I had one or two girlfriends in the house, who were nice, but [later] the friendship with them broke up. There was an ice-rink in the winter, the courtyard in every school was covered with water, and then, we used to go there to skate. There was a time when I went to play tennis, but that was later.
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Displaying 48631 - 48660 of 50826 results
Gyorgyne Preisz
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Next to us, next to Fehervari Street, there was for a long time a Jewish elementary school. I was enrolled there. It was a very nice and modern school, with a brand new grade teacher. The first day we appeared in school, there wasn’t a teacher yet, he was appointed then. And he taught us in an absolutely modern way. There were no special Jewish subjects.
I think they taught the Hebrew alphabet (but it is a crying shame that I don’t know Hebrew). I [also] learnt German in my childhood, my parents even employed a governess for me, and she took me to walk and tried to speak in German, but she did all the talking, I didn’t say a word. None of it stuck.
[At the school] there was a big courtyard, which was divided into plots between the classes and we had to plant different plants there. There weren't any lessons on Saturday, but there were on Sunday. I cried because of this many, many times. In that particular city house, I think we were the only Jewish family, and the children always mocked at me when I was coming home from school on Sunday.
Later my father always came to pick me up in school and he took me home. And the children always mocked at me, saying “ Egerberger every Jew is a scoundrel”. And then my father told me, if they say that, I should tell them: “I don’t deny that I am a Jew, and what I shit out, I give you”. And then I used to say that very proudly. I made friends at school.
I think they taught the Hebrew alphabet (but it is a crying shame that I don’t know Hebrew). I [also] learnt German in my childhood, my parents even employed a governess for me, and she took me to walk and tried to speak in German, but she did all the talking, I didn’t say a word. None of it stuck.
[At the school] there was a big courtyard, which was divided into plots between the classes and we had to plant different plants there. There weren't any lessons on Saturday, but there were on Sunday. I cried because of this many, many times. In that particular city house, I think we were the only Jewish family, and the children always mocked at me when I was coming home from school on Sunday.
Later my father always came to pick me up in school and he took me home. And the children always mocked at me, saying “ Egerberger every Jew is a scoundrel”. And then my father told me, if they say that, I should tell them: “I don’t deny that I am a Jew, and what I shit out, I give you”. And then I used to say that very proudly. I made friends at school.
When I was six years old we moved to Buda and we lived in a big city building there, but we still lived in a one-and-a-half roomed apartment. In the beginning my parents lived in quite bad financial conditions. Then, later when my father was appointed departmental manager or deputy departmental manager in the Fenyves Department Store, we were better off. But we didn’t live the life of the upper middle class.
In 1923 there were already quite nasty times; there was the white terr, and my mother was kicked on the train. It might have been only an accident or it might have been done on purpose; I don’t know. And then her breast got infected when she suckled me, and it was cut open. But it seems she got her heart trouble at that time, and she suffered with it for the rest of her life.
After the short-lived communist rule in Hungary in 1919, a right-wing government took over and a wave of violence against various groups of people (left-wing people or people, often Jews, accused of being left-wingers and supporters of the communists).
After the short-lived communist rule in Hungary in 1919, a right-wing government took over and a wave of violence against various groups of people (left-wing people or people, often Jews, accused of being left-wingers and supporters of the communists).
When I was born, [my parents] already lived in Verseny Street, in the neighborhood of Keleti railway station in a small, one-and-a-half room apartment. Those were old workers’ homes. My mum was at home with me. At the beginning we didn’t have servants, then later there was a girl, from somewhere in the countryside, when my mum became quite ill.
That was already after my birth.
That was already after my birth.
And then the news spread that girls would be taken, but women would not. I had a sweetheart, and we got married quickly.
He was a Jewish boy, but we had only a civil wedding. He got a week furlough – he was in forced labor at the time – then he was taken away. He was called Laszlo Schwartz, then he became Laszlo Solyom in 1949.
