Object numberM2009/066:009
DescriptionHandwritten letter from Braun Pal, Seregelyes, 12 May 1946, to George Medak, Sydney, in response to George's letter attempting to find out what happened to his family. The author writes about the 5 June 1944 round up of Jews taken to the yard of the mill, carrying bundles of clothing, even carrying the writer's sister-in-law "who was completely crippled." "Believe me Mr. Medák, it is terrible to write this down, and more so for those, that had to live through this. I have been home for the last 13 months, and I lack the fortitude to investigate who might have given to eat to my relatives in the last months, days; they started telling me about what happened, but I have no strength to listen to the details."
Part of a collection of letters related to George and Iren Medák. George was born in Ercsi, Hungary on 26 February 1900. He viewed with alarm the success of Hitler’s territorial expansion as well as the radicalisation of German antisemitism. The Anschluss in 1938 was the catalyst that prompted him to put into action plans that resulted in his family’s successful emigration to Australia. He immigrated with his wife, Iren (nee Revesz) and six-year-old daughter, Veronica. They arrived in 1939. George tried desperately and repeatedly, albeit unsuccessfully, to get permission for his brother Dr Erno Medák, his wife Boriska and their young daughter Magdalene, to join them in Australia.
In December 1941 George was arrested as an ‘enemy alien’. Detectives took him away from his home to Liverpool internment camp, and from there to Tatura. He was released after about five weeks, and in February 1942 he joined the Australian Army. He had nothing but praise for the quality of care whilst in detention. During this time, his wife “walked the streets of Lane Cove” obtaining character references from friends, neighbours, work colleagues and the church ministry in order to petition for her husband’s release.
After the German occupation of Hungary—March 1944— letters from Erno stopped arriving. George’s quest to discover the fate of his family resulted in 22 letters of response from friends, neighbours and officials such as the Post Master in the villages of Sárosd and Seregélyes. They offer rare insight into the experiences of Jews living in rural Hungary, as well as the Nazi-allied Hungarian regime’s anti-Jewish laws, its forced labour service (munkaszolgálat), ghettoization, searching for “hidden Jewish wealth”, despair, suicide, deportation, and the decimation of rural Jewry. Through the letters he learned that his brother Dr Erno Medák and Erno’s wife Boriska, their young daughter Magdalena (Magdi) were murdered in Auschwitz in 1944; George’s mother Gisella Medák was also murdered.
George died June 1955. Veronica’s parents had hidden the knowledge that they were Jewish and she only found out in 1972 when her mother died. The collection includes copies of the letters of reference and a travel permit allowing Iren to travel for her dressmaking business and her daughter’s music lessons.
Part of a collection of letters related to George and Iren Medák. George was born in Ercsi, Hungary on 26 February 1900. He viewed with alarm the success of Hitler’s territorial expansion as well as the radicalisation of German antisemitism. The Anschluss in 1938 was the catalyst that prompted him to put into action plans that resulted in his family’s successful emigration to Australia. He immigrated with his wife, Iren (nee Revesz) and six-year-old daughter, Veronica. They arrived in 1939. George tried desperately and repeatedly, albeit unsuccessfully, to get permission for his brother Dr Erno Medák, his wife Boriska and their young daughter Magdalene, to join them in Australia.
In December 1941 George was arrested as an ‘enemy alien’. Detectives took him away from his home to Liverpool internment camp, and from there to Tatura. He was released after about five weeks, and in February 1942 he joined the Australian Army. He had nothing but praise for the quality of care whilst in detention. During this time, his wife “walked the streets of Lane Cove” obtaining character references from friends, neighbours, work colleagues and the church ministry in order to petition for her husband’s release.
After the German occupation of Hungary—March 1944— letters from Erno stopped arriving. George’s quest to discover the fate of his family resulted in 22 letters of response from friends, neighbours and officials such as the Post Master in the villages of Sárosd and Seregélyes. They offer rare insight into the experiences of Jews living in rural Hungary, as well as the Nazi-allied Hungarian regime’s anti-Jewish laws, its forced labour service (munkaszolgálat), ghettoization, searching for “hidden Jewish wealth”, despair, suicide, deportation, and the decimation of rural Jewry. Through the letters he learned that his brother Dr Erno Medák and Erno’s wife Boriska, their young daughter Magdalena (Magdi) were murdered in Auschwitz in 1944; George’s mother Gisella Medák was also murdered.
