Levelezolap
Object numberM2008/046:001
TitleLevelezolap
Creator Laszlo Gardos (author)
DescriptionPostcard, hand written in Hungarian, dated 14 October 1944, sent to Vera Gardos, in Budapest, by her father, Laszlo, on the occasion of her 10th birthday (on 7 November 1944). Laszlo sent the postcard from Taksony, Hungary, which was an assembly point for people being deported to Koszeg labour camp. The postcard greets his "darling little angel", contains well wishes, reports that he is well and indicates that a return letter could not be sent to him at that time because he was soon to be transported. It is the last contact Vera had with her father. He was killed in Koszeg.
The postcard has a pre-paid, printed postage stamp showing an eagle on a rock with a sword in its talons, in front of the coat of arms with crown from the Hungarian state flag. The "stamp" was worth 18 f and says Magyarorszag (Hungary) along the bottom.
Vera Seder (nee Gardos) was born in Budapest, Hungary on 7 November 1934 to Laszlo and Ilona Gardos. For the better part of the war, the Gardos family lived peaceably at 21 Szemere Street. However, a few months before her tenth birthday in 1944, Laszlo was arrested and sent to the Taksony slave labour camp. Vera and Ilona moved into a house paid for by the Swedish Red Cross, but they were soon evicted and deported to the Jewish ghetto in Budapest. They tried to stay out of sight and quiet, often hiding in a bunker. On 21 December 1944, Ilona was arrested while trying to visit her parents. She was taken to the banks of the river Danube and shot.
Vera found her way to her grandparents and her cousin Lorant, with whom she lived through to the end of the war and afterwards. On 27 May 1956, she married Laszlo Szederjesy. They left together following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, travelling via the Hungarian Refugee Assisted Scheme, arriving in Sydney.
The postcard has a pre-paid, printed postage stamp showing an eagle on a rock with a sword in its talons, in front of the coat of arms with crown from the Hungarian state flag. The "stamp" was worth 18 f and says Magyarorszag (Hungary) along the bottom.
Vera Seder (nee Gardos) was born in Budapest, Hungary on 7 November 1934 to Laszlo and Ilona Gardos. For the better part of the war, the Gardos family lived peaceably at 21 Szemere Street. However, a few months before her tenth birthday in 1944, Laszlo was arrested and sent to the Taksony slave labour camp. Vera and Ilona moved into a house paid for by the Swedish Red Cross, but they were soon evicted and deported to the Jewish ghetto in Budapest. They tried to stay out of sight and quiet, often hiding in a bunker. On 21 December 1944, Ilona was arrested while trying to visit her parents. She was taken to the banks of the river Danube and shot.
Vera found her way to her grandparents and her cousin Lorant, with whom she lived through to the end of the war and afterwards. On 27 May 1956, she married Laszlo Szederjesy. They left together following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, travelling via the Hungarian Refugee Assisted Scheme, arriving in Sydney.
Production placeTaksony, Hungary
Production date 1944-10-14
Subjectsigns of life, fathers, daughters, forced labour, love, parents, children, loved ones' final contacts
Object namepostcards
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 148.00 mm
height: 105.00 mm
Language
- Hungarian My darling little angel,
Thank God that I can write to you and tell you that I am well. Possibly soon I will be able to see you again. I hope you and everybody are well. For the time being you cannot answer me here because I am on my way. I wish you all the best and please take care.
Your Father
Hungarian Vera Gardos Budapest V 21 Szmere Street, 4th floor, unit 2 From Laszlo K Gardos Taksony, Hungary
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Vera Seder