Raoul Wallenberg

Raoul Oscar Wallenberg married Maria 'Maj' Sofia Wising in 1911.

Raoul Gustav Wallenberg, a Swedish businessman-turned-diplomat, was born near Stockholm, Sweden. He later became known for his heroic efforts in rescuing thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II.

In 1918, Maria 'Maj' Sofia Wising married Fredric von Dardel.

In 1931, Raoul Wallenberg studied architecture at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Raoul Wallenberg graduated with honors in architecture from the University of Michigan in the United States, showcasing his academic excellence.

After graduating, Raoul Wallenberg returns to Sweden and later goes to work commercially in South Africa and Haifa, Palestine. While working at a Dutch bank in Haifa, he encounters anti-semitism.

Raoul Wallenberg was inspired by the 1941 British anti-Nazi propaganda thriller 'Pimpernel' Smith, which he watched at a private screening. The film's depiction of saving Jews from Nazis resonated with Wallenberg, influencing his future actions.

Raoul Wallenberg, appointed as first secretary to the Swedish legation in Hungary, arrived in Budapest on July 9, 1944. Despite his lack of experience in diplomacy and clandestine operations, he played a crucial role in leading a successful rescue mission during the Holocaust, working with the WRB to save thousands of Hungarian Jews from deportation.

On November 20, 1944, Raoul Wallenberg assisted Jews during the death marches initiated by Adolf Eichmann, providing them with passports, food, and medicine.

Raoul Wallenberg was last seen in the company of Soviet officials on January 17, 1945, during the siege of Budapest. He was suspected of espionage and vanished thereafter, with conflicting reports about his fate.

Raoul Wallenberg was moved to Lubyanka prison in Moscow, where he was held in a cell with another prisoner. This transfer signified a critical phase in Wallenberg's captivity.

Soviet-controlled Hungarian radio announced the alleged murder of Raoul Wallenberg and his driver on their way to Debrecen, suggesting involvement by the Arrow Cross Party or the Gestapo. This announcement led to widespread speculation about Wallenberg's fate.

A Soviet government report in 1956 claimed that Raoul Wallenberg had died on July 17, 1947, while being held at Lubyanka Prison in Moscow. However, later sightings disputed this assertion.

Several former prisoners claimed to have seen Wallenberg after his reported death in 1947. Testimonies from individuals like former German Colonel Theodor von Dufving and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal added to the mystery surrounding Wallenberg's disappearance.

The Swedish Tax Agency declared the official date of Raoul Wallenberg's death as July 31, 1952, although his fate after imprisonment remains a mystery.

Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, was reported to have died suddenly in his cell in 1947 according to a document released by the Soviet government. There were disputes and investigations surrounding his death, with conflicting reports and testimonies emerging over the years.

In 1957, Soviet authorities reported that Raoul Wallenberg died of a suspected myocardial infarction on July 17, 1947, while imprisoned in the Lubyanka prison in Moscow. However, there are disputes and uncertainties surrounding his actual fate.

In 1963, the Israeli agency Yad Vashem designated Raoul Wallenberg as one of the Righteous Among the Nations for his efforts to save Jews during the Holocaust.

On September 22, 1981, the U.S. Congress, led by Rep. Tom Lantos, granted honorary citizenship to Raoul Wallenberg, who had saved Rep. Lantos. This rare honor had only been bestowed once previously, to Sir Winston Churchill.

The track 'Wallenberg' by The (Hypothetical) Prophets, a band project of Bernard Szajner, was released in 1982.

The Wallenberg family successfully sued the Soviet Union for $39 million in 1984 over Raoul Wallenberg's disappearance. However, the Soviet Union did not pay the damages or provide any information about his fate.

The 1985 made-for-television movie 'Wallenberg: A Hero's Story' starring Richard Chamberlain was released, depicting the life of Raoul Wallenberg.

In 1989, Wallenberg's personal belongings, including his passport and cigarette case, were returned to his family by Soviet officials. The materials were found during an upgrade of shelves in a store room, shedding some light on his fate.

In 1991, Vyacheslav Nikonov was charged with investigating Wallenberg's fate by the Russian government. He concluded that Wallenberg had died in 1947, executed while a prisoner in Lubyanka, possibly by poison. This added to the mystery surrounding Wallenberg's death.

In May 1996, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released previously classified documents regarding Raoul Wallenberg, confirming suspicions that he had served as an American intelligence asset during his time in Hungary.

A joint Russian and Swedish commission investigated Raoul Wallenberg's disappearance, concluding that his incarceration was politically motivated. However, the circumstances of his death remain unresolved.

The opera 'Wallenberg' premiered at the Opernhaus Dortmund on May 5, 2001, composed by Erkki-Sven Tüür with a libretto by Lutz Hübner.

Hungarian historian and Holocaust survivor Randolph L. Braham discussed the mythologizing of Wallenberg's rescue activities, noting that his rescue efforts were greatly exaggerated during the Cold War for anti-Soviet propaganda purposes.

In September 2007, files pertinent to Wallenberg were turned over to the chief rabbi of Russia by the Russian government. These items were intended to be housed at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow, providing further insight into Wallenberg's story.

In 2012, Russian lieutenant general Vasily Khristoforov stated that the Wallenberg case was still open and dismissed allegations of a cover-up. He emphasized that the current Russian authorities were different from the Soviet Union.

In March 2016, a petition was submitted to the Swedish Tax Agency to declare Raoul Wallenberg dead in absentia. He was officially declared dead in October 2016, with the recorded date of death being 31 July 1952.

As of 2019, the Swedish consulate building, located behind the Hotel Gellért, still stands with a reference to Raoul Wallenberg at the front, commemorating his actions during World War II.

In connection to a recent report on the fate of Raoul Wallenberg by a Swedish-Russian working group, the theory of his execution was revisited but no evidence was found to confirm it.

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law was established in 2024. It is named after Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat known for saving tens of thousands of Jews and other people at risk in Hungary during World War II.