Naples man leads effort to honor late Swedish diplomat

Stockholm sculpture pays tribute to Raoul Wallenberg, whose bravery amid the Holocaust spared thousands of lives

NAPLES, Fla. — It’s been more than three decades since Naples businessman Abe Asli, 78, a Persian Europhile who speaks six languages and holds dual U.S.-Swedish citizenship, left his beloved adopted country to give his children the opportunity to live and study in the United States.

As the years passed, Asli’s love for Sweden never wavered. Nor did his abundant admiration for Raoul Wallenberg, whose heroism in the face of the horrors of the Holocaust inspired Asli to commission a bust of the late Swedish diplomat at his own expense.

Abe Asli

In late May, what grew into a decadelong effort culminated with the unveiling of Stockholm’s first Wallenberg statue at a prominent waterfront spot in Stockholm.

Until recently, the bust remained in Asli’s East Naples office for nearly 10 years, he said, as he navigated from afar the Byzantine twists of municipal bureaucracy in Sweden’s capital and largest city.

“I talked to him every day,” said Asli, whose trim physique hints at his years as a competitive wrestler and coach. Having won the Czech national championship while pursuing a master’s degree in physical education in Prague, he moved to Sweden after his studies to work as an elite wrestling coach.

“I told him, ‘Don’t be sad, my friend, I’ll get you in a good place. I will never give up before I get you home.’”

Frustrated at times, he remained undeterred, enlisting support from officials not only in Sweden but also United States and Israeli diplomats.

The bust is located near the site where Wallenberg (representing a neutral country in the war) was commissioned to lead a rescue operation in Budapest, Hungary, where the U.S.-educated businessman had contacts.

Sheltering both Jewish refugees and other victims of political persecution in a series of safe houses, Wallenberg was last seen in January 1945, when he left the city to meet a Soviet commander and never returned. He is believed to have died in a Soviet prison two years later.

“He fought against injustice, and brutality – political brutality,” Asli said. “And they killed him.

“In many, many countries, people are sitting in prison for having conversations like this,” Asli added, describing the contemporary relevance of Wallenberg’s legacy and his own efforts to keep history alive.

“That is why we need to remember. Wallenberg is not finished. The injustice and brutality continue. Maybe far from our eyes, but it is happening. So, we must keep fighting for democracy, for justice, for children’s rights, for human rights.”

Jeffrey Feld, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, hailed Asli’s persistence, determination and commitment to create a modern memorial to a 20th-century humanitarian.

“Abe’s efforts to honor Raoul Wallenberg in the country both men called home are truly inspirational,” Feld said. “He is a shining example of the selfless sacrifice for the greater good that guided Wallenberg’s own bravery and commitment to the best humanity has to offer.”

Wallenberg’s rescue mission is already commemorated elsewhere in Sweden as well as here in the U.S.

In Stockholm, there’s a monument near the Baltic Sea waterfront, with a dozen elongated bronze figures framed by a bronze replica of Wallenberg’s signature — a commemoration of the many lifesaving Swedish passports which bore his name.

In his hometown on the outskirts of Stockholm, a bronze briefcase engraved with Wallenberg’s initials depicts the nondescript accessory in which he carried those prized passports. Similar sculptures are on display at the Holocaust Museum in Washington and outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Olle Wastberg, a former Swedish member of Parliament and consul-general in New York, collaborated closely with Asli on the project. He called the role of the Swedish-American — a self-described Persian who is born in what is now Iran — pivotal in the statue finding a new home.

Among those in attendance at the bust’s unveiling was Kate Wacz, who as a child was rescued by Wallenberg; Israeli Ambassador to Sweden Ziv Nevo Kulman; Adrien Muller, Hungary ambassador to Sweden; and members of the Wallenberg family.

“Whether in Europe, the U.S. or across the world, intolerance and hate are at levels not seen in generations,” Wastberg said. “We need more people like Abe Asli committed to shining a powerful beacon on the forces of peace, goodwill and humanitarian values.”

Asli is insistent that he deserves no special credit for the Stockholm project. He defers credit to his colleagues while emphasizing that Wallenberg, nearly 80 years after his death, is to be not just admired but to also serve as an example of real change.

“Raoul Wallenberg is a movement,” he said, “a movement of equality and human rights. We must learn from his example and be in solidarity with one another.”