New English school to be named after WWII hero who saved 100,000 Jews

Visitors watch a photo exhibition of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg during the opening day, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, Sweden, Dec. 20, 2011.

MONTREAL—It's a new name for an old school. The former Wagar High School in Cote-St-Luc will be reopened and named for Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving the lives of 100,000 Jews during World War Two.

If at least 60 students enroll, the school doors will open in Sept. 2014.

He's 86, but Thomas Strasser has no trouble remembering what life was like at 18.

“The hopelessness of the future,” recalled Strasser.

The war had broken out and he was a Jew living in Hungary, captured by the Nazi’s and forced into a camp.

“The worst part was the loss of my parents, my family, from whom I was separated and the fact that I was in a forced labour camp, which is like slavery,” said Strasser.

His saviour was Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved as many as 100,000 Hungarian Jews by issuing Swedish passports.

“Thanks to Mr. Wallenberg who saved my life. I wound up in the ghetto in Budapest where I was liberated by the Russian Army,” said Strasser.

Wallenberg was the first honorary of citizen of Canada. In October, he was made an honorary citizen of Montreal.

“The willingness to help at their own expense, they could have been murdered for what they did, they risked their lives to save the lives of others,” said Roselyn Blacker of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre.

And that's why his name was chosen for Montreal’s newest English school, it will now be Wallenberg Academy.

“I couldn't be happier, as far as I’m concerned it's the most appropriate name we could have selected,” said English Montreal School Board commissioner Syd Wise.

Wallenberg is recognized as a hero and Strasser believes the new academy has been given the perfect name.

“Unquestionably, he deserves more than that,” said Strasser.