At the end of the Second World War, thousands of prisoners in German concentration camps were rescued to the Scandinavian Countries. The White Buses are the best-known of the rescue operations. The memory of this effort became an important building block in the construction of a heroic national narrative. In relation to the outside world, the White Buses became a Swedish national symbol of a good society.
As research into Sweden’s role during the Second World War has gained increased interest, knowledge of the White Buses has also expanded. Our understanding of the rescue action has deepened, while also becoming more complex.
Program
Opening remarks
Veronika Wand-Danielsson, Ambassador of Sweden to Germany
Panel discussion
Dr. Andrea Genest, Head of Ravensbrück National Memorial
Ingrid Lomfors, Associate Professor, former Head of Living History Forum, Stockholm
Britta Geschwind, Research Coordinator, Swedish Holocaust Museum, Stockholm
Monica Hartwig Ericson, Second Generation Survivor
Moderation: Katarina Szécsi Åsbrink, Swedish Embassy Berlin
Reception
Framed by photos of K. W. Gullers from the exhibition »Focus on the Holocaust« 1945 (Nordiska Museet, Stockholm)
An joint event by the Swedish Embassy and the Ravensbrück National Memorial. In cooperation with the Swedish Holocaust Museum, National Historical Museums, and the Living History Forum.