George died June 1955. Veronica’s parents had hidden the knowledge that they were Jewish and she only found out in 1972 when her mother died. The collection includes copies of the letters of reference and a travel permit allowing Iren to travel for her dressmaking business and her daughter’s music lessons.
Production placeHungary
Production date 1946-05-12 - 1946-05-12
Subjectvictims, searching, families, final solution, tracing loved ones
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 289.00 mm
height: 192.00 mm
Language
- Hungarian SJM Medák letters no 9
Dear Mr. Medák! I received with thanks your letter dated 23rd of March and gratefully thank you for the packages you sent, hopefully they will arrive safely.
According to sayings by Krinitzky and others, Kiss, the retired gendarmes vice officer provided for the family of Erno until the last minute. When the time came that Jews were no longer allowed to shop and had no freedom of movements, Mrs. Kiss bought everything they needed, and made them reach to Boriska, and the last day, when it was forbidden to enter the premises, she provided them with food.
Since earlier times they were very comfortable in each other’s company; also Mrs. Krinitzky stood beside them until the last minute. Bartos Katalin is the name of the nurse, resident of Budapest. She was convicted by the courthouse of Székesfehérvár. People say that in general, others from the locals were not this cruel. Besides, there is a condemned member of the Arrowcross Party. You, Mr. Medák, can’t comprehend from overseas, the situation here.
There are some photos and I think a postcard written by Erno, in the postmaster Mongyi’s possession. I asked him, and he promised to send them directly to you.
A boy from Seregélyes, Kiss László, was with poor Erno until the end. The poor doctor was an optimist and didn’t believe, even there in Auschwitz, until the last day, that there were gas chambers and that the smoke from the stacks originates from burning people; they saw always the smoke rising from the stacks.
I don’t know if I reported to you the following: at daybreak of the 5th of June, 1944 they gathered the Jews to the yard of the mill; but beforehand they were already made to move in together.
Boriska and her family; as a matter of fact everybody had to carry their clothing in a bundle, on their back, and bring them to the mill. About a 100 gendarmes took part in this cruelty; poor little Magdika couldn’t carry her bundle and an unknown gendarme helped her; the widowed Mrs. Bögös, who saw this happen, told me this way. Mrs. Bögös did say this without any personal interest, she didn’t know the gendarme.
They had to go from the mill to the railway at 4 p.m. The bundles were taken by car (or cart; the same word is used in Hungarian for both) to the railway, also was taken by car(t) the 85 years old Mrs. Klein Bernát (Árpád’s mother); they carried on a stretcher the mother of Weisz, the mill’s owner, and my poor sister in law, who was completely crippled.
Believe me Mr. Medák, it is terrible to write this down, and more so for those, that had to live through this. I have been home for the last 13 months, and I lack the fortitude to investigate who might have given to eat to my relatives in the last months, days; they started telling me about what happened, but I have no strength to listen to the details.
Up to 95% of Hungary’s Jewry, mainly the Trans-Danubians, perished.
Medák Marika is in Kannitz and allegedly doesn’t even want to return home, but wants to go directly from there to America, I was told this by my cousin, who was with her.
I also wrote in detail to Spitzer Andi, whatever he choose to, he will let you know, Mr. Medák.
Before these poor people were taken from the mill’s yard, they were put through a thorough body search, and the last pieces of valuables and money were taken from them.
The women’s body search was carried out by midwifes, they did it in a humanitarian way, in some places it hasn’t been done this way.
If you wish (condescend) to enquire about something, I will give you the information willingly.
I reported to Spitzer Andi about the extant things in detail.
Seregélyes, 12th of May, 1946
With a respectful hand kiss and kind regards
Braun Pal (signature)
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Dr Veronica Goldrick