He was born in 1921, and was from Pest. He learnt tailoring, but he couldn’t get anywhere with it. Then [after the war] he became a doctor. He had a fantastic head on his shoulders, he completed the university courses one year early, with excellent results. He was at the neurological clinic in Pest.
Back in 1944, not long after my wedding, women began to be gathered up, just as the girls had been. And then I went there [to the shop], and the strohman hid me. In November we had to leave the yellow-star house, and I said I would go home for a day to help mum to pack, and then I would come back.
He was a Jewish boy, but we had only a civil wedding. He got a week furlough – he was in forced labor at the time – then he was taken away. He was called Laszlo Schwartz, then he became Laszlo Solyom in 1949.
He was born in 1921, and was from Pest. He learnt tailoring, but he couldn’t get anywhere with it. Then [after the war] he became a doctor. He had a fantastic head on his shoulders, he completed the university courses one year early, with excellent results. He was at the neurological clinic in Pest.
Back in 1944, not long after my wedding, women began to be gathered up, just as the girls had been. And then I went there [to the shop], and the strohman hid me. In November we had to leave the yellow-star house, and I said I would go home for a day to help mum to pack, and then I would come back.
I was deported because there was a small family fashion store in Erkel Street, but at the time a Jew could no longer own a business, but my father had an old customer whose name was also Farkas, he was Christian, and they ran the business together.
Having a strohman [nominal partner], it was called then. He hid me, when they started gathering Jewish girls to be taken away.
Having a strohman [nominal partner], it was called then. He hid me, when they started gathering Jewish girls to be taken away.
My father was drafted into forced labor. First he was called in but came back after one or two days. Then he wasn’t taken any more, and they [my parents] were together in a yellow-star house. So they saw it through together.
Zrinyi High School had a history teacher. His name was Szentirmay. He gathered around himself not only Jews but progressive and liberal people, and a lot of girls went there too. We came together every week and he held literary nights with the youth. I went to his place when I was between the ages of fourteen and sixteen.
I went there with a girlfriend of mine. It was an ugly trick of fate, perhaps, that this absolutely liberal man underwent a sudden and complete conversion, joined the Arrow Cross Party [the Hungarian fascist party] and became a fascist. When we were deported, several of us lived in barracks, and in the evenings we tried to recite the poems, the ones we'd learnt there.
We had a small notebook, in which we wrote them. There were occasions when we remembered only one line, and then we just wrote that down, and continued if more came to our minds later.
I went there with a girlfriend of mine. It was an ugly trick of fate, perhaps, that this absolutely liberal man underwent a sudden and complete conversion, joined the Arrow Cross Party [the Hungarian fascist party] and became a fascist. When we were deported, several of us lived in barracks, and in the evenings we tried to recite the poems, the ones we'd learnt there.
We had a small notebook, in which we wrote them. There were occasions when we remembered only one line, and then we just wrote that down, and continued if more came to our minds later.
[My parents] wedding was in 1920 in Kallosemjen, it was held at their place, in the courtyard of their house. They had a marriage arranged by a so-called shadchen [match-maker], my mother was paired up with my father, and then a great and beautiful love emerged from it. They came to Pest in 1922.
I would have been born here in Budapest if my mother hadn't gone down to Kallosemjen to give birth there. At that time, the custom was that the child went home and delivered at the midwife's. My Jewish name is Deborah. Dvoyrele as my grandmother called me.
I would have been born here in Budapest if my mother hadn't gone down to Kallosemjen to give birth there. At that time, the custom was that the child went home and delivered at the midwife's. My Jewish name is Deborah. Dvoyrele as my grandmother called me.
In 1915 he was drafted and fought in Romania, but I don’t know which front he was at. He was even injured. Although the injury, according to one of his old letters, was like this: Once he came home for a furlough, and back then they came in wagons which were heated with stoves, and when the train stopped, he fell against it and burnt himself. So that was where his injury was from, but he got some sort of war injury medal.
