Today is the anniversary of Raoul Wallenberg’s abduction in Hungary by the Russians on January 17, 1945 as they were driving out the Nazis, occupying Hungary and imposing a totalitarian Communist dictatorship.
Some reflections are in order.
Raoul Wallenberg, who bravely protected, saved a large number of Jews in Hungary, managed to stay alive in Nazi , Fascist, Iron Cross infested Budapest even during the terrible Battle for Budapest which took so many lives. On January 17,1945 thanks to the Russianshe joined the tens of millions who lost their freedom and life due to the cruel and murderous Communist Russian regime. Russia was never held accountable for its monumental crimes against Raoul Raoul Wallenberg and humanity. It is portrayed as a liberator in World War II as opposed to the brutal occupier it was and in many ways Nazi Germany’s colaborator after the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement was signed until until June 22,1941 . (Russia attacked and brutalized Poland very soon after Germany in 1939 and followed up by attacking Finland and the Baltic states which it brutalized….)
There were many “Wallenbergs” who tried to protect the abandoned Jews of Europe, among them diplomats like
Dutch diplomat to the Baltics L.P.J. de Decker, thanks to whom a large number of Jews in Kovno were saved with much help from Dutch diplomat Jan Zwartendijk and Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara.
Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz who even according to Yad Vashem helped protect and save tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest.
Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Susa Mendes who saved large number of Jews
… and close to 90 other diplomats who tried to save Jews.
Yad Vashem (part of the government of Israel) allowed only 36 diplomats to be “recognized” on a large monument at Israel’s Foreign Ministry compound. 36 is a “good number” in judaism. It is 2 x 18 (with 18 representing chai: life) and, not to be forgotten, there is a Jewish concept that there are always 36 righteous in the world because of whose merit the world continues existing. This is how Israel “remembers”.
There were also a few very important “Jewish Wallenbergs“.
Unlike free world “company men” and “leaders” of “progressive” large Jewish/Zionist organizations who were at best OUT TO LUNCH during the Holocaust the few Jewish Wallenbergs did their utmost to save Jews despite much “obstruction” by mainstream Jewish leaders in the free world such as Stephen Wise and Nachum Goldmann of the World Jewish Congress, Jewish Congressman Sol Blum and others in America, Sally Mayer in Switzerland and others.
Notable that Wise was never held accountable and in fact the street next to the prestigious Israel Museum in Jerusalem by the Knesset is named after him. Golmann was highly rewarded after the war and became head of the World Jewish Congress, Zionist Organization of America and the Jewish Agency., “Remembering!” at its best….
The main “Jewish Wallenbergs” who were identified are the following:
George Mantello (Mandel), an Orthodox Jew from the Hungarian part of Romania who was the First Secretary of El Salvador in Switzerland. See the attached painting with a brief summary.
Hillel Kook (aka Peter Bergson). See the attached painting with a brief summary.
Gisi (Gizi) Fleischmann and Rabbi Michael Be’er (Dov) Weissmandl.
Recha and Yitzchok Sternbuch.
Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld
Possibly Wilfrid Israel
The fact that almost all the Jewish Wallenbergs were Orthodox or came from Orthodox homes requires reflection.
Yad Vashem and many so-called Holocaust Centers around the world not featuring (or not appropriately featuring ) the Jewish Wallenbergs and the main Jewish “obstructors” of rescue in their exhibits and publicity, education is deplorable and totally unacceptable.
Hundreds of thousands were saved as a result of the Jewish Wallenbergs’ dedicated
May the memory of Raoul Wallenberg and all the heroic “Wallenbergs” be blessed.
יחי זיכרם ברוך
Yechi Zichram Baruch.