6. The Ábrahám family

As we saw in Section 4, Rezső was hired by Ignátz Deutsch toteach at the Jewish Community School in Őcsény in 1907-1908. Theymaintained a close relationship even when Rezső was alreadyteaching in Simontornya. He came to Őcsény regularly to teachGerman to Ignátz’s young daughter, Margit. The girl liked her teacher.When Rezső went to visit families with marriageable daughters,Margit ironed his shirt. In May 1909 they became engaged. He was26, she barely 18. They were married on February 6, 1910.

Deutsch Margitka and Ábrahám Rezső are engaged.Őcsény, May 1909.

The young couple liked the songs of Pista Dankó, especially these:

Eltörött a hegedűm, nem akar szólani, Rózsi, Rózsi mi bajod? Mért nem akarsz szólni? A hegedűm majd megreparálom... Szólalj meg hát, rubintos virágom.

and

Madár vígan dalolva lombos ágon, Lágy esti széltől csókdosott virág, És minden, minden széles e világon, Szerelmet érez, hőn szeretni vágy!

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Bevallanám én is titkát szívemnek, S elmondanám, hogy mily híven szeretlek, Elmondanám, de hasztalan beszéd, Hideg szobor vagy, meg sem értenéd.

Rezső knew that an elementary school teacher’s miserablesalary was not enough to raise a family. Ignátz had a relative whoworked for the Déli Vaspálya Társaság or simply Délivasút (SouthernRailroad Company) that served the transportation needs ofSouthwestern Hungary. This relative recommended Rezső for a jobat the Company.

To work for a railroad was considered a very good job withmany guaranteed benefits including a pension plan. The popularslogan said: Teheti, mert vasúti, magyar állam fizeti. (He can do itsince he is with the railroads and paid by the Hungarian state).Therefore, it was not easy to become a railroad employee. TheSouthern Railroad Company did not belong to the state, but later itbecame part of Magyar Államvasutak (MÁV, Hungarian StateRailroads).

Rezső passed theentrance exam mandated by theCompany and started hisrailroad career on March 16,1910. First he had to learndifferent skills necessary for thiskind of job. Thus, he had toreport to Mr. GusztávZimmermann, telegraphsupervisor in Nagykanizsa, tolearn the basics of telegraphservice. After passing thetelegraph examination he was“candidate to station attendantassistant “ (!!!) for a short time,then appointed as “temporaryfile-clerk“ with a salary of 2.80korona per day at theDepartment of TariffReclamations and Repaymentsin Budapest on July 8, 1910. Rezső is a temporary file clerk

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The appointment meant that they had to move to Budapest.Margit did not want to live in the big city. As a compromise, theymoved to Nagytétény, a village just south of Budapest on the West(Buda) side of the Danube, from where Rezső could commute towork by train. (Nagytétény is now District XXII of Budapest). Theyrented a room in the house of a German woman by the name of MáriMilch, who had two sons and two or three cows and sold milk in oneof the markets of Budapest.

László (Laci) was born there on November 13, 1910.

Six-month-old Laci is inoculated against smallpox

In June 1911 Rezső was appointed file clerk of 2nd class with ayearly salary of 1200 korona.This was a permanent job thatprovided security to the family.Rezső signed his oath to befaithful to His Imperial andApostolic Royal Majesty inFebruary 1912. In May he wasadmitted to the Pension Fundof Servants (sic). In June 1913his salary was raised to 1300korona per year. Two yearslater he already earned 1400korona per annum.

Rezső has a permanent job

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So help me God (again) The ultimate job security: Rezső is admitted to the Pension Fund of

Servants

The family soon moved to Márvány Street on the Buda side ofBudapest. This is where their second child, Ilonka, was born on May21, 1912.

