Selected text
I met my first wife in a relatively interesting fashion. I was introduced to this one music professor. I don't remember his name. He found an apartment for me at Mr. Stark's place in Fucikova St. The Stark family was from Liptovsky Mikulas. They were a Jewish. The Starks observed Jewish customs. Mr. Stark attended synagogue in Heydukova St. in Bratislava. It was a meeting place for Jews. Back then there were still many families. Young Jewish people met there too, to play roulette. After the war I didn't observe anything [religious customs] at all.
Their son, Peter Stark, was older than I, and was studying electricity. He wasn't very independent, and would tag along with me. In those days I was playing basketball for Slovan Bratislava. I traveled a lot, and had a lot of friends. When we finished school, Peter emigrated. He finished a half year before me. At first he emigrated to Belgium, and then to America. He worked for General Electric for about 20 years. Then he ended up back in Europe, he was with General Electric in Vienna. He was general director for Western Europe. My first wife, Agi Sandorova, was helping Peter when he was moving. They knew each other from back in Liptovsky Mikulas, they'd been classmates. It was actually at the Starks' that I met Agi. When I was in the army, she lived at this one professor's place. It wasn't heated, and was frightfully cold. I got along with the Starks very well, and they were happy with me. Once I came there, and she was there too... Our wedding was in Piestany.
We were married in 1961. We were living in Bratislava. At that time I was still in the army, but I was able to find an apartment very quickly, because I started a housing co-op. I had a friend that worked for the city. I said to him: "Listen, I need an apartment.' He said: "Start a co-op, and then we'll help you." So I started a co-op. Right away, they assigned us a building. I had to deposit a certain sum of money within a week. I had to borrow it. In the meantime I arranged for Mrs. Sandorova's family home to be sold. It was actually the demolition of my wife's family home. In Ruzomberk, they were going to be regulating the flow of a stream that flowed into the Vah River. Their house was in the way, so we managed to take advantage of the situation and sell it to the town for a decent price. Old Mrs. Sandorova's siblings were still alive and were financially well off, so I borrowed the aforementioned sum from them. By Christmas 1961 we were already living in our own apartment. Before that I'd had nothing, just a guitar, one suitcase and a clothesline. I'd stretch a string from the window latch to the doorknob, and hang up my couple of pairs of pants and two, three jackets. Those were horrible conditions.
Their son, Peter Stark, was older than I, and was studying electricity. He wasn't very independent, and would tag along with me. In those days I was playing basketball for Slovan Bratislava. I traveled a lot, and had a lot of friends. When we finished school, Peter emigrated. He finished a half year before me. At first he emigrated to Belgium, and then to America. He worked for General Electric for about 20 years. Then he ended up back in Europe, he was with General Electric in Vienna. He was general director for Western Europe. My first wife, Agi Sandorova, was helping Peter when he was moving. They knew each other from back in Liptovsky Mikulas, they'd been classmates. It was actually at the Starks' that I met Agi. When I was in the army, she lived at this one professor's place. It wasn't heated, and was frightfully cold. I got along with the Starks very well, and they were happy with me. Once I came there, and she was there too... Our wedding was in Piestany.
We were married in 1961. We were living in Bratislava. At that time I was still in the army, but I was able to find an apartment very quickly, because I started a housing co-op. I had a friend that worked for the city. I said to him: "Listen, I need an apartment.' He said: "Start a co-op, and then we'll help you." So I started a co-op. Right away, they assigned us a building. I had to deposit a certain sum of money within a week. I had to borrow it. In the meantime I arranged for Mrs. Sandorova's family home to be sold. It was actually the demolition of my wife's family home. In Ruzomberk, they were going to be regulating the flow of a stream that flowed into the Vah River. Their house was in the way, so we managed to take advantage of the situation and sell it to the town for a decent price. Old Mrs. Sandorova's siblings were still alive and were financially well off, so I borrowed the aforementioned sum from them. By Christmas 1961 we were already living in our own apartment. Before that I'd had nothing, just a guitar, one suitcase and a clothesline. I'd stretch a string from the window latch to the doorknob, and hang up my couple of pairs of pants and two, three jackets. Those were horrible conditions.
Location
Slovakia
Interview
Ladislav Urban