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In 1945 a certain pause occurred in the persecution of Jews in Czechoslovakia. But everything started up again at the beginning of the 1950s [21]. But it was no longer called anti-Jewish persecution, but they were after Zionists [22]. What this meant in practice was that they once again began persecuting all the Jews in the country. Emigration to Israel was definitely discussed many times at home, but in the end my father felt himself to be a Slovak, and felt at home here. So that decided it. He also didn’t believe that something like what then came could happen.
There were two waves of emigration from those around us. My cousins moved to Israel in 1949, and other friends and relatives in 1968 [23]. Each one had a number of reasons to decide one way or the other. So I basically don’t judge who did what. Both my parents have since died, and are buried in Bratislava. Their funeral was at a crematorium, which is in absolute contravention of the Jewish religion. It was a civil funeral.
There were two waves of emigration from those around us. My cousins moved to Israel in 1949, and other friends and relatives in 1968 [23]. Each one had a number of reasons to decide one way or the other. So I basically don’t judge who did what. Both my parents have since died, and are buried in Bratislava. Their funeral was at a crematorium, which is in absolute contravention of the Jewish religion. It was a civil funeral.
Location
Slovakia
Interview
Tibor Engel