Ödön, Margit’s youngest brother, came to live with the family in1913 when he was 12 years old. He started as an apprenticemechanic but he had seen his father working as a furrier and wantedto become one himself. Later, he moved to a furnished room, marriedSári Fenyvesi, and rented a workshop on Tisza Kálmán Squarewhere he established his successful furrier trade. He employed abouta dozen journeymen and several apprentices. He played all stringinstruments: violin, cello, contrabass, and cimbalom. He taught Rezsőand Laci to play the cimbalom, too.

The family moved again to Nagytétény, this time to a housewith three rooms and a cellar, then back to Buda, to Greguss Street,just opposite the terminal station of the Southern Railroad Company.They first lived at 4 Greguss Street in a two-room apartment, then on

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the first floor of 3 Greguss Street in a one-room apartment but with abathroom. There was an empty ground at the corner of GregussStreet and Nagyenyed Street. The two children played there. It wasalso a place where funeral processions stopped on their way to theFarkasrét Cemetery. During military funerals the orchestra playedGotter Halte, the national anthem of the Empire.

Count Károly Khuen-Héderváry was Prime Minister from 17January 1910 till 22 April 1912. He was followed by László Lukács(22 April 1912 – 10 June 1913), then by Count István Tisza (10 June1913 – 15 June 1917). Everything looked just fine.

Let’s rush with the rushing times! I need Dido for cosmetics!

The Empire engaged in a hate campaign against Serbia in1914. The popular sentiment was strongly for a war. People scantedthe popular slogan: Megállj, megállj, kutya Szerbia, nem lesz tiédsoha Bosznia! (Wait till we catch you, dog Serbia, Bosnia will neverbelong to you!)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo onJune 28, 1914. On July 23, assured by unconditional support ofGermany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued an impossibleultimatum to Serbia. Nevertheless, the Serbian government acceptedalmost all the terms of the ultimatum. In spite of this, the Empiredeclared war on Serbia on July 28 and proceeded to bombardBelgrade with artillery the next day.

The Emperor announced: “Mindent megfontoltam, mindentmeggondoltam” (I have considered and thought everything over). Healso promised that the soldiers will be back home by autumn “whenthe leaves fall.” Total mobilization followed.

The war was supported by many Hungarians who believed theEmperor. However, the national minorities were not so enthusiastic.For example, Rezső witnessed Bosnian soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Army defecating into the water of a public bath in

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Budapest, to show their unhappiness to fight against their Serbianbrothers.

The military discipline in the “K und K“ (Imperial and Royal) Armywas very strict as the following anecdote demonstrates it. Thesergeant explains to his platoon: “The authority of a Private FirstClass is such as that of your village Notary. The authority of aCorporal is such as that of your District Administrator. The authority ofa Lance Sergeant is such as that of your Chief Constable.“ A soldierasks permission to speak: “What is the authority at home thatcorresponds to that of a Sergeant?“ The sergeant replies: “That highan authority does not exist at your home or anywhere else outside theArmy!“

It was generally assumed that the Empire would be on thewinning side of the war. This belief, however, was based onemotions, not facts. For example, the authorities totally forgot to takeAmerica’s possible involvement into account. As a result, the war wasnot only doomed to defeat but it also led to the end of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Total mobilization Up with the war!

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Laci and Ilonka celebrate the war

Rezső was already 31 years old and unfit to military service. Hewas, however, enlisted in the Militia in November 1914. He was notactually called up because railroad workers were consideredperforming military service.

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Rezső is enlisted in the Militia with the right to a braid on the sleeve ofhis uniform

The war ended the universal blissfulness of the happy peacetimes. Béla Zerkovitz’s song reflected the new mood:

Tanulj meg, fiacskám, komédiázni,Tanulj meg kacagni, sírni, ha kell,Tanulj a rosszhoz is jó képet vágni,Magaddal törődj csak, más senkivel.Ne higyj a barátnak, hű szeretőnek,Ne higyj az eskünek, ne higyj soha,Tanulj meg, fiacskám, komédiázni,Mert minden, minden csak komédia.

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At the Railroad Company Rezső became a freighttransportation expert. He specialized in auditing waybills. This was arather complicated task because freights were transported usingdifferent railroads both inside and outside of the country and acomplex system of discounts was in effect.

