In recognition of the centenary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish Institute and The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) presented: To Me There’s No Other Choice – Raoul Wallenberg 1912-2012, an exhibition about the rescuer of tens of thousands of Jews, on display in New York on March 13-24.
Armed only with his bravery and moral courage, the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg saved tens of thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. Throughout 2012—the centenary of Raoul Wallenberg’s birth— the exhibition To me there’s no other choice—Raoul Wallenberg 1912-2012 will travel all over the world. From March 13 to 24, it will be presented at Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America in New York. In conjunction with the Holocaust Remembrance Day, the exhibition will also be on view at House of Sweden in Washington DC on April 19-30.
To me there’s no other choice—Raoul Wallenberg 1912-2012 is created as a journey to tell the story of a man whose choices in life made him an immortal icon. The exhibition features three distinct stages: Raoul Wallenberg’s childhood; his heroic efforts during the final stages of World War II; and lastly, a meeting with some of the people whose fate was decided by Raoul Wallenberg. Today, these survivors are old and among the last of their generation able to recall one of the darkest chapters in the history of humankind.
The exhibition is a platform for dialogue on issues about tolerance, democracy, and personal courage. It arrived from Budapest, where his heroic deeds took place and where the exhibit was first launched, and will travel around the world during throughout 2012 to locations including Washington DC, Moscow, Tel Aviv, Berlin, Toronto, and Ottawa.
A diplomat and businessman, Raoul Wallenberg was appointed second secretary of the Swedish diplomatic mission in Budapest, Hungary in June 1944. His assignment was to launch a rescue operation for Jews. By issuing protective Swedish passports and renting buildings, also known as “Swedish houses,” where Jews could seek shelter, and by personal interventions repeatedly risking his life,. he saved tens of thousands of lives.
Few Swedes have received as much international acclaim and attention as Raoul Wallenberg. In 1981, he became the second after Winston Churchill to become an honorary citizen of the United States.
To me there’s no other choice—Raoul Wallenberg 1912-2012 is produced by the Swedish Institute on behalf of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and in collaboration with the Living History Forum. The exhibition is jointly presented in New York by the Swedish Institute, the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the American-Scandinavian Foundation.