(Revised remarks prepared for the Law Society of Upper Canada, Osgoode Hall, Toronto, Ontario, 17 April 2012) by David Matas This panel is titled “Commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2012, Remembrance, Reconciliation, Restitution: Is there a way to right the…
I was born in January 1934 in Budapest and for the first few years I was brought up as a Roman Catholic as my parents converted to Catholicism in the mistaken belief that it would save us from persecution. Many people did the same at the time.
In 1941 my father was sent to a camp in NE Hungary where he, with hundreds of others were made to build airfields etc. and I did not see him for 3 years.
Susan Winter Memory in Budapest (english)
Susan Winter Memory in Budapest (hungarian)
I will attempt to write down what happened to me and my family between 1944-1945. I am not sure I will succeed because I don’t know what are my own memories and what I recall because of what others told me.
On March 19, 1944 the Germans entered Hungary, rather Budapest, where I lived with my parents and grandparents. The same morning my father went to Eastern Train Terminal (Keleti P‡lyaudvar) to buy tickets for my mother and I to go to Di—szeg, which is today part of Romania, but at the time belonged to Hungary. He thought that it may be easier to survive in a small place than in a large city.
Born 1923, Budapest, Hungary
After the Germans occupied Hungary in 1944, Tom was ordered to work in labor camps and factories. He escaped after a few months and decided to contact the Swedish legation, where he met Raoul Wallenberg in October 1944. Tom stayed in Budapest and, using his training in photography, became active in Wallenberg’s efforts to rescue the Jews of Budapest. He made copies of and took photographs for protective passes (Schutzpaesse), and documented deportations.
“We were lined up in front of a machine gun near a wall and we were standing there for a long time… then some people appeared and I was told later that it was Raoul Wallenberg and his team.”Marianne Vaney:…
Horthy meets Hitler In March 1942, following severe anti-Jewish incidents, a new prime minister came to power. Miklos Kallay oppose successfully the deportation plan which was demanded by the Germans. In April 1943, Horthy met Hitler and von Ribbentrop in…
Deportation, Auschwitz: End of April 1944, Adolf Eichmann organized the first deportation of Jews from Hungary. From the middle of the May four groups daily, each concisting of 3.000 Jews, started for Auschwitz. By the 9th of July the…
Horthy Stopped Deportation Eichmann was planning a new deportation transport for the Budapest Jews. As Wallenberg discovered this he commissioned a meeting of the heads of the diplomatic services from the neutral states. This was directed by Nuntius Angelo Rotta.…
The Failed Ceasefire In order to trick the Russians Horthy planned a ceasefire. On the 15th of October, in a radio broadcast he announced the war was over. The joy and jubilation by the Jews was premature. The Germans kidnapped…
There were many attacks made on the „Refuge Houses“ resulting in Jewish deaths. On hearing about such attacks, Wallenberg made his way to the houses. His presence alone stopped the Arrow Cross gangs. There were many times he didn´t get…