The family had a permanent permit to travel second-class on allrailroads of Hungary and even on some abroad. Only upper-classpeople traveled first class those days. Ladies, gentlemen andstowaways traveled second class. Third class was for ordinarypeople.

Rezső‘s job required a high-school diploma. He had attended aGymnasium back in Nagyszalonta for two years only. His Teacher’sCertificate was not accepted as a replacement, so he had to pass amatriculation exam for the required diploma in 1916. On top of that,he had to attend a school for training to become a railroad officer. Hereceived this diploma a year later. As a result, he had three diplomas.Neither of them was from an institute of higher education, but he likedto mention his diplomas each time we had an argument aboutsomething.

Rezső’s diploma from the High School of Commerce

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Rezső is qualified as a railroad officer

Emperor Franz Joseph died on November 21, 1916. Charles Iassumed the trone of the Empire. He was also crowned as HungarianKing Károly IV. The war took its victims by thousands. Everything wasrationed. Acordingly, the enthusiasm disappeared and a strong anti-war movement developed. Tamás Emőd’s poem characterizes themood:

Temetőszagot hoz százfelől a Posta,Verje meg az Isten, aki ezt okozta.Aki ezt a nagy gyászt a világra mérte,Az Úristen előtt feleljen meg érte.

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Rationing bread, flour, fat, sugar. Everything for the Army!

War casualties who were lucky to survive

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Against the horrors of the war

Rezső joined the Social Democratic Party in 1916. He was oneof the organizers of the local chapter of the Railroad Workers‘ TradeUnion. Together with Sándor Millok (1887 – 1959), the later editor ofNépszava, the Party’s newspaper, they organized the Party in the 1stDistrict of Budapest. Rezső became secretary of the Party’s sectionat the Railroad Company.

Rezső also met Aladár Weisshaus (1887 – 1963) at theRailroad Company. Weisshaus was a prominent figure of theHungarian workers‘ movement. He was imprisoned for hisrevolutionary activities. As a punishment, he was not allowed to readany books except the Bible. Then he asked a Bible in English andlearned the language from this source (!) so well that when RamsayMacDonald, the later Prime Minister of Great Britain, came toBudapest in 1919, Weisshaus was able to confer with him in English.We will hear of this remarkable man later.

Count Móric Esterházy was Prime Minister from 15 June to 20August 1917. Sándor Wekerle followed him (20 August, 1917 – 31October 1918).

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On November 7, 1917, the October Revolution triumphed inRussia.

Lenin

Funeral hymn over the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy

It was clear that the war had been lost. Soldiers deserted thefront en masse. In the ensuing chaos, Count Mihály Károlyiestablished a National Council on October 24, 1918. A week later the“Aster Revolution” broke out (soldiers put this flower on their caps).

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Tisza was assassinated. Count János Hadik was appointed PrimeMinister, but the “Red Count” Mihály Károlyi replaced him the sameday. He held this post until 11 January 1919.

The enthusiasm was overwhelming and it flared up to an anti-monarchy attitude. People in cafes sang Gotterhalte, the anthem ofthe Empire, replacing the lyrics with the listing of the suits of the so-called Swiss cards, which were and still are the most widespread typeof playing cards used in Hungary:

Hetes, nyolcas, kilences, tizes,alsó, felső, király, disznó.(Seven, eight, nine, ten,knave, boss, king, pig).DISZNÓ KIRÁLY (Pig king), felső, alsó,tizes, kilences, nyolcas, hetes.

The Aster Revolution

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Revolution has broken out! Up with the Republic!

The Empire signed the armistice that ended the First World Waron November 3, 1918. The Empire wasofficially dissolved on November 11. OnNovember 16, the National Councilproclaimed the Hungarian People’sRepublic. Károlyi became its President onJanuary 1, 1919. Dénes Berinkey wasPrime Minister from January 18 till March22, 1919. