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A bust of Raoul Wallenberg installed in Punta del Este international airport

A bust of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, hero of WWII who went missing in 1945, was installed at the international airport of Punta del Este, Uruguay.

On the centennial of his birth, Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, the company that manages the airport, and the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation pay tribute to the “Hero without a grave”.

The placement of the bust of Wallenberg in Punta del Este is part of a global campaign that aims to deploy Wallenberg busts in numerous public spaces of major cities worldwide.

During the Holocaust, Wallenberg saved the lives of thousands of people persecuted by the Nazis only to dissapear into the Soviet Gulag on January 1945.

“The lives of those rescued by Wallenberg are the main tribute to his memory. Today we are honored to add this bust to the one which was unveiled last year at the Ezeiza International Airport, in Buenos Aires.” said Eduardo Eurnekian, Chairman of the Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.

The piece is a work of artist Beñat Iglesias Lopez.

http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/news/bust-of-wallenberg-at-the-airport-in-punta-del-este/

Honoring the memory of Pope John XXIII

Roncalli and the State of Israel

Dear panelists, ladies and gentlemen of the audience,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here, as the Founder of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation and the International Angelo Roncalli Committee, chairing one of the panels at the International Conference honoring the memory of Pope John XXIII.
Angelo Roncalli was a great friend of the Jewish people and of the State of Israel, as I hope it will transpire from the presentations of the distinguished members of our Panel which will discuss Roncalli’s relationship to the Establishment of the State of Israel.

During the Shoah, Roncalli went out of his way to help as many European Jews as possible. After the war, he played a significant role in paving the way towards the establishment of the Jewish State, and as Pope John XXIII, he made a significant contribution to a closer relationship between Catholics and Jews.

I thank the organizers of this important event, especially Mr. Zaban, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the AJC, Yad Vashem and the Kantor Center for helping us keeping alive the blessed memory of Angelo Roncalli.

In a sense, I feel like closing a circle. Back in 2006, the Wallenberg Foundation held in Berlin, at the Vaterunse Evangelical Church, an exhibition called “Ein Visum furs Leben’ (Visas for life). This event was by hosted Pastor Annemarie Werner, leader of the congregation and head of our offices in that city, together with the then Ambassador of Israel in Berlin, Mr. Ilan Mor. On that occasion we presented the Angelo Roncalli awards to three distinguished persons who, during decades, have worked in Germany fostering of the interfaith dialogue.

One of the laureates was Dr. Michael Mertes, the incumbent Resident Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and main host of today’s meaningful gathering.

The Wallenberg Foundation has devoted many efforts to preserve Pope John XXIII’s legacy, through street and school naming campaigns, monuments, busts, and back in 2011, by submitting to Yad Vashem the Roncalli Dossier, a mass of documentary evidences (we have brought some copies here, for your perusal) which support our claim that he should be recognized as Righteous among the Nations.

Recently, one of our latest initiatives was crowned with success as the Municipality of the City of Ashdod (the 5th largest city in Israel) has agreed, in principle, to name a street or a city public site after Angelo Roncalli/Pope John XXIII.

We feel also very encouraged by the recent election of the Supreme Pontiff, Jorge Mario Bergoglio – Pope Francis I.

We know him very well, as he was one of the first Members of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. In such capacity and as Archbishop of the City of Buenos Aires, he helped us keep alive the legacies of Raoul Wallenberg, Angelo Roncalli and his likes.

Together with Bergoglio’s predecessor, the late Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, the Wallenberg Foundation promoted the erection of a unique Commemorative Mural emplaced at the Buenos Aires Cathedral. This Mural is a showcase that pays tribute to the victims of the Shoah and of the two terrorist attacks perpetrated in the Argentinean capital, back in the decade of the 90’s, against the Israeli Embassy and the AMIA Jewish Community Center. As I said, this Memorial is singular in the sense that it is the only Jewish memorial inside a Catholic Church, let alone a Cathedral.

After Quarracino’s death, Monsignor Bergoglio succeeded him and took custody of this precious symbol, encouraging Jews to visit it and above all, fulfilling Quarracino’s last wish to be buried next to this exceptional Mural.

I believe that Jorge Mario Bergoglio/Pope Francis I will follow the magnificent path set by Angelo Roncalli/Pope John XXIII, nurturing a respectful and fraternal dialogue between Christians and Jews.

Concerning our topic, Roncalli and the Establishment of the State of Israel, our distinguished panelists require very little introduction:
Mr. Yair Zaban is a renowned Israeli politician, former Member of the Knesset and Minister of Absorption in the governments of Itzhak Rabin Z’l and Shimon Peres. Few people know that as a young person, Mr. Zaban was the personal secretary of Dr. Moshe Sneh, one of the leaders of the Yishuv and someone who knew Roncalli and his involvement in the creation of the State of Israel.

