Rescue & Escape – Passage To Sweden tells the lesser-known story of events occurring in Scandinavia and Budapest during WWII. It focuses on the heroic actions of ordinary people who saved the lives of thousands of Jews and fellow countrymen.
Between 1940-1945 the sheer luck of where you were living made a world of difference to the Jews of Scandinavia. For unique political and geographic reasons, the Scandinavian Jews of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark had very different experiences. During the German occupation, Jews were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Defying the occupying German forces, and protecting fellow citizens, spontaneous and dramatic rescue operations were conducted to save thousands of Jewish lives. Firsthand personal accounts also convey the extraordinary ways Swedish diplomats leveraged their political position to save Jews from within Hungary and Germany.
Special attention is paid to the Norwegian resistance, the citizens of Denmark, the Swedish Red Cross, Raoul Wallenberg, and Count Folke Bernadotte. Risking their own lives, their selfless acts of courage and compassion is a powerful example of how anyone can make a difference.