Ingemar Eliasson
Former Swedish politician, economist, and governor Ingemar Eliasson will give Gustavus Adolphus College’s annual Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25 in Alumni Hall, located on the upper level of the O.J. Johnson Student Union.
The Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Lecture was established at Gustavus in 1983 and honors the heroism and legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, who helped lead efforts to save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary in 1944-45 during the later stages of World War II.
Ingemar enjoyed a long and honorable career in Swedish government, including most recently, a seven year stint (2003-2010) as Marshal of the Realm, the highest position in the Royal Court, where he reported directly to King Carl XVI Gustaf. He served as Governor for the province of Värmland from 1990 to 2002, was a member of parliament from 1982 to 1990, served as Minister of Labor and Energy in 1980, and was Undersecretary of State from 1976 to 1980.
In 2003, Ingemar chaired a Commission of Inquiry into Wallenberg’s disappearance and subsequent death. The Commission examined the role of Swedish Government in the aftermath of Wallenberg’s disappearance in 1945 and reported death in 1947 after he was detained by the Soviets.
Ingemar plans to summarize Wallenberg’s mission in Hungary, the background and content of his work, as well as explain why it is so important for us to remember him and what he stood for, on this, the 100th anniversary year of his birth. Ingemar will also discuss the findings from the Commission of Inquiry and explain why his disappearance quickly became a political problem for the Swedish government.
Thursday’s Wallenberg Lecture is sponsored by the Peace Studies Program at Gustavus and is free and open to the public. If you have questions about the lecture, contact Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the College’s Peace Studies Program Mimi Gerstbauer at 507-933-7421 or mgerstba@gustavus.edu.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510