Morris County, Parsippany honor Raoul Wallenberg on 80th anniversary of his disappearance
PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS, N.J. (Morris County) — Morris County Commissioner John Krickus joined Mayor James Barberio, local clergy, and representatives from the Jewish and Swedish American communities on Sunday at Smith Field Park to honor the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.
The annual ceremony, titled “Courage and Compassion: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg,” marked the 80th anniversary of Wallenberg’s mysterious disappearance in 1945, as World War II was ending and the Soviet military was occupying Hungary.
Held beside a sculpture erected in Wallenberg’s honor, the event was co-sponsored by Adath Shalom Synagogue, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, the Parsippany Interfaith Council, and the Morris County Human Relations Commission.
Commissioner Krickus presented a Resolution of Honor from the Morris County Board of County Commissioners to Meyer Rosenthal, chair of the Adath Shalom Holocaust Education Committee. The resolution recognized Wallenberg’s extraordinary heroism and reaffirmed the county’s commitment to combat antisemitism.
“Our county Sheriff Jim Gannon has worked tirelessly with local police to ensure that we can live our lives freely, that our children can attend school, and that residents of all faiths can worship safely in our communities,” said Krickus, acknowledging the presence and efforts of Sheriff Gannon, who also attended the event.
Mayor Barberio presented a proclamation recognizing the milestone anniversary, stating, “This is more than a day of remembrance; it is a powerful reminder that we must stand up against antisemitism, hatred and intolerance. One person with integrity and courage can make a difference, even in the darkest times.”
Wallenberg, born in Stockholm on Aug. 4, 1912, was recruited in 1944 by the U.S. War Refugee Board to aid Jews persecuted by the Nazis. Dispatched to Budapest by Sweden’s foreign ministry, Wallenberg issued thousands of Swedish “certificates of protection” to Hungarian Jews, shielding them from deportation to Nazi death camps.
Beyond documentation, Wallenberg established soup kitchens, nurseries, hospitals, and safe houses, and helped create the “International Ghetto” to protect Jewish lives.
By early 1945, his efforts are credited with saving more than 100,000 Jews and assisting 50,000 more in fleeing the country. Wallenberg was last seen in Soviet custody in 1945. Believing he was a U.S. spy, Russian forces reportedly imprisoned him, and his fate remains unknown.
In 1981, U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos—himself a Holocaust survivor saved by Wallenberg—sponsored legislation granting Wallenberg honorary U.S. citizenship, making him only the second person in history to receive the honor at the time.
Sunday’s ceremony also featured musical tributes, prayers, and reflections. Rabbi Moshe Rudin of Adath Shalom, along with the Morris County Human Relations Commission, awarded the 2025 Wallenberg Scholarships to Gabriella Albano of Parsippany Hills High School and Emma Gonzalez of Parsippany High School.
The remembrance concluded with the placement of eleven white roses at the base of the Wallenberg sculpture—each representing one million lives lost during the Holocaust.
Wallenberg’s legacy, organizers said, continues to inspire global humanitarian efforts and serves as a testament to the difference one individual can make in the face of evil.
