Doll belonging to Judith Nagy (nee Elias)
Object numberM2015/016:001
TitleDoll belonging to Judith Nagy (nee Elias)
DescriptionBakelite doll, manufactured Germany 1938, dressed with some original underwear, socks and red leather shoes. The red and white knitted dress and hat is a more recent addition. The doll belonged to Judith Nagy (nee Elias) born in 1935 in Budapest, the only child in a middle class and well established Jewish family.
Received around 1940-41, when she was 4 or 5 years old, Judith named her Zsuszi (Susie in Hungarian). It was an addition to an already large doll collection. Judith carried the doll into the Budapest ghetto in October 1944: “I walked with her to the ghetto under my arm. It is something you never forget. My father was already dead in 1942, they took him away. I went into ghetto with my mother, grandmother and grandfather, and stayed until liberation.”
The ghetto was liberated by the Soviet Army 17 January 1945. Judith immigrated to Australia in 1966, but was not reunited with Zsuszi until 1971 when her mother-in-law came to visit and brought the doll with her. Judith's husband passed away in May 2011. "No one is interested in my Holocaust story; I never recorded my testimony, and no children to tell." In May 2015, Judith donated her doll to the Museum, on the 4th Jahrzeit (anniversary) of her husband's death.
Received around 1940-41, when she was 4 or 5 years old, Judith named her Zsuszi (Susie in Hungarian). It was an addition to an already large doll collection. Judith carried the doll into the Budapest ghetto in October 1944: “I walked with her to the ghetto under my arm. It is something you never forget. My father was already dead in 1942, they took him away. I went into ghetto with my mother, grandmother and grandfather, and stayed until liberation.”
The ghetto was liberated by the Soviet Army 17 January 1945. Judith immigrated to Australia in 1966, but was not reunited with Zsuszi until 1971 when her mother-in-law came to visit and brought the doll with her. Judith's husband passed away in May 2011. "No one is interested in my Holocaust story; I never recorded my testimony, and no children to tell." In May 2015, Judith donated her doll to the Museum, on the 4th Jahrzeit (anniversary) of her husband's death.
Production date 1938 - 1938
Subjectsurvivors, child survivors
Object nametoys
Dimensions
- length: 420.00 mm
width: 200.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Judith Nagy