A Conspiracy of Indifference: The Raoul Wallenberg Story [Paperback]

Alan Gersten (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 13, 2001

This book describes how Raoul Wallenberg, a Hero of the Holocaust, could have been rescued or his whereabouts definitely determined except for the betrayal of Russia, Sweden and the United States.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews, was arrested by the Soviets in 1945 and has not been seen since. To try to determine his fate, freelance journalist Gersten has mined government documents on both sides of the Atlantic, conducted a plethora of interviews, and examined the records of eyewitnesses. The weakest part of the book is his coverage of the Holocaust. Statements such as "Josef Mengele... greeted each arrival at Auschwitz in polished boots" are intermixed with stories of the gas chambers that have no direct relevance to his narrative except to remind the reader that the Nazis were bad. The book is strongest when detailing the Cold War politics that allowed Wallenberg's case to languish for years. Gersten provides a number of possibilities regarding Wallenberg's ultimate fate, although without definitive proof everything he says is speculative. The author's use of contextual material is thin. His use of citation is also woefully inadequate. A researcher seeking to retrace his paper trail would be hard put to find the sources he cited in the thousands of feet of documentation housed in the National Archives, based on general references that read "Box 3, State Department Records, National Archives." A marginal purchase for public libraries and specialized collections. Frederic Krome, Jacob Rader Marcus Ctr. of the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Built-in conflict, mystery, intrigue, stealth, suffering, devotion to duty...reported the facts objectively." -- Jay Wright, journalism law professor and Syracuse University's 2001 Teacher of the Year

"Carefully researched book breaks new ground in attempting to resolve questions about Wallenberg's fate." -- Jennifer Brody, JUF News, Chicago, October 2001

"Must reading for the many who have fought and struggled to achieve justice for Raoul Wallenberg for over half a century." -- Hal Sacks, for Jewish Book World, winter issue, volume 19, #3

"Well-researched book...and the story an important one. Writing most interesting..." -- Susan Woodland, Hadassah Archives at the American Jewish Historical Society, AJL Newsletter, February-March 2002

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 362 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris (June 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738866024
• ISBN-13: 978-0738866024
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,956,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that keeps you thinking., November 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: A Conspiracy of Indifference: The Raoul Wallenberg Story (Paperback)

The title of this book is unfortunately an accurate description of Raoul Walllenberg's fate. Why wouldn't (or couldn't) the United States step in to save a man they later named an honorary citizen from the Russian prisons? Or for that matter, why did Sweden abandon a countryman of family stature the likes of a Rockefeller in the United States? This book is part biography, part mystery novel as to what may have happened to Raoul Wallenberg. Gersten explores in depth each possible angle beyond the well-known factors of his life, yet allows the reader to make up his own version of the truth behind his tragic disappearance. One can only wonder how many heroes there would be in the world if they were all treated this way. I did not know who Raoul Wallenberg was before I read this book, and now I will never forget him.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wallenberg book fills niche, September 26, 2001

By 

Alan Gersten (New York, N.Y.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Conspiracy of Indifference: The Raoul Wallenberg Story (Paperback)

Ronald J. Gold, a Chicago lawyer, said this about the book:

I found the book very interesting. Why did the Russians grab him (Wallenberg)? What was so special about him that they would go to such extremes to keep things secret? Did they kill him or did he just waste away?

The legal issues were interesting but basically showed that even well-respected lawyers allowed their vanity to get in the way of the objective. Did anyone ever honestly believe that you could successfully sue the Soviet Union in a federal court? The only reason they won initially was because Mother Russia had defaulted and the trial judge was compelled to rule in their favor.

I think the above shows, however, the value of a book like this. Although I had heard of Wallenberg and saw his name listed on the path of martyrs in Israel, the real issue is that he saved Jews. The book must have taken countless hours of research and the author should be proud of his effort.