Raoul Wallenberg was honored at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington DC for his efforts to save Jews from the Holocaust.
The ceremony was held with the presence of his nearest family. Nina Lagergren, Raoul Wallenberg’s half sister received the Gold Medal on his behalf. The initiative was taken by Congressman Gregory W. Meeks and Senators Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Mark Kirk, and Carl Levin.
In 1981 Wallenberg became the second person ever, after Winston Churchill, to be made an honorary citizen of the United States. To date, only seven people have been awarded this honor.
The description of the medal is the following: “The medal’s obverse (heads side) design, by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart, features a close-up portrait of Wallenberg with the inscriptions RAOUL WALLENBERG, ACT OF CONGRESS 2012, and HERO OF HEROES. The medal’s reverse (tails side) design is by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill. The design depicts Wallenberg’s view as he extends a Schutz-pass and a background view of those he could not reach being boarded on a train bound for a concentration camp. Inscriptions are HE LIVES ON FOREVER THROUGH THOSE HE SAVED around the upper border and ONEPERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE beneath the Schutz-pass”. The medal’s achievement is attributed to Ezra Friedlander efforts to have it realized.
A luncheon was held before the ceremony at the congress, organized by Ezra Friedlander Group and The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, which has worked faithfully for Raoul Wallenberg’s legacy since the 90’s. Eduardo Eurnekian, President of the IRWF, was honored for his great actions. Baruch Tenenbaum the founder of IRWF was also present.