New inquiry into fate of Swedish hero of the Holocaust

Sweden has launched a new inquiry into the fate of Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg, who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War, but disappeared after being arrested by Soviet troops in 1945.

The decision came as Sweden this year commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Swedish diplomat’s birth.

Anna Charlotta Johansson, spokeswoman for foreign minister Carl Bildt, said the probe would be conducted by Hans Magnusson, a diplomat who led a joint Swedish-Russian group in 1991-2001 that tried to find out what happened to Wallenberg.

Russian scholar Vadim Birstein, one of the researchers working for the first Wallenberg commission, this week said they had just found some previously unknown documents when the archive was closed to them in the spring of 1991.

The new inquiry “would look into whether there is any new information available, or that can be found, on what happened to Raoul Wallenberg”.

Russia has said Wallenberg was found dead in his cell in Moscow on 17 July, 1947, but no evidence has been published.

Independent researchers say there is proof he was alive days later and he may well have lived longer, but Russia has persistently denied access to files that could shed light and Sweden has not put enough pressure on Russia.

Mr Bildt said too little was done to save the hero.

“The Swedish government’s lack of involvement after Raoul Wallenberg was captured and taken to the infamous Lubyanka prison in Moscow is both embarrassing and painful,” he said.

Wallenberg saved Jews in Budapest with Swedish protective passports and by offering shelter in buildings he bought and proclaimed Swedish territory.