JUDIT HORVÁTH-LINDBERG (STOCKHOLM)
Retired social worker, civil activist
Judit Horváth-Lindberg is a descendant of the Holtzer family from Szeged, known for their charity, and she consciously continues the humanistic tradition of this family heritage in her life. She was born in Budapest in 1943, into a family that was directly affected by the persecution and losses of the Holocaust. She has lived in Sweden since 1971, where she has dedicated her work to helping the downtrodden, the elderly, the sick, refugees and other people in need. She studied psychology, social anthropology and film sociology, and then worked in various fields of assistance. She wrote about refugees, coordinated social projects, held therapeutic training courses and developed a senior care program, paying special attention to the situation of women over 65. She also established an information center for the elderly with her colleagues. Her activities were recognized in Sweden with the Woman of the Year award.
An activist of the Raoul Wallenberg Academy and an ambassador of the Young Courage Award. One of the founders and vice-presidents of the Raoul Wallenberg House of Humanity Association; thanks to her contribution, the KOCKA project, which promotes the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, has reached many institutions in Hungary. In 2023, she established the Holtzer–Horváth–Lindberg Foundation in Szeged, which supports the exploration, documentation and educational presentation of the local history of Jewish and non-Jewish coexistence, and also provides scholarships to students working on minority rights.
Her activities connect three cities and two countries: in Budapest she represents the cause of human rights and civil courage, in Szeged she supports the exploration of local Jewish heritage, and in Stockholm she has been working in helping professions for decades.
For me, the most important thing in my job is – the candidate wrote
If someone is born on October 15, 1943, and a year later, on October 15, 1944, the "angel of peace" arrives, and then a few hours later the world goes dark, their life is both a gift and a responsibility.
I felt this when I was six years old, when I was the only one who asked to study Judaism. This happened in 1949, when my father could have lost his job for it, but he still said: "If Judit wants to study Judaism, let her study."
Our family was not particularly religious, but we never denied our Jewish identity. In my writings, I dealt with the Holocaust, the story of escape, and my family from a young age. I received a defining legacy: From my mother, I learned that "there are good people and bad people" in every nation, and that our humanity is more important than any differences.
I have tried to follow this my whole life, whether I was working in film production in Hungary or helping refugees in Sweden. The past is not only a memory for me, but also a guide. I learned from my grandparents that anyone who has the opportunity has a duty to help others and give something back to the community.
I want to pass on this legacy. That is why some of my colleagues and I founded the Raoul Wallenberg House of Humanity Association and the Holtzer-Horváth-Lindberg Foundation. Our goal is for the next generation to not only learn about the history of the Holocaust, but also learn how to prevent the resurgence of hatred through reflection, responsibility, and civic courage.