Raoul Wallenbergs torg — Attraction in Stockholm

A sultupture over looking the harbour area to celebrate Raoul Wallenberg's life. A sign in Swedish and English tells the history and significance of the sultupture.

To Raoul Wallenberg Swedish diplomat in Budapest. As a fighter for human rights, Raoul Wallenberg (1912 - ?) was one of the 20th Century's true heroes.

Of the 750,000 jews living in hungary in 1944, 120,000 survived thanks to the actions of Raoul Wallenberg and others. His weapons were self confidence, imagination and faith in the justice of his cause; his only protection was a diplomatic passport. He printed "Schutz-pässe" in the swedish colours of blue and yellow and hid tens of thousands jews in houses rented by him.

Evil thrives on the inaction others Raoul Wallenberg is an example of how an individual can overcome helplessness and oppression and act as a guide and role model for future generations. Through empathy and determination he served the forces of good.

Raoul Wallenberg's fate is too large to be expressed by conventional means. The signature of those "Schutz-pässe" reproduced here in shining bronze, was written in a space of a second that separated life from death. From that signature, Kirsten Ortwed's twelve figures spread out, nameless, disguised, in bundles and rags, tossed into mass graves, robbed of their identity.

Kirsten Ortwed has created a place for free movement that resists tyranny. She is searching ways to escape from imprisonment, down to the waters of Nybroviken and the sunrise beyond. Her figures serve as moulds for our own feelings: despair, fear, empowering anger and creative action; they tear themselves out from a heavy mass in the will to fight racism and indifference, they also conceal something gentle and tranquil: a place to rest, a passageway among many others. We are on the same everyday level where Raoul Wallenberg lived. Here, there are no set answers, no overview - rather a dialogue about the meaning of existence that must not cease.

Per Wästberg Author Member of the...

Raoul Wallenberg Square in Stockholm is an extraordinary place that breathes the spirit of history while being the vibrant heart of the city It is a tribute to a man a symbol of courage and dedication its central location makes it an ideal meeting point for residents and tourists alike The square is surrounded by prestigious cultural institutions which gives it a unique character and the memory of Wallenberg's heroic deeds is cherished here It's an open public space inviting reflection and contemplation in the very center of...

Torget är en mycket vacker plats. Koppling mellan park och vatten. Ett öppet rum mellan puls och lugn. Fint vald plats att hedra Raoul Wallenberg. Dock känns verket fortfarande helt obegripligt för mig att förstå. Informationstavlans text gör det inte lättare. Det sägs ju att bra konst skall beröra. Men man kan ju undra om konstnären och beställaren anser att alla häpna, axelryckande betraktare är ett värdigt sätt att visa aktning åt en av våra stora hjältar och...