My father was born in 1887. In 1904 he moved to Pest, and became a merchant's apprentice, and then he was sent to school from there, and he completed some kind of commercial course. He began with textiles; he was in Kiraly Street at some sort of a textile merchant's, then he went elsewhere.
At that time, at the beginning of the 1900s, working hours were from 7 in the morning until half past ten; he was exploited. His life in the prewar times was not a characteristically Jewish life, but rather a worker’s life.
He joined the Social Democratic Party. Then, in the end, when he had been fired from everywhere because of his activities in the working class movemenand in the trade union, he found employment at the ‘Hangya’ General Consumer’s Co-operative. There he dealt with spices and such.
At that time, at the beginning of the 1900s, working hours were from 7 in the morning until half past ten; he was exploited. His life in the prewar times was not a characteristically Jewish life, but rather a worker’s life.
He joined the Social Democratic Party. Then, in the end, when he had been fired from everywhere because of his activities in the working class movemenand in the trade union, he found employment at the ‘Hangya’ General Consumer’s Co-operative. There he dealt with spices and such.
The other three brothers, Artur, Lajos, and Misi all lived there with their parents [in Kallosemjen]. They passed themselves off as farmers, but they didn’t actually do anything. Then they were deported [in 1944], they all died in Auschwitz.
Erno got married
in Nyiregyhaza. He studied, and he was something like a lawyer but not exactly that because he couldn’t make it to that level. He had two daughters, who adored my father. One of them, a niece of mine named Eva, corresponded with dad, and dad told her: I will find you a husband.
That was in 1944. And in 1944 Eva wrote a letter, and she signed it: “kisses with love from a future grandmother”. She was dead half a year later.
in Nyiregyhaza. He studied, and he was something like a lawyer but not exactly that because he couldn’t make it to that level. He had two daughters, who adored my father. One of them, a niece of mine named Eva, corresponded with dad, and dad told her: I will find you a husband.
That was in 1944. And in 1944 Eva wrote a letter, and she signed it: “kisses with love from a future grandmother”. She was dead half a year later.
Hella got married and their parents opened a village general store for them in Kallosemjen. But it seems that they weren’t good merchants, because they couldn’t make a fortune from it.
They had a son, Tibor, who became a sacker. And then the whole family was deported [in 1944]. The youngest, Aranka was a very pretty girl. Her husband was a farmer; the ranch was near Kallosemjen and he was some kind of a farm manager there.
They had a son, Tibor, who became a sacker. And then the whole family was deported [in 1944]. The youngest, Aranka was a very pretty girl. Her husband was a farmer; the ranch was near Kallosemjen and he was some kind of a farm manager there.
My mother had eight siblings: four boys and four girls. The eldest girl, Fanni, lived in Balkany. Auntie Gizi got married. Her husband was a tailor, he couldn’t get employment here and in 1938 they left for Paris. The children were born there. Her daughter, Anna got married, and her children are in Israel.
Her son, Laci took part in the French resistance movement. I think he was executed as a resistance fighter.
Her son, Laci took part in the French resistance movement. I think he was executed as a resistance fighter.
Unfortunately nobody was left [in Kallosemjen], everybody was taken and they perished in Auschwitz in 1944. Grandmother is said to have died already on the train, She must have been 70 years old already then. My grandfather died earlier, around 1940.
Then when I was a teenager, my father bought a holiday home in Agard.
They were called duplex houses, because there were two identical houses together, one of them was ours, and the other one was Uncle Imre’s [father’s brother’s]. They were in the same courtyard. They had a small main room, a verandah, and a small kitchen. Then we used to go there regularly, so that we always went out to grandmothers for no more than two or three weeks.
They were called duplex houses, because there were two identical houses together, one of them was ours, and the other one was Uncle Imre’s [father’s brother’s]. They were in the same courtyard. They had a small main room, a verandah, and a small kitchen. Then we used to go there regularly, so that we always went out to grandmothers for no more than two or three weeks.
