Tibor Baranski, was the right man of the Papal Nunzio Angelo Rotta issuing tens of thousands baptismal certificates to Jews . He was executive director of the Protection of Jews movement. Rotta and Baranski worked in close cooperation with Raoul Wallenberg and the Swedish Red Cross. He received an award as « a righteous gentile » from the Israeli government.

Jean de Bavier And The « Red Cross“

The Red Cross was an international organisation and was expected to help. Since 1943 Jean de Bavier was delegator for the international „Red Cross“ in Budapest. The operational circumstances were quite positive but de Bavier´s hands were tied because of the instructions from Genf. In his statements and handlings he was to remain totally neutral. He was not allowed to make any political or religious statements. > More

Along with Wallenberg the most active person in the „Hungarian Rescue Mission“ was the Swiss Carl Lutz. On the 02.01.1942 he became head of the „Protection“ department in the Swiss Legation to Budapest. Here he represented the interests of twelve countries, who were also at war like Hungary. Carl Lutz was under very strict Swiss direction. It was not possible for him to take precedence against the deportation plans in May of 1944 > More

Citizenship For Jews

George Mandel-Mantello was born in Rumania, into a Jewish family. In 1939 he acquired citizenship in El Salvador. In Bucarest in 1942 following transactions in the diplomatic corp., he was appointed First Secretary of General Consulate for El Salvador. Without the governments knowledge Mandel-Mantello issued thousands of citizenship certificates on Jews from Holland, Belgium, France, Poland an Checoslovacia.

Help For Hungary´s Jews

In March 1944 Mandel-Mantello set up a committee to help Hungary´s Jews. By courier or with the post the citizenship certificates were brought into their country. Switzerland intervened and took over responsibility for El Salvador´s new citizens protection. Some time later Wallenberg took over this task. Carl Lutz assumed the majority of the 5.000 Jews unter Mandel-Mantello protection had survived the war.

A man whom the nazis expected to be a killer, was instead the savior of more thab 2000 Hungarian Jews in the waning of World War II.

Giorgio Perlasca In Budapest

Perlasca was a commercial traveller for an import-export-company. Following the cease fire in Italy in September 1943, he disappeared in Hungary´s underground as a hostile foreigner. In April 1944 he surrendered to the Hungarian authorities and was interned in Kékes. Despite the good conditions he escaped and succeeded in reaching Budapest in October. As former comrade in the „Spanisch Revolution“ he located the Spanish ambassador. Perlasca was wiling to provide for Spanish Protection houses and in return for this he received a diplomats pass.

Help For Hungary´s Jews

8.000 Jews were accommodated in eight Spanish protection houses. Sanz Briz, Spanisch ambassador in Hungary, left the country. Perlasca mirrored himself as Briz´s replacement. He took his inspiration from Wallenberg´s activities. Sometimes they both drove to train stations to save Jews. Approximately 5.000 lives were saved by Perlasca.

Perlascas Destiny Following Hungarian Liberation

In June 1945 Perlasca returned to Italy. He had lost all his fortunes. He remained unhounered and lived the rest of his live as a poor man. Forty years later he was recognised for his good work. Perlasca remained a modest man up to his death in August 1992.

« What magnificient things did I accomplish?

Above all, I told a great deals of lies.“

Rotta´s Protest Against Measures Taken Against Jews

Angelo Rotta was Papal Nuncio in Budapest. By March 1944 he had urgently requested the prime minister to make a statement. In the following months Rotta, under Vatican direction, protested against the merciless measures carried out on the Jews. On the 24th of April, Rotta got in contact with the special ambassador Arnóthy Jungerth and notified him: … „The Holy Father deeply regrets the occurrances. He recognizes that also Hungary, a land in which he has always been proud of, which belongs to the „Christian“ countries, has taken another direction, thus creating conflict with Evangelist teachings.“On the 15th of May the Hungarian government was presented with a very significant written protest. > More