… As in his dissertation, Levine bases his research on documents from the Swedish Foreign Ministry. He stresses the importance of traditional diplomatic negotiations for the rescue of the persecuted Jews, the decisive role of the general political developments in Budapest, and, above all, the imminent end of the war. He explains how the Swedish diplomats in Budapest 1944–45 depended on decisions made by their superiors in Stockholm and highlights the role of Gösta Engzell, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Legal Division during the war. Levine furthermore wishes to draw attention to other, less known rescuers.
Despite all this, he also underscores that personal qualities and actions not approved by, or typical of, diplomatic protocol played a significant role in the Swedish Legation’s successful efforts to protect around 120 000 Budapest Jews. -> More