There was a small kitchen garden, and there were horses, and a carriage too, there was even a separate small house for the groom and the staff.
There was a large well in the middle of the courtyard, and there was a mulberry tree next to it, and a million ducks underneath, so if a mulberry fell down all the ducks gagged and it was eaten up.
There was a large well in the middle of the courtyard, and there was a mulberry tree next to it, and a million ducks underneath, so if a mulberry fell down all the ducks gagged and it was eaten up.
When I was at school Ialways spent a few weeks there in the summer. I remember grandmother’s head was always covered, and grandfather always wore a hat. Lighting candles on Fridays was natural too.
All the family was there at the supper on Friday night. And on Saturday there was that sort of colored woven candle [the havdalah candle], which was up on the wall, and then on Saturday afternoon, the holiday was over when it was lit.
And the phylacteries, grandfather always put them on, I remember that too. And on Friday, they made bread in a huge wooden bowl for the whole week, and these tiny challahs for the children and grandchildren. Pasta with cottage cheese, that was always the main meal on Saturday.
All the family was there at the supper on Friday night. And on Saturday there was that sort of colored woven candle [the havdalah candle], which was up on the wall, and then on Saturday afternoon, the holiday was over when it was lit.
And the phylacteries, grandfather always put them on, I remember that too. And on Friday, they made bread in a huge wooden bowl for the whole week, and these tiny challahs for the children and grandchildren. Pasta with cottage cheese, that was always the main meal on Saturday.
My grandfather was a smallholder: he had two acres or four acres, I don’t know. They were not rich people. He grew tobacco and melons. I remember that there was a big tobacco-drying barn in the courtyard, and there was a beehive. He went out to work on the land. His sons sold it, I think.
His only employees were those who were at the house, just one or two people, from time to time. They had the sort of village house, which was large enough to have enough room for the many children they had.
His only employees were those who were at the house, just one or two people, from time to time. They had the sort of village house, which was large enough to have enough room for the many children they had.
Maternal grandfather’s name was Jakab Strausz, grandmother’s name was Betti Weisz. Their wedding was in 1843. They lived in Kallosemjen, this is in Szabolcs county, next to Nagykallo. It was a typical Szabolcs county Hungarian village: a small, dirty village, with wooden fences.
They [the Jews] didn’t live separately, but there was quite a Jewish life, they came together in the synagogue. The synagogue was very nice, and it was on the main square. On one side there was this shop, which belonged to Auntie Ella [mother’s sister], on the other side there was the synagogue, and on the third side was the Christian church. There were quite a lot of Jews, and they came in from the neighboring farms. Just like my aunt and her husband.
They [the Jews] didn’t live separately, but there was quite a Jewish life, they came together in the synagogue. The synagogue was very nice, and it was on the main square. On one side there was this shop, which belonged to Auntie Ella [mother’s sister], on the other side there was the synagogue, and on the third side was the Christian church. There were quite a lot of Jews, and they came in from the neighboring farms. Just like my aunt and her husband.
His daughter Anna was older than me. I was around 15 when she got married. Her husband’s name was Balazs Weisz and he magyarized to Vitez. Anna survived the war. She came back, and her son was saved by Auntie Helen. He is in Israel now.
Adolf became a timber-merchant, too. In 1919 he also did something as an agricultural something-or-other during the Commune [The brief Communist regime in 1919. They wanted to catch him, and he left for Vienna with my father’s papers as Miklos Farkas because he couldn’t leave the country under his own name.
Quite soon he lined his pocket, and became a wealthy merchant. His daughter went to an institute in Switzerland. In 1938 when they came in [the Germans to Austria, at the Anschluss], he managed to come home with the last train. He came back home and the following day he rented an apartment somewhere in Budapest; he bought a typing machine, seated his daughter in front of it and the first thing he did was to announce:
“I have relocated my business to Budapest”, and life began anew. Anwithin one year he became really wealthy. His wife died, and he went away to Switzerland with his second wife, and died there.
