Object numberM1998/003:007
DescriptionTyped document in Hungarian, undated. This document is the first page of a document that was probably several pages long. It lists the possessions of Jews presumably abandoned when their owners were taken to forced labour, ghettos, Auschwitz or elsewhere. Jews in some ghettos of Hungary made lists of their own possessions they had to leave behind in the hope that they would be compensated or get them back. This list suggests that it was made by a government employee probably with a view of making these possessions available to village residents.
The clerk who put together this inventory made several typos, unfortunately one in the name of the actual village in question.
Almost certainly that village was Laca in the county of Zemplėn in north-eastern Hungary.
For example, in the apartment of Marton Csikk 70 items of kitchen towels, table cloths, bed covers, trench coats, blankets, sheets, pillows, wine glasses, coffee cups, and so on. In the room of widowed Mrs Dezso Gottlieb: tablecloths, table centres, serviettes, doona covers, pillowslips, towels, coats, and so on.
"These documents are about my family, Slamowics, as well as others in Laca, Damo and Cseke. My late father, at great risk to himself, removed the documents to have as a record and for safe keeping, just in case they would be needed at a later date by surviving family members listed on them. We escaped from Hungary in 1956, with the clothing on our back, but my father took these documents with him, as well as his small Bar Mitzvah Sidur in his pockets. In all the life threatening danger we were in, this was of importance to him." Jody Somogy
The clerk who put together this inventory made several typos, unfortunately one in the name of the actual village in question.
Almost certainly that village was Laca in the county of Zemplėn in north-eastern Hungary.
For example, in the apartment of Marton Csikk 70 items of kitchen towels, table cloths, bed covers, trench coats, blankets, sheets, pillows, wine glasses, coffee cups, and so on. In the room of widowed Mrs Dezso Gottlieb: tablecloths, table centres, serviettes, doona covers, pillowslips, towels, coats, and so on.
"These documents are about my family, Slamowics, as well as others in Laca, Damo and Cseke. My late father, at great risk to himself, removed the documents to have as a record and for safe keeping, just in case they would be needed at a later date by surviving family members listed on them. We escaped from Hungary in 1956, with the clothing on our back, but my father took these documents with him, as well as his small Bar Mitzvah Sidur in his pockets. In all the life threatening danger we were in, this was of importance to him." Jody Somogy
Object namelists
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 230.00 mm
height: 295.00 mm
Language
- Hungarian Inventory
A list of all objects in houses that had been occupied by Jews in the village of Laca
In the apartment of Márton Csikk
70 items of kitchen towels, 14 items of table cloths, table centres and runners, two bedcovers, two trench coats, two (male) suits, one without a waistcoat, one male light weight coat, one pair of yellow male shoes, two items of homespun blankets, two bedsheets, nine pillows in poor condition, two small pillows in poor condition, two doonas, nine pieces of various preserve jars, 18 wine glasses, six coffee cups, one glass water jug, four dessert plates, 11 dinner plates, four glass fruit bowls, one one-litre wine carafe, nine pieces of various enamelled pots, four pieces of enamelled saucepans, seven pieces of enamelled bowls in various sizes, one enamel serving plate, one enamel jug, 2 pieces of enamelled ladles, seven soup spoons, one enamel basin, a bundle of material suitable for making a blanket in a damaged sack, one spinning wheel, three pieces of wicker jars, one sewing machine with stand, four beds, one damaged bedside table, one washstand, three tables, five armchairs, one kitchen cupboard, two wardrobes, two metal buckets, five small wooden chopping boards, three kg poppyseeds in a bag, 500 grams of angora wool, a small wall mirror, two wooden kneading boards.
Widowed Mrs Dezső Gottlieb
First room
Nine pieces of various tablecloths, 24 pieces of various table centres, nine various serviettes, 14 pieces of doona covers, 10 pillowslips, 33 pieces of mixed towels and face washers, one lacey bedcover, one piece of plain bedcover, 20 female slips and blouses, nine mattresses, seven doonas, 11 pillows, one quilt, three bedsheets, one hanging lamp, 12 couch cushions, five armchairs, 10 various female dresses, one black male suit, three female light weight coats, one female winter-coat, one female fur coat, three window curtains with two pieces of copper curtain rods, three wardrobes, two bedside tables, one wood-burner stove, one pair of female lace-up shoes, one pair of child’s boots, one pair of female canvas shoes, one make-up mirror, three pieces of factory produced rugs, three pieces of homespun blankets, two pieces of wall ornaments, two beds, one round table.
Second room
One bundle of various cotton fabrics, one table, one bedside table, two beds, three armchairs, one small woodburning stove, one smaller wall mirror, one small, damaged table.
Third room
Four Tolcsva [most likely the compiler of the inventory did not know the porcelain factories and made a mistake. It is probably Hollóháza porcelain] porcelain espresso cups with saucers. A complete glass cake service, four small glass bowls with four glass platters. One small glass water jug with a glass platter. One porcelain ashtray, one glass mirror holder, a complete set of glass fruit bowls, one oval shaped fruit platter, one porcelain sugar bowl, one fruit platter with handles with six matching small plates, one cakestand, one ornamental ashtray on a stand, six seashells, one porcelain sugar bowl, one porcelain sugar bowl with handles and lid, one complete porcelain tea set, five teaspoons, five porcelain saucers, three porcelain cups, one porcelain cup with spoon, 12 porcelain plates, two porcelain saucers, one porcelain soup tureen, one serving platter and one cake platter. One glass dish with handles, two glass sugar bowls, one soapstone statue depicting a lion and a woman, 46 pieces of various glasses, two glass wine jugs, four ornamental porcelain vases, one glass sugar bowl, one ornamental water jug, one decorated bird made of horn, two ornamental plates for wall display, one couch with cover, one sideboard with mirror, one display cabinet with mirror, one extendable dining table, six dining chairs, one rocking chair, one chair with backrest.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Ms. Jody Somogy