Object numberM2009/066:010
DescriptionTyped letter from Dr Nemesne Breyer Erzsebet (Erzi), Hungary, 19 March 1946, to George Medak, Sydney, in response to his letter enquiring about what happened to his family. She writes about the "terrible tragedy that befell our family." Excerpt: "My older brother, my older sister, Olga and I are the only survivors. My father was taken prisoner on the street, back in May of 1944, was deported and didn’t return. On the 30th of December my mother, my younger sister Manci, her husband, and my mother-in-law were executed by the Arrow Cross. András, the 20-year-old son of Olga, was deported and starved to death. In the meantime I became Mrs. Nemes, but my true unearthly happiness only lasted a short time. Poor Frigyes also perished there. So you, that know me fairly, can imagine what is my life like? Maybe the one goal, to get out from here, gives me the strength to live."
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 placeBudapest, Hungary
Production date 1946-03-19
Subjectvictims, searching, tracing loved ones, final solution
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 211.00 mm
height: 104.00 mm
Language
- Hungarian SJM Letters to Mr. Medák No.10
My Sweet Irén and Gyuri (George), Vica! I learnt from Ella that you are enquiring about my destiny and want to take care of my permit- thus I hope with happiness, that after all I can count on you! I gave account in a long letter of the terrible tragedy that befell our family! My older brother, my older sister, Olga and I are the only survivors. My father was taken prisoner on the street, back in May of 1944, was deported and didn’t return. On the 30th of December my mother, my younger sister Manci, her husband, and my mother in law were executed by the Arrowcross. András, the 20 years old son of Olga, was deported and starved to death. In the meantime I became Mrs. Nemes, but my true unearthly happiness only lasted a short time. Poor Frigyes also perished there. So you, that know me fairly, can imagine what is my life like? Maybe the one goal, to get out from here, gives me the strength to live. That’s why I keep working, but not on Kaiser Vilmos Road, but in partnership with Boriska; this way is better, because I don’t see the many things that day after day rip open my still bleeding wounds. My Irénke, Gyuri and Vica – I saw your pictures at Ella’s- unbelievable how little Vica became a grown, nice girl. I just looked and looked at the picture and it seemed that you only left yesterday. Irénke, you forewarned Frigyes to take good care of me because you want to receive us with flowers. We imagined it this way with Frigyes, once the storm will pass above us, we both start the journey – but things happen differently in real life! Frigyes is gone, but he left behind such a material base that my traveling and my sustenance over there would be free of worries, and I wouldn’t need to be a bother to anybody, even if finding a job would take some time, I could sustain myself from my assets. You asked for my data: Dr. Nemes Frigyesné (-né means “wife of”), Breyer Erzsébet, 3rd of Jan. 1904 /Slovensko/ Roman Catholic; father: Breyer Ignác; mother: Grossman Rózsi.
I hope to be able to reciprocate your efforts, several times over, if I manage to come to you – until then millions of kisses to all three of you
(signed) Erzsi
My Sweet Gizi! I thank you very, very much, that you help me, and forward my letter to Irénke – many kisses with love
(signed) Erzsi
Handwritten Dr NEMESNÉ BREYER
ERZSÉBET
Kaiser Vilmos Road No 5
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Dr Veronica Goldrick