ABSTRACT
Ivar Kreuger earned the nickname, “Savior of Europe” by lending European governments nearly $400 million after World War I to rebuild their shattered economies. Greece used its $5 million loan to repatriate refugees from Turkey and Macedonia. Latvia and Estonia used Kreuger’s money to build railroads and purchase seed grain. Poland was able to aid flood victims. Kreuger’s $75 million loan to France helped stabilize the country’s currency. A grateful French Parliament awarded Kreuger the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, the country’s highest civilian medal. During the late 1920s, Kreuger was even mentioned as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.
