Temporary Residence Card issued to Ernest Bognar
Object numberM2021/019:002
TitleTemporary Residence Card issued to Ernest Bognar
DescriptionTemporary Residence Card AE46461 issued to Ernest Bognar by the Republic of France on 3 July 1950. Acccording to this card, Ernest's temporary residency in France was valid between 8 July 1950 and 8 January 1951. Further details include that Ernest had arrived in France on 28 November 1949 and that his address was 57 Rue St. Louis en l'ile Paris.
Part of a collection of personal documents and correspondence relating to the experience of donor George Bognar's father Ernest (Ernö) Bognar, mother Magda (Magdalene) Bognar (nee Löwinger), and their family between 1928 and c. 1945. Ernest was born in February 1920 in Sopron, Hungary to Maurice and Melanie Bognar. He had three siblings; Nicholas (Miklos), Dessider and Margaret. Ernest met Magda in Hungary when he was just 12 years old. She was born on 10 April 1921 in Savar, Hungary, and was the youngest of 11 children of Jacob and Josephine Löwinger (nee Spitzer).
In 1942, Ernest joined the Hungarian army. In 1943, he was called upon for 'military service' and was forced to work in labour camps in Hungary, and Jugoslavia before being sent to Galicia, Poland. Ernest recalled his experience building tank traps and mine wells, ""Here we got the first real taste of what it meant to be in a forced-labour camp...It was torture - like hell"". He was then sent to Satoraljaujhely, Hungary, before being forced to retreat to the Austrian border to escape the oncoming Russian Army. Here he was handed over to the German military authorities.
Ernest was transported to Dachau concentration camp on 24 November 1944. He recalled his thoughts upon arrival to Dachau, ""I saw people in striped clothes carrying things, or four or six pulling a little cart. All these, even though the guards were belting them, were walking slowly, dragging themselves. Why don't they go faster; why don't they run away from the belting? It didn't take long till I got the answer"".
Ernest recalled the moment that he heard about the fate of his family, ""One of the inmates in striped clothing stood on a case and made a speech.... That's when we found out that they had been taken to Auschwitz. There the old ones, the mothers with children, and the children were all gassed and cremated. 'We would never see them again'... How that moment affected me I can never describe"".
In April 1945 the prisoners were round up and forced to evacuate from Dachau. Ernest recalled the moment that they were liberated on 1 May 1945 stating, ""We fell into each other's arms and all we could do was cry"". Ernest returned to Hungry post-war to confirm that his entire family had been murdered during the Holocaust.
Magda was sent to Altenburg, a sub-camp of Ravensbruck concentration camp, in November 1944, aged 23. Though little is known of her experience, Magda did write poetry during this time which was donated to the Sydney Jewish Museum in 2011. She was liberated in 1945. According to her son, George Bognar, Magda and her sisters; Ella and Irene, were the only survivors of the Holocaust in their family.
After the war, Ernest returned to Sopron, Hungary where he reunited with Magda Löwinger. Ernest and Magda were married on 23 December 1945 in Sarvar, Hungary. Their first son, George, was born on 14 October 1946. They travelled through Austria and Paris in late 1949 before migrating to Australia, arriving to Melbourne on the Cyrenia in 1950. They had two more children; Michael in1950 and Susan in 1952. Together they established a new life, both finding work and saving to buy their own house. Magda passed away on 22 February 1980 and - Ernest on 17 January 1995.
Part of a collection of personal documents and correspondence relating to the experience of donor George Bognar's father Ernest (Ernö) Bognar, mother Magda (Magdalene) Bognar (nee Löwinger), and their family between 1928 and c. 1945. Ernest was born in February 1920 in Sopron, Hungary to Maurice and Melanie Bognar. He had three siblings; Nicholas (Miklos), Dessider and Margaret. Ernest met Magda in Hungary when he was just 12 years old. She was born on 10 April 1921 in Savar, Hungary, and was the youngest of 11 children of Jacob and Josephine Löwinger (nee Spitzer).
In 1942, Ernest joined the Hungarian army. In 1943, he was called upon for 'military service' and was forced to work in labour camps in Hungary, and Jugoslavia before being sent to Galicia, Poland. Ernest recalled his experience building tank traps and mine wells, ""Here we got the first real taste of what it meant to be in a forced-labour camp...It was torture - like hell"". He was then sent to Satoraljaujhely, Hungary, before being forced to retreat to the Austrian border to escape the oncoming Russian Army. Here he was handed over to the German military authorities.
Ernest was transported to Dachau concentration camp on 24 November 1944. He recalled his thoughts upon arrival to Dachau, ""I saw people in striped clothes carrying things, or four or six pulling a little cart. All these, even though the guards were belting them, were walking slowly, dragging themselves. Why don't they go faster; why don't they run away from the belting? It didn't take long till I got the answer"".
Ernest recalled the moment that he heard about the fate of his family, ""One of the inmates in striped clothing stood on a case and made a speech.... That's when we found out that they had been taken to Auschwitz. There the old ones, the mothers with children, and the children were all gassed and cremated. 'We would never see them again'... How that moment affected me I can never describe"".
In April 1945 the prisoners were round up and forced to evacuate from Dachau. Ernest recalled the moment that they were liberated on 1 May 1945 stating, ""We fell into each other's arms and all we could do was cry"". Ernest returned to Hungry post-war to confirm that his entire family had been murdered during the Holocaust.
Magda was sent to Altenburg, a sub-camp of Ravensbruck concentration camp, in November 1944, aged 23. Though little is known of her experience, Magda did write poetry during this time which was donated to the Sydney Jewish Museum in 2011. She was liberated in 1945. According to her son, George Bognar, Magda and her sisters; Ella and Irene, were the only survivors of the Holocaust in their family.
After the war, Ernest returned to Sopron, Hungary where he reunited with Magda Löwinger. Ernest and Magda were married on 23 December 1945 in Sarvar, Hungary. Their first son, George, was born on 14 October 1946. They travelled through Austria and Paris in late 1949 before migrating to Australia, arriving to Melbourne on the Cyrenia in 1950. They had two more children; Michael in1950 and Susan in 1952. Together they established a new life, both finding work and saving to buy their own house. Magda passed away on 22 February 1980 and - Ernest on 17 January 1995.
Production placeFrance
Production date 1950 - 1950
Object namecertificates
Materialpaper
Techniquehandwritten, riveted
Dimensions
- width: 263.00 mm
height: 126.00 mm
Language
- French
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by George Bognar
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.