Selected text
Eugen Urban was the oldest of the siblings. His wife was named Janka, informally Jeany. They had a son, Robert. They lived in Bratislava. Uncle Eugen was the owner of Kohlengrüben Urban. The company offices were on what is today Hviezdoslav Square in Bratislava, across from the American embassy. The lived in an apartment house in Na Palisadoch St. They owned two whole buildings there. They also owned a villa in Na Cervenovej St. Currently that villa is home to ether the Austrian or Italian Embassy. He also owned a villa on a large piece of property across from Slavin. My uncle's buyer, Dr. Banhegyi, rented it from him. Later they built a Jewish hospital on part of the property. He donated the property, where it was later built. Besides this, he also owned properties that were on what were back then the outskirts of Bratislava. Recently there was a large central market there. In the past there was a coal railway station there. They used to transport coal there from mines in Austria, and it was then further distributed and sold.
Uncle Eugen was what today we could call a workaholic. He wore terribly thick glasses and worked from morning till night. It was a large company, with many employees. All of my uncle's employees were Jews. His office buildings and staff were in Februarka [February Victory Street]. The buildings are still there. His two chauffeurs lived there too; they drove his cars, which were parked in garages there.
My uncle's wife, Aunt Jeany, was born in Zlate Moravce. I remember one comical incident that happened in the family. During the beginnings of World War II, the entire family used to get together for lunch at my parents' place. My father's sister Jozefina [Jozka] Deutschova would cook for us. When the weather was good, we'd eat out in the garden. First the kids would eat, then the men, and finally the women. Jeany was a vegetarian. My father [Alexander Urban] yelled at her: "Jeany, come eat already, or your lunch will wilt!"
Jeany used to go picking herbs with her son Robert. She'd then dry and monnkey around with them. This family couldn't stand physical work, couldn't handle it, to be more precise. They weren't capable of physical work. Without his glasses, my uncle was completely blind. Robert was the same. I was there when he got a slap and his glasses flew off. He really couldn't see a thing without them! During the war, they were hiding out in Piestany. They caught and deported them. Probably to Auschwitz, or Lublin. Only Robert survived the Holocaust. They nationalized all their property [1]. So nothing was left of it.
Uncle Eugen was what today we could call a workaholic. He wore terribly thick glasses and worked from morning till night. It was a large company, with many employees. All of my uncle's employees were Jews. His office buildings and staff were in Februarka [February Victory Street]. The buildings are still there. His two chauffeurs lived there too; they drove his cars, which were parked in garages there.
My uncle's wife, Aunt Jeany, was born in Zlate Moravce. I remember one comical incident that happened in the family. During the beginnings of World War II, the entire family used to get together for lunch at my parents' place. My father's sister Jozefina [Jozka] Deutschova would cook for us. When the weather was good, we'd eat out in the garden. First the kids would eat, then the men, and finally the women. Jeany was a vegetarian. My father [Alexander Urban] yelled at her: "Jeany, come eat already, or your lunch will wilt!"
Jeany used to go picking herbs with her son Robert. She'd then dry and monnkey around with them. This family couldn't stand physical work, couldn't handle it, to be more precise. They weren't capable of physical work. Without his glasses, my uncle was completely blind. Robert was the same. I was there when he got a slap and his glasses flew off. He really couldn't see a thing without them! During the war, they were hiding out in Piestany. They caught and deported them. Probably to Auschwitz, or Lublin. Only Robert survived the Holocaust. They nationalized all their property [1]. So nothing was left of it.
Location
Slovakia
Interview
Ladislav Urban