|
|
Emery Gregus
Occupation and
Liberation 1944-1945
Aftermath: The Postwar Years
Remembrances
Chapter 14
The conditions in the city were miserable. Even under the siege, we did not experience hunger, as we did now in liberated Budapest. There was nothing to eat but beans, we ate them continuously in every form, but even from this there was not enough. The actual downtown area of Pest was not too badly destroyed, but from one window in a large house on the Petofi Sandor Street, stood out the tail of a Russian airplane and the entire floor of the building was burned out as a result. This building was where my sister Nelly had moved in not more than two years previously, and where I, in April 1944 had arrived with Bornemissza from Kassa. Everything in her apartment was burned and lost, which was not usual for most of the homes in Pest. For the most part, the apartments remained more or less intact, more or less furnished, and even if the windows were broken, most apartments could be repaired. All of my sister’s belongings and furniture were lost. Jews, who went into hiding, had to leave their dwellings intact or it would have appeared highly suspicious. Not only her home, but also their store on the Vaci Street was burned out and only the walls remained. Besides her daughter, the only person that was left to her was her husband’s senile and elderly father who somehow survived the siege. We never knew for certain if he was ever fully aware of his son’s fate. Later when Nelly tried, unsuccessfully, to resurrect the business, the poor old man sat hour after hour mutely in the corner, like in the old days and just watched. He didn’t disturb anyone, so to speak, but it was still left up to Nelly to support him and feed him, when she had hardly enough to provide for herself.
We
were liberated from an oppressive and tremendous pressure. There was
no more direct danger to our lives and the indescribable suffering of
five years of war and persecution had come to an end. But I felt no
special joy. With our liberation, came the news that we had lost everything
We lost our family, parents, my sister, Vali, her husband Bandi, and
their children. There was no hope whatsoever for their return. Karcsi
might be alive somewhere, but after some weeks it became clear that
he too had perished in Russia. It took a long time until it became definitely
known that Gyuri had also perished. No one heard anything about Nelly’s
husband, Simon. Slowly, after many, many months my sister came to know
that he was taken towards Germany and, under these circumstances he
perished as well. Disappointment came after disappointment.
I
have always watched with some envy the old black and white film clips
from Times Square announcing the war’s end. The teletype radiates
the announcement of the German defeat or the Japanese surrender. The
Square is filled with exuberance and excitement. Soldiers and loved
ones are returning home and families embrace joyously.
I remember the spot exactly. I was walking on Emperor Wihelm Road. Loud speakers mounted on top of electricity poles blared the news that the Germans had put down arms and the war had come to an end! But by then we could not be joyful anymore. The news that the war had ended came slowly and then began the road to peace, which as my good friend, Mandel Kicsi said, involved some risks. Maybe these new risks were no longer a question of life and death, but just the same, one would need to find their place in the new order; and one could not be sure of the consequences it would bring.
|
© Concordia University |