”Learn about Raoul Wallenberg” Study Guide

”To me there’s no other choice. I’ve accepted this assignment and I could never return to Stockholm without the knowledge that I’d done everything in human power to save as many Jews as possible”
Raoul Wallenberg

READ ABOUT WALLENBERG’S LIFE AND TIMES

  • Raoul Wallenberg’s Biography – Written by Jan Larsson, Per Anger and The Swedish Institute – Published by the Swedish Institute, 1995. This essay describes Raoul Wallenberg’s life, his rescue of 100,000 Jews in Budapest, Hungary during World War II, his fate and the historical background.
  • A Hero Without A Grave – Written by Yoav Tenembaum. This essay describes Raoul Wallenberg’s heroism as one of the Righteous Gentiles, as the non-Jew who was ready to risk his or her life in order to save the lives of Jews is known.
  • Portrait of a Silent Hero – Written by Susana Pereyra Iraola. Published on Lanacion.com. This article discusses the historical background, why he went to Budapest, his heroism and his fate.
  • Jewish Virtual Library – This essay by David Metzler has many links to historical issues and places.
  • Speech by Mr. Jan Eliasson to the Swedish Parliament – Jan Eliasson was Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs of the UN, 1992-1994 and has been Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Sweden since October 1994. This essay describes Raoul Wallenberg as a person in terms of action, passion and ”it goes without saying.”
  • Remembering Raoul Wallenberg – Written by Emilio J. Cardenas. Published by Lanacion.com. This article gives the historical context to Raoul Wallenberg’s heroism.
  • The Wallenberg Effect – Written by John C. Kunich and Richard I. Lester. Published in The Journal of Leadership Studies, 1997, Vol. 4, No. 3. This article describes the life and times of Raoul Wallenberg as part of a study of the leadership principles employed by him – what makes a leader?
  • Raoul Wallenberg – Angel of Mercy – ”Raoul Wallenberg not only saved 100,000 lives – he saved our faith in humanity …”
  • Raoul Wallenberg And The Rescue Of Jews In Budapest – formation on Raoul Wallenberg from the United States Holocaust Museum.

READ ABOUT BUDAPEST, HUNGRAY AND TREATMENT OF THE JEWS

READ SURVIVOR’S TESTIMONIES

  • Ladislao Ladanyi – ”[Wallenberg] is my savior… He means my life.”
  • Tomás Keretesz – ”I was among the people that they were going to put on the trains, and [Wallenberg] himself took care of saving those of us who had Swedish passports.”
  • Lucia Laragione – ”That day Raoul Wallenberg (I later learned that this was my savior’s name) managed to save dozens of Jews from the trains of death. During the following months, I worked by his side at the Embassy of Sweden, a neutral country during the war.”
  • Thomas Veres, Raoul Wallenberg’s photographer – ”To me, Raoul Wallenberg not only saved lives, he also left a mark on those he saved. I know. He left a deep mark engraved in my heart and mind, one that has shaped my thoughts and actions ever since.”
  • Tom Teicholz, son of Bruce Teicholz – ”What my father so admired in Wallenberg was that he risked his life to save Jews when he didn’t have to… and the zeal with which he did so impressed my father all the more.”
  • Chronicle of Kati Kertesz, Thomas’s wife – ”On March 19th, 1944, the Germans occupied Budapest and in April we had to start wearing the yellow star, which meant limited schedules to walk along the streets and special places where to sit when traveling by means of transport.”

READ ABOUT WALLENBERG’S FATE

  • Why Was Raoul Wallenberg Arrested – Written by Sven Grundberg. This essay investigates possible reasons behind the Soviet arrest of the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, in January 1945; it includes historical background; information about Wallenberg’s operation in Budapest; it describes the circumstances surrounding the arrest; and it examines potential reasons behind the Soviet arrest of Wallenberg.
  • Search For Swedish Holocaust Hero – An article by Leonid Ragozin about the time he tried to find evidence of what happened to Raoul Wallenberg.
  • The Raoul Wallenberg File. – Discussion of his possible fate.

For more articles please visit: /?en/wallenberg/fate/

READ ABOUT PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF WALLENBERG’S HEROISM

IDEAS FOR STUDENT RESEARCH

  • Hobart College, United States – Three years of research on Wallenberg unveiled by two seniors in a multimedia presentation. The research involved meeting with the Wallenberg family, Holocaust survivors, people who had assisted Wallenberg, Swedish government officials and academics.
  • Amana High School, Israel – Teachers at Amana High School shared Wallenberg’s message with their students and the outcome was simply amazing. The teachings that were inflicted upon the students were so awe-inspiring that some of the children actually took the time to send letters to the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation appraising its actions.
  • Birchwood School, United States – Seventh grader Chloe Pruitt and her schoolmate Henna created a documentary on Raoul Wallenberg ”Passports to Freedom: Raoul Wallenberg’s Courageous Stand for the Jews of Budapest” as a part of the annual National History Day contest following this year’s theme, ”Taking a Stand in History.”
  • Carthage High School, United States – Caroline Tubbs, teacher of Advanced Placement English Literature, gave her students a project to gain an understanding of the worldwide impact of the Holocaust. For the project, students Sara Stone and Samantha Pauley developed a website on Raoul Wallenberg.

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Study guide created by Cynthia Rudder, Ph.D.