Prof. Uri Bialer is a world-famous Israeli scholar, Maurice B. Hexter Chair in International Relations-Middle Eastern Studies, a specialist in the relationship between the Vatican and Israel. He has published a large number of articles and books, including the Cross on the Star of David – The Christian World in Israel’s Foreign Policy 1948-67, which is very relevant to our discussion.

Last but not least, Prof. Paolo Zanini, presently a fellow researcher of the Department of Historical Studies at the State University of Milano. His main academic interests are focused on the relations between the Holy See, Zionism and the Palestine question during the Mandatory Period.

I am sure that the three panelists will enlighten us, each one with his own perspective, shedding light on this riveting aspect of Roncalli’s actions.

Thank you very much!

http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/news/honoring-the-memory-of-pope-john-xxiii/

Man who rescued Jews becomes Australia’s first honorary citizen

A Swedish diplomat who led a rescue operation to save nearly 100,000 Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary has been recognised as the first honorary Australian citizen.

Raoul Wallenberg saved the lives of tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust in 1944 by issuing protective passports and providing shelter in diplomatic buildings.

Mr Wallenberg had already been honoured in Australia through parks and monuments but Governor-General Quentin Bryce said she was proud the country was now going “one step further”.

“I cannot think of a more appropriate and significant figure to welcome to our Australian family,” she told a ceremony in Canberra on Monday.

Mr Wallenberg had tried to save as many Jews as possible, “repeatedly putting his own life at risk,” she said. “Wallenberg’s life is an example to all of us.”

The diplomat was arrested by Soviet troops in January 1945 at the age of 34. The exact date and circumstances of his death are not known.

Frank Vajda, a professor of neurology at Melbourne University, was saved by Mr Wallenberg’s actions as a nine-year old boy in Hungary.

He has since campaigned for honorary citizenship for Mr Wallenberg for decades.

Professor Vajda and his mother were lined up in front of a machine gun for not wearing the yellow Star of David in 1944. Mr Wallenberg persuaded members of the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party to release their group.

“I owe everything to Australia, but I owe my life to Raoul Wallenberg,” he said, describing the diplomat as an “ordinary but very fine man.”

Monday’s ceremony at Government House was also attended by George Farkas, the son of John Farkas – a resistance fighter who was the last known person to see Mr Wallenberg alive.

“I think it’s a recognition that some people can do unbelievable good in the face of reprehensible evil,” he said of the award.

Mr Farkas said there had been sightings of the diplomat up into the 1980s in Russian prisons and psychiatric hospitals.

“Can you imagine what Wallenberg must have thought … that the world had forgotten him?” he said. Mr Wallenberg has already been recognised as an honorary citizen of the United States of America, Israel, Hungary and Canada.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Mr Wallenberg would be similarly honoured by Australia last week, in recognition of his “tireless devotion to human life during the Holocaust”.

The move was supported by the Coalition. On Monday, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it would have been “so easy to look the other way”.

“Of all the examples of resistance to Nazi tyranny, Raoul Wallenberg’s is perhaps the most flagrant,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard said that the Prime Minister gave ‘‘long and careful consideration’’ to the most appropriate form of recognition for Mr Wallenberg, including consulting with the ministers for Immigration and Foreign Affairs, before making a recommendation to the Governor-General.

As the first honorary Australian, Mr Wallenberg’s memory gains the ‘‘unique recognition associated with that status,’’ but the award does not give any status or entitlements to Mr Wallenberg’s descendants, the spokeswoman said.

The Gillard government is not currently contemplating honorary citizenship for any other individuals.

http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/news/man-who-rescued-jews-becomes-australias-first-honorary-citizen/#

Commemorating 98 years to the Armenian Genocide.

Recently I have discovered a brother, a brother nation to my own. A nation whose parallel fate connects and intertwines us together. I would like to tell you some of what I have discovered, to your people and my people, the Armenians and the Jewish people.

The city of Yerevan was established during the time of king Ahab and the prophet Elijah, of the first temple period, a period of growth and prosperity. Several hundred years later, the ancient Armenian Kingdom was established during the time when the Jewish people returned to their homeland following the Babylonian Exile. Following the Second temple period was characterized by Roman occupation, resulted in the Jewish people found them scattered amongst the nations. Who better than you, the Armenians can understand such a history of exile and occupation? Despite your constant loss of independence did not end your existence, instead through the intentional instilment of education and religious values to your people, you have continued to exist.

