Morris County Joins Raoul Wallenberg Commemoration
Published on August 12, 2024
Swedish Diplomat Who Saved Thousands of Jews in WWII Remembered
Morris County Commissioner Deborah Smith joined Mayor James Barberio, representatives of the Swedish government and the Morris County Swedish community (VASA), as well as leaders of the Morris County Jewish community, and many others at Smith Field Park in Parsippany-Troy Hills yesterday to commemorate Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat renowned for his heroic efforts in saving tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II.
“Courage and Compassion: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg,” an annual program held every August at the sculpture erected in his honor, highlights Wallenberg's remarkable bravery and humanitarian legacy, inspiring efforts toward tolerance and peace. The event is co-sponsored by Adath Shalom Synagogue, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, the Parsippany Interfaith Council and the Morris County Human Relations Commission.
“Today we gather to honor the extraordinary heroism of Raoul Wallenberg, who bravely saved tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. At minimum, his bold efforts in the face of the overwhelming Nazi juggernaut and the Third Reich’s army of collaborators are a monument to the power that individual action can have against the greatest of evils,” said Commissioner Smith.
But noting the current rise in antisemitism, the murders of 1,200 people in Israel by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 and the open support some in the United States continue to show for Hamas, Smith questioned whether history is repeating itself.
“Today, as we honor Raoul Wallenberg, we must ask ourselves: Is there enough of us in society with his bold, personal fortitude to prevent another Holocaust,” Smith said. “What I can say is that I am deeply moved to be here today, surrounded by people in Morris County who have embraced Wallenberg’s courage, pushed aside politics and our differences to embrace peace and to reaffirm our commitment to never letting a Holocaust happen again.”
Wallenberg, born in Stockholm, Sweden, on Aug. 4, 1912, was recruited by the U.S. War Refugee Board in 1944 to help Jews persecuted by the Nazis. Sent to Budapest by the Swedish foreign ministry, he launched a rescue mission by issuing Swedish "certificates of protection," saving tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from deportation to Auschwitz. Wallenberg set up soup kitchens, nurseries, hospitals and safe houses, and helped establish the “International Ghetto” for protection.
By 1945, his efforts saved an estimated 100,000 Jews from deportation and assisted 50,000 others in emigrating before his sudden disappearance, which remains a mystery. Wallenberg was last seen in the custody of Russian soldiers, who believed he was a U.S. spy and imprisoned him. His heroism saved many lives at the cost of his own.
“Today, we pay tribute to Raoul Wallenberg, a remarkable humanitarian who saved thousands of Hungarian Jewish people’s lives during the Holocaust,” said Mayor Barberio. “It is up to all of us that today not only be an act of remembrance that one person with integrity, commitment and courage can make a difference even in the darkest of times, but a powerful reminder that we must stand up against antisemitism, hatred and intolerance. Let us all reflect on the actions of this hero of humanity, as well as the millions of victims, survivors and families who suffered because of the Holocaust.”
“This event reminds us that Raoul Wallenberg is a pre-eminent example of the power of good that can be accomplished by one compassionate and committed individual,” said Meyer Rosenthal, Chair of the Adath Shalom Holocaust Education Committee.
In 1981, U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos, who was among those saved by Wallenberg, sponsored a bill that granted Wallenberg honorary U.S. citizenship, making him only the second person ever to receive this distinction. There have been six others who subsequently were awarded that honor, dating back to the American Revolution.
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Photo 1: Morris County Commissioner Deborah Smith standing beside the Courage and Compassion monument that honors Raoul Wallenberg in Smith Field Park, Parsippany, N.J.
Photo 2: James Barberio, Mayor of Parsippany-Troy Hills and Deborah Smith, Morris County Commissioner. (Photo credit - Frank Cahill, Publisher of Parsippany Focus)
Photo 3: Attendees gathered at the Courage and Compassion: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg program on August 11, 2024 in Smith Field Park, Parsippany, N.J. (Photo credit - Frank Cahill, Publisher of Parsippany Focus)