Quite soon he lined his pocket, and became a wealthy merchant. His daughter went to an institute in Switzerland. In 1938 when they came in [the Germans to Austria, at the Anschluss], he managed to come home with the last train. He came back home and the following day he rented an apartment somewhere in Budapest; he bought a typing machine, seated his daughter in front of it and the first thing he did was to announce:
“I have relocated my business to Budapest”, and life began anew. Anwithin one year he became really wealthy. His wife died, and he went away to Switzerland with his second wife, and died there.
Piri didn’t do anything, her husband was a mechanic. And the first born, Gerzson was already a respected master tailor. Aunt Helen stayed an old maid. In her youth, she had worked in the house serving the family, and she continued to do so in Pest. She sacrificed everything for her siblings, for their children and for their children’s children. The family was everything to her.
Grandfather wanted to raise his youngest child [Imre] to be a rabbi. Perhaps that was his only dream, which didn’t come true. [After WWI Imre] found employment at some transportation company. He transported timber for the State Railways.
Adolf became a timber-merchant, too. In 1919 he also did something as an agricultural something-or-other during the Commune [The brief Communist regime in 1919.
Grandfather wanted to raise his youngest child [Imre] to be a rabbi. Perhaps that was his only dream, which didn’t come true. [After WWI Imre] found employment at some transportation company. He transported timber for the State Railways.
Adolf became a timber-merchant, too. In 1919 he also did something as an agricultural something-or-other during the Commune [The brief Communist regime in 1919.
I got married for the third time to Gyorgy Preisz, and we are still together now. Our wedding was in 1967. We live very well today, and also, there is more emphasis on our Jewishness. We were in Israel in 1993, that was really a great experience. I have many relatives living there, I visited them too, and we also keep in touch. My husband buys Uj Elet (New Life) and other Jewish papers, and we go to the Dohany synagogue [Budapest’s main synagogue] on holidays.
[After the war] for a while I sewed at home for relatives and acquaintances, because I had to make money. Then I got into the Gundel restaurant as an official, from there I went to the catering department of district 7 as an official, and I retired from there.
I have a daughter from him; her name is Judit. She graduated from the University of Economics, the evening faculty, while she was at home on maternity leave. She has two children, one of them goes to university and the other to college. She is divorced too, she had a Christian husband.
I had a so-called co-tenancy room close to [my parents], in Nepszinhaz Street, but my husband [Laszlo] and I didn't live together any more because we had divorced by then. That forced love disappeared and we divorced in 1945, I think.
I remarried, to Andor Gero, whom I got to know in the deportation, in Kophaza. His group was taken there too. Before the war he was a leather goods maker. He was Jewish too, but our wedding was again only a civil service. After the war he became a great communist, and he worked in the city hall as some kind of a departmental head there, but then he had some messy case and he was dismissed.
After that he did some sort of manual work. We lived together until 1957, and I have a daughter from him; her name is Judit.
I remarried, to Andor Gero, whom I got to know in the deportation, in Kophaza. His group was taken there too. Before the war he was a leather goods maker. He was Jewish too, but our wedding was again only a civil service. After the war he became a great communist, and he worked in the city hall as some kind of a departmental head there, but then he had some messy case and he was dismissed.
After that he did some sort of manual work. We lived together until 1957, and I have a daughter from him; her name is Judit.
I came home. Thank God, I found both of my parents. They had managed to get another apartment in the same building and they were there. After the war my father tried again with a business. He had a small ladies' textiles shop on Karoly Boulevard, of the same size as the one before the war, but he didn’t have any employees.
Occasionally, in the afternoons, we helped him out if we had time. The nationalization came in 1950, everything was taken away from everybody. Then he gave up and went to Corvin Department Store to be a salesman.
Occasionally, in the afternoons, we helped him out if we had time. The nationalization came in 1950, everything was taken away from everybody. Then he gave up and went to Corvin Department Store to be a salesman.