Object numberM2016/029:001
DescriptionLetter written by Olga Rosenberger to relatives in Tel Aviv after she arrived back in Bratislava following her liberation in Bergen Belsen, 15 April 1945. She was 18 years old when she returned, as her family's only survivor, to her home town Bratislava. The letter is written in fluent Hungarian, a language which today Olga hardly uses. In fact she cannot remember how she had come about writing such a long letter in a language she never learnt properly.
Olga writes about her delight receiving their first letter. She has sent several letters before and was anxious to hear from her Aunt and Uncle. Olga describes her sadness that no-one else has returned and her disappointment about some (distant) family members not returning Olga's parents property to her...."It hurts when family members do not return things, other than that, it would not be that important, but it is not nice at all. I am not in contact with them now."...
On the other hand she was very pleased to meet up with her cousin Tomy.
Olga intends to go to her Uncle Julius and family (in Budapest) to pick up some items which she left with them. As the winter and cold weather is looming, Olga will need some warm clothes. Olga ends the letter with her hopes that the Aunt will be satisfied with her long letter and now she will wait very patiently to receive a similar letter from her.
Olga's Aunt Irene died in Israel in the late 1990s and her daughter Chava, who lives in Bersheba, found this letter and other correspondence and documents and sent it to Olga. They do keep in touch although not too frequently and don't visit each other.
Olga Horak (nee Rosenberger) was born in August 1926 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia to Hugo and Piroschka Rosenberger. She was 17 when first deported to Sered, then Auschwitz- Birkenau, Kurzbach, Gross Rosen and Bergen-Belsen, where she was liberated. She immigrated to Australia in 1949. Olga received an OAM in 2014 for service to her community.
Olga witnessed the Nazi Regime turn Czechoslovakia into a 'puppet republic'. The government agreed to laws that restricted the lives of Jews. They weren't allowed to go to school, be out after dark, go to the movies or sit on a park bench.
In 1942, Olga's sister Judith was taken in a roundup of 16-year-old Jewish boys and girls to Auschwitz. She never saw her sister again. Out of fear, her parents made plans to escape; they illegally crossed the border into Hungary, but Budapest wasn't easy because they didn't have papers or a home. When bombings began in 1944, Olga and her parents couldn't take refuge in the shelters without being caught. They returned to Bratislava, crossing illegally over the border again.
Back home, Olga's family had false papers. But a cousin was found out and these documents were no longer secure. The family went into hiding with the help of a family friend, but the same friend denounced them two weeks later. The family was taken to a collection camp in Sered before being put in cattle cars to Auschwitz. During the selection process, her father, grandmother, aunts and cousins were taken away and murdered. Olga and her mother were stripped, shaven, registered, and sent to Germany into a camp where they had to carry logs and dig trenches. One morning, the women were evacuated on a Death March, walking through the snow until reaching Gross Rosen. After three days, they marched again until they arrived in Dresden, eventually ending up in Bergen-Belsen. On 15 April 1945, they were liberated by British and Canadian troops. Inmates were registered as survivors, but just as her mother received her card, she collapsed and died. A day that was supposed to be celebratory turned out to be one of the saddest of Olga's life.
Olga was taken to a German hospital where she was left to die. A Catholic Padre from the British Army came to give her last rites. Instead she asked for a Rabbi who arranged for her to be returned back to the sick bay at the camp. She stayed there until late August and was then transported to a hospital in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, weighing 29 kilos. She was placed next to a Catholic woman named Bozena. When Olga was discharged, Bozena took her home with her. Soon, Olga found distant relatives in Bratislava who survived and she lived with them for two years before she met her husband, John Horak, a survivor who had trained as a textile engineer in Brno.
They were determined to leave Czechoslovakia. Eventually they got a tourist visa for Switzerland and then landing permits for Australia. They arrived on the TSS Cyrenia on 16 September 1949 where they established a business manufacturing blouses, Hibodress, within two weeks after arriving.
Olga writes about her delight receiving their first letter. She has sent several letters before and was anxious to hear from her Aunt and Uncle. Olga describes her sadness that no-one else has returned and her disappointment about some (distant) family members not returning Olga's parents property to her...."It hurts when family members do not return things, other than that, it would not be that important, but it is not nice at all. I am not in contact with them now."...
On the other hand she was very pleased to meet up with her cousin Tomy.
Olga intends to go to her Uncle Julius and family (in Budapest) to pick up some items which she left with them. As the winter and cold weather is looming, Olga will need some warm clothes. Olga ends the letter with her hopes that the Aunt will be satisfied with her long letter and now she will wait very patiently to receive a similar letter from her.
Olga's Aunt Irene died in Israel in the late 1990s and her daughter Chava, who lives in Bersheba, found this letter and other correspondence and documents and sent it to Olga. They do keep in touch although not too frequently and don't visit each other.
Olga Horak (nee Rosenberger) was born in August 1926 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia to Hugo and Piroschka Rosenberger. She was 17 when first deported to Sered, then Auschwitz- Birkenau, Kurzbach, Gross Rosen and Bergen-Belsen, where she was liberated. She immigrated to Australia in 1949. Olga received an OAM in 2014 for service to her community.
Olga witnessed the Nazi Regime turn Czechoslovakia into a 'puppet republic'. The government agreed to laws that restricted the lives of Jews. They weren't allowed to go to school, be out after dark, go to the movies or sit on a park bench.
