Raoul Wallenberg: A Life of Tragic Heroism

Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews from certain death during the last months of the Holocaust. He was detained by the Russian military at the end of the war and most likely murdered by Soviet authorities while in their prison system.

Wallenberg’s life was one of tragic heroism. Although he knew that his humanitarian mission was filled with peril, it was a choice that he willingly embraced. Besides saving defenseless Jews from deportation to the gas chambers or death marches, he was vigorously planning the reconstruction of Hungary as a humane and democratic state once the hostilities had ended.

Although we do not live in Nazi-occupied Europe, we can still choose to actively affirm life and justice. When we see prejudice and petty cruelty, we can speak up and get involved. The arts can help us to explore the power and promise of human empathy.

A creative approach to the life and deeds of Raoul Wallenberg fits the man. He was a graduate of the prestigious University of Michigan School of Architecture and a gifted painter and draftsman.

This program features award-winning fine art prints and videos by Bob Barancik. He uses his artwork to elicit creative responses from participants. It is an experiential process of actively listening to each other and being open to unexpected insights. It is not about lofty ideals but about dialogue with other imperfect human beings.

Both the media presentation and the workshop can be structured into appropriate learning modules for different audiences and attention spans. Workshops generally run from one to three hours and are suitable for both young people and adults.

The Warsaw Ghetto: Resisting Evil At all Costs

In the spring of 1943, a handful of starved and abandoned Jews held off the assault of the Nazi war machine for twenty-seven days. They did it with a few hundred rifles, pistols, and gasoline bombs. They chose to die fighting rather than be deported to certain death in German gas chambers.

Will Americans have the strength to actively fight a war against terrorism that may not be able to be won in a single generation? This program explores the very real and difficult questions through the lens of a relevant historical event.

This program features award-winning fine art prints and videos by Bob Barancik. He uses his artwork to elicit creative responses from participants. It is an experiential process of actively listening to each other and being open to unexpected insights. It is not about lofty ideals but about dialogue with other imperfect human beings.

Both the media presentation and the workshop can be structured into appropriate learning modules for different audiences and attention spans. Workshops generally run from one to three hours and are suitable for both young people and adults.