Object numberM1992/009:008
DescriptionU for "Ungar" [German word meaning 'Hungarian'.] This badge was worn by Hungarian political prisoners. George Varnai wore it at Buchenwald.
BACKGROUND TO THE OBJECT
While in a forced labour battalion in 1944, Varnai became acquainted with 12 other labourers who were members of the underground. [NB: It is unclear whether he had connections with these individuals, or whether they knew of him, from his earlier connections to the underground movement in late March-May 1944, before he was called up for forced labour.] These labourers began organising the battalion as a partisan group and stole guns from railway carriages damaged in bombardments. They took the weapons back to their camp and hid them. Varnai indicates (though it is not entirely clear in his testimony) that the battalion was told that, due to the possibility of Hungary withdrawing from the war, the Hungarian government may require the laborers as an armed force in the immediate future. [NB: This is difficult to source.] Following the Horty Proclamation (15 Oct 1944), the group gave guns to inhabitants of the 'Jew Houses' in Budapest in the event of a full German occupation of Hungary and/or a reprisal directed against the Hungarian Jews. [NB: Varnai is unclear on this point; see VHA Video 2: 28:38-30:15. It seems to have been an independent initiative of the labourers.] Varnai states that, while the group was visiting the Jew Houses, they were arrested by the Germans, whose tanks arrived in the street on that day. He states that it was only a matter of hours between the Horty Proclamation and the full-scale arrival of the Germans. The Hungarian police, presumably acting in conformity to the agenda of the new, pro-German Szalasi government, aided the Germans in arresting the battalion. Following interrogation, the group (numbering about 100-160 men according to Varnai's testimony) was put on a forced march. Varnai states that every tenth man in the group was sent to Auschwitz, while the remainder were deported to Buchenwald. Although the overwhelming majority (if not all) of the men were Jewish, they were classified as "political prisoners" at Buchenwald and forced to wear the "U" badge. Varnai states that, at this point, Buchenwald had few Jewish prisoners and remained primarily a camp for "politicals".
[Antares Wells, 19/05/2014. Source: VHA #1787]
See notes for biographical information.
BACKGROUND TO THE OBJECT
While in a forced labour battalion in 1944, Varnai became acquainted with 12 other labourers who were members of the underground. [NB: It is unclear whether he had connections with these individuals, or whether they knew of him, from his earlier connections to the underground movement in late March-May 1944, before he was called up for forced labour.] These labourers began organising the battalion as a partisan group and stole guns from railway carriages damaged in bombardments. They took the weapons back to their camp and hid them. Varnai indicates (though it is not entirely clear in his testimony) that the battalion was told that, due to the possibility of Hungary withdrawing from the war, the Hungarian government may require the laborers as an armed force in the immediate future. [NB: This is difficult to source.] Following the Horty Proclamation (15 Oct 1944), the group gave guns to inhabitants of the 'Jew Houses' in Budapest in the event of a full German occupation of Hungary and/or a reprisal directed against the Hungarian Jews. [NB: Varnai is unclear on this point; see VHA Video 2: 28:38-30:15. It seems to have been an independent initiative of the labourers.] Varnai states that, while the group was visiting the Jew Houses, they were arrested by the Germans, whose tanks arrived in the street on that day. He states that it was only a matter of hours between the Horty Proclamation and the full-scale arrival of the Germans. The Hungarian police, presumably acting in conformity to the agenda of the new, pro-German Szalasi government, aided the Germans in arresting the battalion. Following interrogation, the group (numbering about 100-160 men according to Varnai's testimony) was put on a forced march. Varnai states that every tenth man in the group was sent to Auschwitz, while the remainder were deported to Buchenwald. Although the overwhelming majority (if not all) of the men were Jewish, they were classified as "political prisoners" at Buchenwald and forced to wear the "U" badge. Varnai states that, at this point, Buchenwald had few Jewish prisoners and remained primarily a camp for "politicals".
[Antares Wells, 19/05/2014. Source: VHA #1787]
See notes for biographical information.
Production placeHungary
Subjectstigma, concentration camps
Object namebadges
Dimensions
- width: 50.00 mm
height: 50.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mr George Varnai