Director-General Møller,
Ambassador Stevens,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
We commemorate today the victims of the Holocaust. Yet, we stand here as well to remember heroes.
Through the exhibition “Beyond Duty”, we pay tribute to 36 diplomats from 22 countries – who went beyond their duties so that Humanity prevails. 36 remarkable individuals who risked their own lives to save Jewish men, women, children. Civil servants who disobeyed their Government’s policies and orders, and chose Life above all.
For their courage, the State of Israel decided to award them the title of “Righteous among the Nations”.
Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Memorial Centre, was established in 1953 by a special law signed by the President of Israel to perpetuate the memory of the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. One of Yad Vashem’s principal duties is to convey the gratitude of the State of Israel and the Jewish people to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. This mission was defined in the Law and in 1963 the Remembrance Authority embarked upon a worldwide project to grant the title of Righteous Among the Nations to the few who helped Jews in the darkest time in their history. To this end, Yad Vashem set up a public Commission, headed by a Supreme Court Justice, which examines each case and is responsible for granting the title.
Struggling with the enormity of the loss and grappling with the impact of the total abandonment and betrayal of Europe’s Jews, the State of Israel remembered the rescuers, so that future generations would know who to learn from.
In a world where violence, more often than not, only breeds more violence, this is a unique and remarkable phenomenon. It probably stems from the notion that if one was to build a future in a world where Auschwitz had become a real possibility, it was essential to emphasize that Man was also capable of defending and maintaining human values.
In Hebrew, the word “Yad” means “Memorial” and the word “Shem” means “a name”. While the Nazis wanted to exterminate every expression of Jewish life, including by burning the bodies of their victims, we remember today the 6 million individuals who were murdered. 6 million Jews who perishes without having a grave, until their names were engraved at the Yad Vashem memorial, where they will forever be remembered.
The title of Righteous among the Nation is the highest civilian honour bestowed by the State of Israel, and as of today, close to 27’000 people have been recognized as such. Their courage, their moral, their actions should serve us all of example.
Dear colleagues,
Per Anger, one of the Swedish Righteous honoured in this exhibition, said: “So what can we do? They were queuing up outside the embassies, pleading for help. What could we do? There was nothing in our books of instructions telling us how we could save people of other nationalities.” Anger and his team then decided to supply thousands of Jews with Swedish passports so that they could flee.
When someone acts beyond its duty, it means that his or her actions are motivated by something more important: Morality.
As diplomats and official representatives of our countries, we are to follow the instructions from Capital. We stick to the official language and policies decided by our governments, to protect, honour and defend our respective countries and populations.
But in the darkest situations, something should always come above these prerogatives. Human Life. Human Dignity.
A Jewish saying states, “Whosoever saves a single life, saves an entire universe”. That same message is engraved on the medal awarded to each Righteous.
This is the message those diplomats, those Righteous teach us!
They should be our moral compass!