When the Turks began to perpetrate heinous crimes against you, my people were amongst those who chose to speak out against the atrocities. On July 16th 1915, Henry Morgenthau, the American ambassador to the Ottoman Empire wrote: “Deportation of and excesses against peaceful Armenians is increasing and from harrowing reports of eye witnesses it appears that a campaign of race extermination is in progress under a pretext of reprisal against rebellion. Protests as well as threats are unavailing and probably incite the Ottoman government to more drastic measures as they are determined to disclaim responsibility for their absolute disregard of Capitulations and I believe nothing short of actual force which obviously United States are not in a position to exert would adequately meet the situation. Suggest you inform belligerent nations and mission boards of this."

Aaron Aaronson, a prominent Zionist leader who travelled extensively throughout the ottoman Empire submitted a memorandum to the British Defense Ministry titled “pro- Armenia” he wrote: “wholesale massacre of the Jews ordered by the Roman General Titus is the only record in history that parallels the wholesale massacre of the Armenians.

Sadly, the then leaders of the nations decided to ignore the pleas of Morgenthau and Aaronson. Amongst those who spoke against the crimes of the Turks was Raphael Lemkin, who understood that ignoring such crimes would lead humanity to create to a hell on earth. Lemkin was outraged upon hearing the sentence of Sulgon Taralian who assassinated Talaat Pasha in 1920 and said, “Why is a man punished when he kills another man? Why is the killing of a million a lesser crime than the killing of a single individual?"”

Lemkin protested fervently against state sanctioned evils committed by the government against persecuted minorities, and was instrumental in the proposition of International law in 1933, which prohibited the destruction of peoples, nations and tribes. Lemkin recognized that genocide cannot happen in secret and requires the consent of the general population. Lemkin also believed in taking strong and decisive action against the Nazi regime in Germany who had already began its incitement against Europe’s Jews. Lawmakers rejected Lemkin’s petition fell on deaf ears. This refusal will undoubtedly live in infamy.

The legacy of resistance Athos Musa Dagh was apparent during the Holocaust. Mordechai Tenenbaum, (a member of the Dror youth movement and leader of the Warsaw, Vilna and Bialystok undergrounds) said: “Only one thing remains for us: to organize collective resistance in the ghetto, at any cost, to let the ghetto be our Musa Dagh, to write a proud chapter on Jewish Bialystok and on our Movement.”

Musa made sure that we had a symbol and as brother nations, these are symbols we share. The Jewish people worked tirelessly to build homeland for many years before the holocaust, and sadly, it was not until after the death of 6 million that we won our independence. I grew up on a kibbutz called Mishmar HaNegev, which was founded by members of the Worker’s Youth Workers movement, and Dror Israel. I was raised on the values of work, protection and peace, values undoubtedly you can relate to. Our independence is an enormous privilege, and we celebrate together with your 22 years of independence. The lack of recognition of the genocide the Armenian people have suffered by many nations has continues to challenge the rehabilitation of the Armenian people. Not all who have suffered genocide have received international recognition as we have.

Tragically, what followed our Holocaust was the implementation of a policy of genocide for regimes around the world. In Biafra, over 2 million Igbo people were starved and murdered by the Nigerian Army" . in Bangladesh, the Pakistani army murdered more than 2 million Bengalis. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge lead to the deaths of over 2 million Cambodians, this 20th century horror repeats itself in Guatemala, Burundi Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sudan and elsewhere. I cannot help but wonder, if the international community had been more aggressive in punishing the perpetrators of the Armenian genocide- how would the history of the 20th century been different? As Jews and Armenians, we can understand this better than most, and therefore have a responsibility to not ignore or deny genocides that are happening today. As we stand here today, a decade-long genocide is happening in Darfur-we must not ignore this. We cannot live in peace until Turkey formally takes responsibility for their actions. The denial of the Armenian genocide is a mark of Cain that bleeds from every human being’s forehead. This denial not only gives a green light to other genocide perpetrators but also seeks to humiliate you, our brothers.
I would like to end with a verse from the book of Psalms that reminds me of you, Armenians “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

Uriel Levy

Armenian Genocide of 1915: An Overview

On the eve of World War I, there were two million Armenians in the declining Ottoman Empire. By 1922, there were fewer than 400,000. The others — some 1.5 million — were killed in what historians consider a genocide.

As David Fromkin put it in his widely praised history of World War I and its aftermath, “A Peace to End All Peace”: “Rape and beating were commonplace. Those who were not killed at once were driven through mountains and deserts without food, drink or shelter. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians eventually succumbed or were killed .”

The man who invented the word “genocide”— Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish-Jewish origin — was moved to investigate the attempt to eliminate an entire people by accounts of the massacres of Armenians. He did not, however, coin the word until 1943, applying it to Nazi Germany and the Jews in a book published a year later, “Axis Rule in Occupied Europe.”

But to Turks, what happened in 1915 was, at most, just one more messy piece of a very messy war that spelled the end of a once-powerful empire. They reject the conclusions of historians and the term genocide, saying there was no premeditation in the deaths, no systematic attempt to destroy a people. Indeed, in Turkey today it remains a crime — “insulting Turkishness” — to even raise the issue of what happened to the Armenians.

In the United States, a powerful Armenian community centered in Los Angeles has been pressing for years for Congress to condemn the Armenian genocide. Turkey, which cut military ties to France over a similar action, has reacted with angry threats. A bill to that effect nearly passed in the fall of 2007, gaining a majority of co-sponsors and passing a committee vote. But the Bush administration, noting that Turkey is a critical ally — more than 70 per cent of the military air supplies for Iraq go through the Incirlik airbase there — pressed for the bill to be withdrawn, and it was.

The roots of the genocide lie in the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

The empire’s ruler was also the caliph, or leader of the Islamic community. Minority religious communities, like the Christian Armenians, were allowed to maintain their religious, social and legal structures, but were often subject to extra taxes or other measures.

Concentrated largely in eastern Anatolia, many of them merchants and industrialists, Armenians, historians say, appeared markedly better off in many ways than their Turkish neighbors, largely small peasants or ill-paid government functionaries and soldiers.

At the turn of the 20th Century, the once far-flung Ottoman empire was crumbling at the edges, beset by revolts among Christian subjects to the north — vast swaths of territory were lost in the Balkan Wars of 1912-13 — and the subject of coffee house grumbling among Arab nationalist intellectuals in Damascus and elsewhere.

The Young Turk movement of ambitious, discontented junior army officers seized power in 1908, determined to modernize, strengthen and “Turkify” the empire. They were led by what became an all-powerful triumvirate sometimes referred to as the Three Pashas.

In March of 1914, the Young Turks entered World War I on the side of Germany. They attacked to the east, hoping to capture the city of Baku in what would be a disastrous campaign against Russian forces in the Caucuses. They were soundly defeated at the battle of Sarikemish.

Armenians in the area were blamed for siding with the Russians and the Young Turks began a campaign to portray the Armenians as a kind of fifth column, a threat to the state. Indeed, there were Armenian nationalists who acted as guerrillas and cooperated with the Russians. They briefly seized the city of Van in the spring of 1915.

Armenians mark the date April 24, 1915, when several hundred Armenian intellectuals were rounded up, arrested and later executed as the start of the Armenian genocide and it is generally said to have extended to 1917. However, there were also massacres of Armenians in 1894, 1895, 1896, 1909, and a reprise between 1920 and 1923.

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies has compiled figures by province and district that show there were 2,133,190 Armenians in the empire in 1914 and only about 387,800 by 1922.

Writing at the time of the early series of massacres, The New York Times suggested there was already a “policy of extermination directed against the Christians of Asia Minor.”

The Young Turks, who called themselves the Committee of Unity and Progress, launched a set of measures against the Armenians, including a law authorizing the military and government to deport anyone they “sensed” was a security threat.

A later law allowed the confiscation of abandoned Armenian property. Armenians were ordered to turn in any weapons that they owned to the authorities. Those in the army were disarmed and transferred into labor battalions where they were either killed or worked to death.

There were executions into mass graves, and death marches of men, women and children across the Syrian desert to concentration camps with many dying along the way of exhaustion, exposure and starvation.

Much of this was quite well documented at the time by Western diplomats, missionaries and others, creating widespread wartime outrage against the Turks in the West. Although its ally, Germany, was silent at the time, in later years documents have surfaced from ranking German diplomats and military officers expressing horror at what was going on.

Some historians, however, while acknowledging the widespread deaths, say what happened does not technically fit the definition of genocide largely because they do not feel there is evidence that it was well-planned in advance.

The New York Times covered the issue extensively — 145 articles in 1915 alone by one count — with headlines like “Appeal to Turkey to Stop Massacres.” The Times described the actions against the Armenians as “systematic,” “authorized, and “organized by the government.”

The American ambassador, Henry Morganthau Sr., was also outspoken. In his memoirs, the ambassador would write: “When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well, and in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact.”

Following the surrender of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, the Three Pashas fled to Germany, where they were given protection. But the Armenian underground formed a group called Operation Nemesis to hunt them down. On March 15, 1921, one of the pashas was shot dead on a street in Berlin in broad daylight in front of witnesses. The gunman pled temporary insanity brought on by the mass killings and a jury took only a little over an hour to acquit him. It was the defense evidence at this trial that drew the interest of Mr. Lemkin, the coiner of “genocide.”

http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/highlights/armenian-genocide-of-1915-an-overview/

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