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The commemoration was for "Raoul, and for all those who have made a difference," said Michael Wernstedt, president of the Raoul Wallenberg Academy, a leadership programme.
"These past weeks, events have shown that it's important to defend democracy," Wernstedt said, urging demonstrators to light a candle "for all those who spread light."
Wallenberg was sent as a special envoy to the capital of Nazi-controlled Hungary in 1944, and by early 1945, he had issued Swedish papers to thousands of Jews, allowing them to flee the country and likely death.
Several months before the war ended, the Soviets invaded Budapest and summoned the Swede to their headquarters on January 17, 1945. He was never seen again.
In 1957 Soviet authorities produced a document claiming that a prisoner by the name of Wallenberg had died a decade earlier, but researchers and his family reject this account.
Wallenberg's 93-year-old half-sister Nina Lagergren, who attended Saturday's memorial, told AFP previously: "It is possible to find the truth."
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"These past weeks, events have shown that it's important to defend democracy," Wernstedt said, urging demonstrators to light a candle "for all those who spread light."
Wallenberg was sent as a special envoy to the capital of Nazi-controlled Hungary in 1944, and by early 1945, he had issued Swedish papers to thousands of Jews, allowing them to flee the country and likely death.
Several months before the war ended, the Soviets invaded Budapest and summoned the Swede to their headquarters on January 17, 1945. He was never seen again.
In 1957 Soviet authorities produced a document claiming that a prisoner by the name of Wallenberg had died a decade earlier, but researchers and his family reject this account.
Wallenberg's 93-year-old half-sister Nina Lagergren, who attended Saturday's memorial, told AFP previously: "It is possible to find the truth."
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