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Raoul Wallenberg was allegedly thrown into a psychiatric ward in Russia when he came on a political visit, and held there till the end of his life. The incenti

Raoul Wallenberg was allegedly thrown into a psychiatric ward in Russia when he came on a political visit, and held there till the end of his life. The incentives may change by country, but it is pretty common to setup wards like prisons, for practical reasons. And that can be abused, as every form of power will eventually be.

rvba 6y ago
USSR had a long history of putting disidents in psychiatric wards. Those who dared to criticize communism ("the greatest system ever") would be labeled as crazy and locked in a hospital.
- buran77 6y ago
  Raoul Wallenberg wasn't what you'd call a dissident criticizing communism, and was mostly known for saving Jews from the Nazis by offering them Swedish protected passports. Officially he was arrested by the Russians for espionage in Budapest in 1945, during the war, with later reports suggesting he was actually involved in an espionage effort. He allegedly died in prison a few years later. There were claims that he was sighted in prisons and psychiatric hospitals as late as the '80s but if they're true then this certainly wasn't used as a cover, he was already claimed dead. The psychiatric ward angle doesn't really make sense in these circumstances, there's no need for a cover story when the official story already sounds like a cover, and even presumably legitimate.
stoolpigeon 6y ago
He was arrested in Hungary during the siege of Budapest. Everything after that is pure speculation. When he went to meet General Malinovsky he famously said he didn't know if he'd be a guest or a prisoner. I've never heard any of this about a psychiatric ward before and he was definitely not arrested in Russia on a visit.He was also an OSS asset - and there is a more than decent chance that the Russians knew it. I do not see any way this very special case with this very special man can be used to make a statement about broader issues to do with mental health. I walk by a memorial to him near Deák ter on a regular basis and think of him often.

rvba 6y ago

USSR had a long history of putting disidents in psychiatric wards. Those who dared to criticize communism ("the greatest system ever") would be labeled as crazy and locked in a hospital.

buran77 6y ago
Raoul Wallenberg wasn't what you'd call a dissident criticizing communism, and was mostly known for saving Jews from the Nazis by offering them Swedish protected passports. Officially he was arrested by the Russians for espionage in Budapest in 1945, during the war, with later reports suggesting he was actually involved in an espionage effort. He allegedly died in prison a few years later. There were claims that he was sighted in prisons and psychiatric hospitals as late as the '80s but if they're true then this certainly wasn't used as a cover, he was already claimed dead. The psychiatric ward angle doesn't really make sense in these circumstances, there's no need for a cover story when the official story already sounds like a cover, and even presumably legitimate.

stoolpigeon 6y ago

He was arrested in Hungary during the siege of Budapest. Everything after that is pure speculation. When he went to meet General Malinovsky he famously said he didn't know if he'd be a guest or a prisoner. I've never heard any of this about a psychiatric ward before and he was definitely not arrested in Russia on a visit.He was also an OSS asset - and there is a more than decent chance that the Russians knew it. I do not see any way this very special case with this very special man can be used to make a statement about broader issues to do with mental health. I walk by a memorial to him near Deák ter on a regular basis and think of him often.