Congress honors Wallenberg

Nina Lagergren accepted a Congressional Gold Medal July 9 on behalf of her late half brother Raoul Wallenberg in a special ceremony at the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. Heading…

Nina Lagergren accepted a Congressional Gold Medal July 9 on behalf of her late half brother Raoul Wallenberg in a special ceremony at the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C.

Heading the group of dignitaries present was Speaker of the House John Boehner, who personally presented the medal.

Obverse of the Wallenberg bronze medal

Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat in Budapest Hungary in 1944-1945. Through his efforts over 100,000 Hungarian Jews were saved from the Holocaust.

The medal’s obverse was designed by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart. It shows a portrait of Wallenberg.

On the reverse by 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, the Mint description said.

Reverse of the Wallenberg bronze medal

Inscriptions are HE LIVES ON FOREVER THROUGH THOSE HE SAVED around the upper border and ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE beneath the Schutz-pass.

Duplicate medals in bronze may be purchased from the U.S. Mint. The three-inch diameter medal is $39.95 and the 1.5-inch medal is $6.95.

Visit www.usmint.gov to order.

NMNAuthor