel Ben Shmuel; and Mr. Danny Rainer, Vice-president of the IRWF.
To read more click here.
KinderBlock 66, accepted at two film festivals
“KinderBlock 66: Return to Buchenwald” was accepted to the Sarasota and the Arizona Film Festivals. The documentary was also screened at Buchenwald in April.
The IRWF is a fiscal sponsor of the acclaimed documentary and is accepting tax-deductible contributions earmarked for its post-production.
To read more about the film click here.
Presentation in Jerusalem of the Play “Heart of Stone, Heart of Flesh”
Play about Raoul Wallenberg was presented at the Beit Shmuel Theater in Jerusalem on June 10th. The tribute evening began with remarks by General Director of Casa Argentina in Israel and Vice President of the IRWF, Danny Rainer, who briefly summarized the goals of the Foundation which coincide with one of the great values of Judaism: the recognition of good. The IRWF and Casa Argentina have supported this theatrical venture under their educational program which they are developing in secondary schools and other Israelis educational centers.
To read more click here. (In Spanish)
SOLVING WALLENBERG CASE
Reward Offered For Information About Wallenberg’s Destiny
As announces by Pastor Annemarie Werner during the Moscow conference, the IRWF is offering 100,000 Euros for information that helps locate, identify, and repatriate to his home country the remains of Raoul Wallenberg. With the reward which coincides with the centenary of Wallenberg’s birth, and which was made possible thanks to an anonymous donation, the IRWF seeks to and a mystery of Wallenberg’s disappearance 67 years ago. The reward will be given for any factor that facilitates information leading to scientific identification of the place where Wallenberg was buried.
To read more click here.
The Irwf Announces 500,000 Dollars Reword
Baruch Tenembaum and Eduardo Eurnekian, Founder and Chairman of the IRWF, announced the decision to increase to U$S 500,000 the sum of the reward being offered by the IRWF to any person or entity who could provide solid and provable information on the whereabouts of Wallenberg and his chauffer, Vilmos Langfelder. The decision was announces during the recent meeting with the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-moon.
To read more, click here.
ARTICLES BY THE IRWF
Letters to the Editor: Remembering Wallenberg, the savior of Jews
On January 17 at a public ceremony in Budapest Raoul Wallenberg was remembered as the savior of thousands of Jews and others persecuted by the Nazis during World War II. Surprisingly, as reported by the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post, among those present was the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
To read more, click here (In spanish)
Positive Memories
Remembering the tragedies is important. Remembering the rescuers is imperative.
An article written by the Founder of the IRWF, Mr. Baruch Tenembaum, and its Chairman, Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian, was published in The Jerusalem Post. The article was written for the April 18th commemoration of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day).
To read more, click here
The Real Legacy of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide
An article written by the IRWF’s Chairman, Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian, was published in The Jerusalem Post. The article was written for the April 24th commemoration of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
To read more, click here
Clarifying the Fate of Wallenberg
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Israel and meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is an opportunity to address the mystery of Raoul Wallenberg, who was detained and apparently murdered under the Stalinist regime. Presumably, the destruction of such an important person leaves behind a series of evidence, to which for some reason – even 67 years later – the Russians still prevent access. As time passes, the likelihood of recovering significant information diminishes, and thus this meeting is a crucial opportunity for an urgent discussion.
To read more click here. (In Spanish)
Wallenberg, one Hundred Years Later
An article by Baruch Tenembaum and Eduardo Eurnekian was published in the Spanish newspaper El Pais. Marking the 100th anniversary of Wallenberg’s birth the article brings the timeline of the most significant episodes in the attempts to resolve the mystery of what happened to Wallenberg after he was captured by the Soviets on January 17, 1945.
To read more click here. (In Spanish)
Inspiring Ideas For The European Crisis
In an article published in Clarin.com, Baruch Tenenbaum discusses the crisis in Europe as a field of inspiration for new groundbreaking initiatives. One of the most original initiatives to help Greece is recently launched by the businessman George Soros. Inspired by Wallenberg, Soros proposes to build houses of solidarity in Greece to serve as community centers for the local population, and as providers of food and shelter for immigrants. His proposal, he says, does not exclude but rather complements the efforts of the local civil society.
To read more click here. (In Spanish)
