Raoul Wallenberg

"Righteous Among Nations"

Raoul Wallenberg  was born on August 4,1912 in Walpole, Lidingö, Sweden to a member of one of the countries most prominent banking families. His  father, Raoul Oscar Wallenberg, was a naval officer and a cousin of Jacob and Marcus Wallenberg, two of Sweden's best-known financiers (often referred to as "the Swedish Rockefellers), and industrialists during the 1920's & 30's

Shortly after his birth, his father passed away and his mother, Maj Wising Wallenberg remarried Fredrick von Darriel in 1918. Wallenberg's grandfather, Gustav Wallenberg, took care of his education while he was growing up, fully intending young Raoul would carry on the tradition of his family as highly respected bankers, diplomats, and politicians. By the age of 20, the young Wallenberg was already proficient in English, French, German and Russian.

In 1930, Raoul Wallenberg graduated with top grades in Russian and drawing. Upon completing army service in 1931 he then traveled to the USA  to study architecture at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Wallenberg devoted most of his time to study and he graduated early, completing his curriculum in under the typical four year time frame.

After graduating from UMICH with top honors and the recipient of a scholastic award bestowed only the individual with the most impressive academic record. Wallenberg wrote his grandfather:  "When I now look back upon the last school year, I find I have had a completely wonderful time."

In 1935, he received his bachelor degree of Science in Architecture and returned to Sweden. But the market for architects was small in Sweden, so his grandfather sent him to Cape Town, South Africa, where he practiced at a Swedish firm selling building materials. Shortly after, his grandfather arranged a new job for him at a Dutch banking office located in Haifa.

It was in Palestine he first met Jews that had escaped Hitler's Germany and learned of their plight. He then left Haifa and returned to Sweden in 1936 to resume his interest in European business. Through family connections and  associates, Raoul was introduced to Kálmán Lauer, a Hungarian Jew and then director of a Swedish based import and export company specializing in food and delicacies.

Read the full article here:
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/survivor/wallenberg.html

The Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team

www.HolocaustResearchProject.org

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