Exhibition commemorates Swedish diplomat protecting Jews

TIRANA, May 30 – Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat in Nazi-occupied Hungary who led an extensive and successful mission to save the lives of thousands of Hungarian Jews, has been commemorated in Tirana on his 100th birth anniversary with an exhibition organized by the Hungarian embassy in Tirana.
Wallenberg, also known as an architect, issued protective passports and sheltered Jews in buildings designated as Swedish territory saving tens of thousands of lives while serving as Sweden’s special envoy in Budapest between July and December 1944. Though his efforts to save Jews from the Holocaust is one of the most treasured aspects of that time, his fate and ultimate death is unknown still to this day.
Attending the exhibition at the National Museum of History on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sali Berisha described Wallenberg as an example of courage and humanity for his rescue operations for Jews.
“I am very happy we are celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of this important man on Albania’s 100th independence anniversary,” said Berisha, thanking the Hungarian authorities for choosing Tirana to commemorate Wallenberg on his 100th birthday.
Albania is recognized as a unique example of efforts to save Jews. In fact, Albania was the only country in Europe which had more Jews after the war than it did beforehand. BESA, a code of honour stressing religious tolerance and hospitality, was adhered to in Albania and is considered to be the reason that Jews were safe there.