In summer 1944, the Swedish government choses affluent businessman Raoul Wallenberg for a difficult mission because of his contacts to Hungaria. With a diplomat’s pass the 32-year-old is ordered to travel to Budapest to save the Hungarian Jews from annihilation. Although politically not too interested, Wallenberg quickly understands the importance of his mission. During a stop on his train trip across Europe, policeman storm car drawing the shades. Peeking out his window, Wallenberg watches the bodies of Jewish prisoners being dumped from the cattle car of a freight train across the tracks. One is a little boy whose father leaps out to be with him and is shot to death clutching the dead child in his arms.
Once in Budapest Wallenberg fabricates phony documents and affidavits to turn as many Jews as possible into Swedish nationals. They are then brought to secure houses where they have to wait for their evacuation. Wallenberg turns into a master of authoritarian bluff. He can outshout any officer who might be suspicious of his rescue missions, and he is expert at tweaking bureaucratic paranoia to his advantage.
But his counterpart behind the scenes is no less than Adolf Eichmann who plans to deport as many of the 750.000 Hungarian Jews to the concentration camps. His “Sonderkommando”, special command, works eargerly on liquidating the Budapest ghetto with its 65.000 inhabitants. Wallenberg is powerless, but he does not give up.
For twenty Jews about to be deported under the guard of a Hungarian fascist, Wallenberg organizes a two day refuge in a house in the center of Budapest for two cold days and nights. With all means he tries to save the lives. Johan Moser, member of the Hungarian fascists, is his cold-blooded, murderous counter-part.
Among the captives is Marja, a Jewish woman of silent humility and defiant courage to face life. Between her and Wallenberg, a loving but stressed relationship develops. The situation becomes increasingly dangerous and hopeless. Eichmann’s “Sonderkommando” is no loonger willing to make any concessions. Wallenberg’s endeavors are further aggravated when Eichmann holds an inspection in Budapest and Hungarian fascists increase their terror because the Red Army appraoches relentlessly.
Although informed that his usefulness is over and that his death has been ordered, Wallenberg refuses to leave the city, and in one brilliant final bluff, he tries to save the ghetto by confronting the general who will be responsible. It is a race against time. The Soviet Army has surrounded Budapest. And Adolph Eichmann, the region's top Nazi, and his adjutant have left the city.