Sweden

(1912-1947)

Special envoy sent to Budapest by the Swedish government with the support of the American War Refugee Board, was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations on November 26, 1963. Wallenberg arrived in Budapest in July 1944 to coordinate the rescue of Jews and was given diplomatic status as Secretary at the Swedish Legation. He soon widened the scope of his assignment and within a short time, set up an elaborate organization with Jewish and non-Jewish employees and volunteers. He distributed thousands of protective documents, created safe houses, established soup kitchens and hospitals that operated under the protection of the Swedish flag, and personally intervened to release Jews from detention and from the death marches to the Austrian border. In January 1945, after the arrival of the Red Army in Budapest, Wallenberg was summoned by the Russian commander. He never returned, and his fate is still shrouded in mystery.