Schutz-Pass Swedish Red Cross 1944 Valdemar Langlet

The protective pass (Védlevél or Schutzbrief) issued for Gábor Vadas, dated November 4, 1944, is a priceless historical original document from the darkest period of World War II in Hungary.

Valdemar Langlet was the head of the Swedish Red Cross in Budapest and the pioneer of this specific protective document initiative. He and his wife, Nina, issued these papers to thousands of persecuted individuals, starting before the more famous Raoul Wallenberg arrived.
The title “Főmegbízott” (Main Commissioner) beneath the signature on the document corresponds directly to Langlet’s position as the Chief Operations Officer in Budapest for the Swedish Red Cross.
By November 1944, the Arrow Cross (Hungarian Nazi party) had seized power, and persecution was at its peak. A document signed by Langlet was a literal lifeline, declaring that Gábor Vadas was under the protection of the Swedish Red Cross and the Royal Swedish Legation, thereby shielding him from deportation and murder.
Format 29x21cm
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Because these documents were printed under emergency conditions and distributed in relatively small numbers, authentic originals are very rare today. Many were destroyed, confiscated, or lost during the chaos of late 1944 and early 1945. The surviving ones are now mostly in archives, museums, or private collections of Holocaust-era material.

In the collectors’ market, genuine Schutz-Passes (Schutz-Letters) – especially those linked to Langlet, Wallenberg, Carl Lutz, or the Swedish and Swiss legation are highly sought after.

Original Hungarian Text
A SVÉD VÖRÖSKERESZT MAGYARORSZÁGI FŐMEG BIZOTTSÁG BUDAPEST, 62 SVENSKA RÖDA KORSET SVÉD VÖRÖSKERESZT Budapest, 1944. november 4. VÉDLEVÉL A SVÉD KIRÁLYI KÖVETSÉG mellett működő SVÉD VÖRÖSKERESZT hivatalosan igazol- ja, hogy . . . Vadas Gábor . . . személyhez svéd érdekek fűződnek. Felhívjuk a hatóságok figyelmét arra, hogy fenti személy ennélfogva oltalmunk alatt áll. Név: Vadas Gábor Születési hely, stb.: Budapest, 1924. Termete: 175 cm. Haja: szőkés Szeme: zöld Anyja neve: Soltész Magda Főmegbízott. SVENSKA RÖDA KORSET SVÉD VÖRÖSKERESZT

English Translation
THE SWEDISH RED CROSS HUNGARIAN MAIN COMMISSION BUDAPEST, 62 [Circular stamp: THE SWEDISH RED CROSS] Budapest, November 4, 1944. PROTECTIVE DOCUMENT The SWEDISH RED CROSS, operating alongside the ROYAL SWEDISH LEGATION, officially certifies that . . . Gábor Vadas . . . is a person to whom Swedish interests are attached. We call the attention of the authorities to the fact that the above-mentioned person is therefore under our protection. Name: Gábor Vadas Place of birth, etc.: Budapest, 1924. Height: 175 cm. Hair: blondish Eyes: green Mother’s name: Magda Soltész Main Commissioner. [Circular stamp: THE SWEDISH RED CROSS]

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