[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 78 (Tuesday, June 16, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1134-E1135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                HONORING THE MEMORY OF RAOUL WALLENBERG

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 16, 1998

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, June 14, the Committee 
to Honor Raoul Wallenberg in Parsippany, New Jersey will gather to 
dedicate a sculpture in honor of the Swedish Diplomat. The statue is 
located in Smith Field Park, and will serve as a daily reminder to all 
of the legacy of the ``Angel of Budapest.''
  The statue by artist Edward Adams, titled ``Courage and Compassion,'' 
is a monument to the life and work of Rodney Wallenberg, a Righteous 
Gentile whose courage and selfless action saved the lives of over 
100,000 Hungarian Jews during World War II.
  I was honored to be a part of this project since its start, and to be 
able to help make this statue a reality. I want to commend the hard 
work and dedication of Murray Laulicht, the President of the United 
Jewish Federation of Metro West. He first wrote me three years ago, 
inviting me to participate in this important effort. He and many others 
gave generously of their time and their efforts to complete this 
memorial. I also want to commend Harry Ettlinger, the co-chairman of 
the Committee, for his work in putting the ceremony together.
  Raoul Wallenberg was a man of rare courage and selflessness who 
recognized the outrage, injustice and evil acts being waged on Jewish 
people living in Nazi-dominated areas of Europe. He risked his life to 
save the lives of strangers. His actions during the waning days of 
World War II, in the face of a Nazi Party that was growing ever more 
desperate and brutal, make him an example for us and for future 
generations.
  Raoul Wallenberg's ingenuity and creativity was the key to his 
success in saving over 100,000 Hungarian Jews. His tactics ranged from 
the traditional (building 30 ``Swedish houses'' which served as a safe 
haven for Jewish families) to the illegal (using bribes, threats and 
extortion to provide passes to Jews in the ghettos, on the death march 
and on the trains to concentration camps).
  In an age where courage is often a forgotten virtue, Raoul Wallenberg 
is a model for all of us. When faced with adversity, he responded 
nobly. When called to help his fellow man, he gave willingly of his 
time. We all benefit from the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg. We can all 
learn from his example of courage, strength and righteousness.

[[Page E1135]]

  It is my hope that the statue will serve as a daily reminder that, in 
a world where evil exists, there are among us the good and the just 
fighting for all our salvation and freedom.

                          ____________________