Opinion & Commentary:
Canada remembers; so should we
Feb. 1, 2008
On Jan. 17, Canada observed Raoul Wallenberg Commemorative Day.
In the document establishing Wallenberg Commemorative Day, it specifically states this is meant as "a time for Canadians to learn about, reflect upon, and be inspired by the incredible heroism of this great humanitarian who, in his singular protection of civilians in armed conflict, signified the best of international humanitarian law; who, in his singular organization of humanitarian relief, exemplified the best of humanitarian intervention; who, in his warning to Nazi generals that they would be held accountable for their crimes, foreshadowed the Nuremberg principles; who, in saving 100,000 Jews, personified the talmudic idiom that if a person saves a single life it is as if he or she has saved an entire universe; and who, in having the courage to care and the commitment to act, showed that one person can confront radical evil, prevail, and transform history."
Wallenberg, a Swedish non-Jew, used many means to save lives including:
- Granting Shutzpasses, diplomatic passes which provided protective immunity to their recipients. This also influenced other governments including the Swiss, the Portuguese, the Spanish, and Vatican legations, to follow this example, resulting in the saving of thousands through diplomatic immunity;
- Establishing protective havens, the ÔInternational Ghetto' as it came to be called, consisting of 32 safe houses protected by neutral legations and, once again, inspiring other legations to follow this example saving an estimated 32,0000 people with this initiative alone;
- Rescuing thousands more from deportation and death in October 1944 when the Arrow Cross, the Nazi puppet government in Hungary, started deportations that were stopped when Wallenberg, once again, provided protective Shutzpasses through the railroad stations to remove Jews aboard these trains;
- Distributing food, medical supplies and improvised certificates to the Jews in November of 1944, as thousands, mainly women and children, were sent on a 200-kilometer death march;
- Threatening the Nazi generals, including Nazi General Schmidhuber, telling them they would be brought to justice, if not executed, for war crimes and crimes against humanity as the Nazis were advancing on Budapest and threatening to blow up the ghetto and liquidate the remnants of Hungarian Jews, estimated to be about 70,000. As a result, the Nazi generals desisted, saving these potential victims;
- Though his organization, setting up hospitals, soup kitchens, child-care centers, and other international humanitarian-assistance programs providing women, children, the sick, and the elderly with comfort and dignity.
As Canadians marked this special day, which is, of course, now past, it might do well for Americans to likewise take a moment "to learn about, reflect upon and be inspired by the incredible heroism of this great humanitarian" who showed that not only can one person make a world of difference, but that one person can, indeed, triumph over dire circumstances and save others in the process. Perhaps by doing so this could serve as an inspirational call to action with each person discovering the rights and dignity of man are the responsibility of each of us.
As the famous American educator Horace Mann said in an address at Antioch College in 1859, "Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity." Wallenberg needn't be ashamed.
Cheryl Orson is the associate editor of The Jewish State.