In 1942, Olga's sister Judith was taken in a roundup of 16-year-old Jewish boys and girls to Auschwitz. She never saw her sister again. Out of fear, her parents made plans to escape; they illegally crossed the border into Hungary, but Budapest wasn't easy because they didn't have papers or a home. When bombings began in 1944, Olga and her parents couldn't take refuge in the shelters without being caught. They returned to Bratislava, crossing illegally over the border again.
Back home, Olga's family had false papers. But a cousin was found out and these documents were no longer secure. The family went into hiding with the help of a family friend, but the same friend denounced them two weeks later. The family was taken to a collection camp in Sered before being put in cattle cars to Auschwitz. During the selection process, her father, grandmother, aunts and cousins were taken away and murdered. Olga and her mother were stripped, shaven, registered, and sent to Germany into a camp where they had to carry logs and dig trenches. One morning, the women were evacuated on a Death March, walking through the snow until reaching Gross Rosen. After three days, they marched again until they arrived in Dresden, eventually ending up in Bergen-Belsen. On 15 April 1945, they were liberated by British and Canadian troops. Inmates were registered as survivors, but just as her mother received her card, she collapsed and died. A day that was supposed to be celebratory turned out to be one of the saddest of Olga's life.
Olga was taken to a German hospital where she was left to die. A Catholic Padre from the British Army came to give her last rites. Instead she asked for a Rabbi who arranged for her to be returned back to the sick bay at the camp. She stayed there until late August and was then transported to a hospital in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, weighing 29 kilos. She was placed next to a Catholic woman named Bozena. When Olga was discharged, Bozena took her home with her. Soon, Olga found distant relatives in Bratislava who survived and she lived with them for two years before she met her husband, John Horak, a survivor who had trained as a textile engineer in Brno.
They were determined to leave Czechoslovakia. Eventually they got a tourist visa for Switzerland and then landing permits for Australia. They arrived on the TSS Cyrenia on 16 September 1949 where they established a business manufacturing blouses, Hibodress, within two weeks after arriving.
Production placeBratislava, Slovakia
Production date 1945-10-21 - 1945-10-21
Subjectcommunication activities, liberation, survivors, post-liberation recovery, postwar family interactions
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- four pages length: 205.00 mm
height: 152.00 mm
Language
- Hungarian Bratislava 21 October 1945
Dear Aunt Irene, Uncle Karl and children,
I was very please indeed to have received your first letter. I was surprised that you did not know that I am already at home. I wrote to you immediately after I have arrived and have also sent telegrams a few times. Mathew came and found me after he traced me a few days ago. I was truly surprised to see such a good looking handsome soldier. He brought chocolates; lollies, soap and the biggest surprise were two pairs of pure silk stockings. That made me really very happy. It was much appreciated because I am so very needy. Nothing was left and found from my dresses at all, just a few things from my dear sister Judith, these I am wearing now. No underwear was found, I only have things from Aunt Frieda which she has lent me. I am staying with her and am very content. I do not know how I will ever be able to reciprocate for her goodness. Also Tomy eats here but he lives in his family house in Zriny street. I would be happy if he could come too, as well, and hopefully he will grow up into a decent human being. He does not respect me at all. [Tomy was 16 yrs old only survivor relative]. I have no nerves nor am I in a mood, or have patience to be annoyed with him. I am busy with important things; it is just over one year since we were deported. I am constantly dreaming how beautiful it could be to be together and I wonder why has our good Lord punished us so much? I do not like to complain too much, I would love to come to Eretz, start a new life, and be able to forget. Unfortunately this is not easy, I am afraid, things cannot happen that fast.
Now I will try to answer your questions:
Only Tomy and myself have returned up till now. Also Uncle Lipot with Andrew (to Hungary) but I am not in contact with them yet. Unfortunately, I have no additional information about the rest of the family. I am slowly trying to collect things, but most the items were not returned, they were the most valuable ones. But I am helpless. It hurts when family members do not return things, other than that, it would not be that important, but it is not nice at all. I am not in contact with them now.
I only see Uncle Adolf and his family, I may move in with them soon. Aunt Frieda will lend me some furniture and I will be using the old dining room. Nothing was left from our own furniture, not even one single pin. Assets were not yet returned. I do not know what will happen as the ‘Land Registry Authority’ sold the Jewish land in 1942. I will try to fight for my rights now. There are new las also regarding the house in Gyurkovic Street, until you will come and look after it yourselves.
I would love to see you and the children. I asked Mathew about everyone. He told me that Miri is an adult young lady and that Dita is a bad eater, also that Evi started school already. I wonder whether they still remember us.
Evi Bardos also writes and sends photos. The little ones are very sweet and Aunt Frieda is very happy. Uncle Julius and family (in Budapest) are well. I would like to travel there a pick up some items which we left with him. It would be so good for me, now in winter they would be so very useful. For instance a fur coat (peshaniki) which Aunt Nelly has given me. These were also some minks (shawls) and a few other things, belonging to my mother and father. I hope that you will be satisfied with my long letter and now I shall wait very patiently to receive a similar letter from you. I also have written to you via Canada and have asked aunt Sidonia to forward the letter to you. Lots of kisses to you all, Olly.
P.S. How is Hedi, Gerti and Puco? My regards to them too and tell them to write to me. Mathew was here just now. He is so very decent. He brought a variety of tinned food and made notes of things which Tomy and I would need. He will send these things from Italy, winter things, shoes, etc.
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mrs Olga Horak