Per Anger

Anger was born on 7 December 1913 in Gothenburg, Sweden, the son of gatudirektören David Anger and his wife Elsa Berglund.{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/vemarvem/sthlm62/0077.html |editor1-last=Harnesk |editor1-first=Paul |date=1962 |title=Vem är vem? |volume=1, Stor-Stockholm |trans-title=Who's Who? |edition=2nd |location=Stockholm |publisher=Vem är vem bokförlag |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|53509}} |page=53}} Anger studied law at Stockholm University and later at Uppsala University. After graduating in November 1939, he was drafted into the Army. Soon afterwards, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs offered him a trainee position at the Swedish legation in Berlin, which he began in January 1940.

Anger was assigned to the trade department, but after the legation received information about an impending Nazi attack on Norway and Denmark, he became involved in relaying intelligence to Stockholm. In June 1941, he returned to Stockholm, where he worked on trade relations between Sweden and Hungary. In November 1942, he was sent to Budapest as Second Secretary at the Swedish legation.Per Anger. Swedish diplomat who, along with Raoul Wallenberg, saved thousands of Jews from Nazi death camps (The Guardian, 29 August 2002)

After Germany invaded Hungary on 19 March 1944, Anger became involved in efforts to aid Hungarian Jews. Anger originated the idea of issuing Swedish provisional passports and special certificates to protect Jews from internment and deportation. Seven hundred of these documents were issued initially. Although the legality of the documents was doubtful, the Hungarian government agreed to recognize their bearers as Swedish citizens. On 9 July, Raoul Wallenberg arrived in Budapest.[http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/?en/saviors/diplomats/list/per-anger.817.htm " Per Anger Secretary of the Swedish Legation in Budapest, Hungary, 1944-45"], The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation He immediately extended Anger's initiative, introducing colorful protective passes (Schutzpasse) and creating "safe houses" throughout the city. Anger and Wallenberg worked together, often literally snatching people from transports and death marches. After the Soviets invaded in January 1945, both Anger and Wallenberg were taken into custody. Anger was released three months later, but Wallenberg never emerged again, becoming one of the 20th century's most famous missing persons.Per Anger, Co-saviour with Raoul Wallenberg of Hungarian Jews (Independent.co.uk. August 30, 2002)

After the war, Anger served in numerous diplomatic posts in Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Austria and the United States. He later became head of Sweden's international aid program and served as ambassador to Australia, Canada and the Bahamas. Throughout his post-war career, Anger led efforts to learn what happened to Wallenberg, even meeting personally with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s. In 2000, the Russian government finally acknowledged that Wallenberg and his driver died in Soviet custody in 1947, although the exact circumstances of their deaths remain unclear.

In 1943, Anger married Elena Wikström (born 1920), the daughter of ryttmästare Nils Wikström and Corinna Autenrieth. They had three children: Birgitta (born 1944), Jan (born 1946), and Peter (born 1955).

Anger died in Stockholm after suffering a stroke.{{cite news |title=Per Anger, 88, a Diplomat Who Helped Jews, Is Dead |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 29, 2002}}

• 50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Illis quorum, 8th size (2002){{cite book |url=https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/61bab671f59a46af81cb11ee99e0d0eb/regeringens-beloningsmedaljer-och-regeringens-utmarkelse-professors-namn |title=Regeringens belöningsmedaljer och regeringens utmärkelse Professors namn |series=SB PM, 99-0433409-9 ; 2006:1 |year=2006 |publisher=Statsrådsberedningen, Regeringskansliet |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{LIBRIS|10400721}} |page=19}}
• 50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Knight of the Order of the Polar Star
• 50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Knight of the Order of Vasa
• 50px {{flagicon|Egypt}} 4th Class of the Order of the Nile
• 50px {{flagicon|Finland}} Knight 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
• 50px {{flagicon|France}} Officer of the Legion of Honour
• 50px {{flagicon|Netherlands}} Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau
• 50px {{flagicon|Iran}} Commander of the Order of the Crown
• 50px {{flagicon|Austria}} Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria (1958){{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXIV/AB/10542/imfname_251156.pdf |publisher=Austrian Parliament |title=Anfragebeantwortung |trans-title=Response to inquiries |id=10542/AB XXIV. GP |page=52 |date=23 April 2012 |access-date=5 September 2024 |language=de}}

{{Righteous Among the Nations}}

In 1982, Anger was recognized by Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous Among the Nations[http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/righteous/anger.asp Per Anger] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722043451/http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/righteous/anger.asp |date=2015-07-22 }} - his activity to save Jews' lives during the Holocaust, at Yad Vashem website and in 1995 he was honored with the Hungarian Republic's Order of Merit.

In 1995, Anger was awarded the Wallenberg Medal by the University of Michigan in recognition of his extraordinary courage and humanitarian commitment.

In 2000, he was awarded honorary Israeli citizenship. In 2001, the American Swedish Historical Museum presented him with the Spirit of Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Award.

In April, 2002 Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson awarded Anger the Illis quorum Meruere Labores (For Those Whose Labors Have Deserved It) for his actions during and after the war. This is the highest award that can be conferred upon an individual Swedish citizen by the Government of Sweden.

The Per Anger Prize was instituted by the Swedish Government to honor the memory of ambassador Per Anger and is awarded for humanitarian work and initiatives in the name of democracy. The prize is awarded to individuals or groups who have distinguished themselves either in the past or in more recent times.Forum För Levande Historia http://www.levandehistoria.se/projekt/peranger/english/about The Prize is administered and awarded by the Forum for Living History.

{{Portal|Sweden|Politics}}

• Raoul Wallenberg

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{{More citations needed|date=June 2007}}

• {{cite book

|last=Skoglund

|first=Elizabeth

|title=A quiet courage: Per Anger, Wallenberg's co-liberator of Hungarian Jews

|year=1997

|publisher=Baker Books

|location=Grand Rapids, Mich.

|isbn=0801011256

|id={{SELIBR|5667817}}

}}

• [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/anger.html Jewish Virtual Library]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110607234717/http://www.zenit.org/article-11146?l=english Per Anger award]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120105151744/http://budapestvacationservice.com/holocaust_heroes_budapest.html Per Anger - Holocaust Heroes Budapest]

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{{Succession box |title={{no wrap| Consul-general of Sweden to San Francisco}} |before=Manne Lindholm |years=1961–1966 |after=Carl Henrik Petersén}}

{{Succession box |title=Ambassador of Sweden to Australia |before=Gösta af Petersens |years=1970–1975 |after=Per Lind}}

{{Succession box |title=Ambassador of Sweden to Canada |before=Åke Malmaeus |years=1976–1979 |after=Kaj Björk}}

{{Succession box |title=Ambassador of Sweden to The Bahamas |before=None |years=1976–1979 |after=Kaj Björk}}

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Category:1913 births

Category:2002 deaths

Category:Swedish Righteous Among the Nations

Category:Swedish people of World War II

Category:Raoul Wallenberg

Category:Per Anger Prize

Category:Foreign nationals imprisoned in the Soviet Union

Category:Swedish people imprisoned abroad

Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary

Category:Consuls-general for Sweden

Category:Ambassadors of Sweden to Australia

Category:Ambassadors of Sweden to Canada

Category:Ambassadors of Sweden to the Bahamas

Category:Recipients of the Illis quorum

Category:Diplomats from Gothenburg