Ingrid Carlberg

Wow. A very thorough examination not only of the life led by this regular man put in extraordinary circumstances, but also the political climates that led to his arrest by Soviet troops and the lack of urgency by the Swedish government to recover their native son. Included are author’s notes as she visits people and sites concerning Wallenberg, and the history of his family, many of whom were forever haunted by his disappearance. If you are interested in anything Wallenberg, this is the book for you.… (mais)

The definitive biography of Raoul Wallenberg, a hero of World War II who saved Jews in Hungary from being deported to Auschwitz. This book was originally published in Swedish; this edition was translated into English. I highly recommend this book for those who want to expand their understanding of World War II by reading books about countries like Sweden and Hungary which are not often discussed in American and British histories of the war.

Raoul Wallenberg was Swedish and belonged to an important family. The biographer Ingrid Carlberg is also Swedish. Carlberg is a journalist and it shows in her ability to keep the story moving and tying the various people together who interact in this complicated and mysterious tale.

Raoul Wallenberg was a true hero, which is all the more interesting because Sweden was neutral during WWII and most of the citizens didn't want to risk their own good situation in Sweden by sticking their necks out for any other nation. I don't want to give anything away because he is such an interesting and admirable person, and Carlberg does such a good job of laying out the story of Raoul's life.

Another thing about this book I found very helpful is that Carlberg works hard to give the reader an understanding of the complicated situation facing all Swedes during the 1930s and 40s, before and during the war. It's easy for an American to dismiss a country that remained neutral during WWII, because when a country is not willing to make sacrifices, why should it be respected? (Yes, I understand that the USA did not enter the war until it was attacked. However, the USA would probably have entered the war if Canada or Mexico were attacked.) More than other histories I have read, this book helps to explain the dichotomy of mind that existed in Sweden. Some Swedes in and out of the government were politically aligned with Germany, and others were aligned with the Allies. That fact, combined with an unwillingness of Swedes to risk fighting and being occupied by Germany made for some hard-to-reconcile desires on the part of Swedish citizens and politicians.… (mais)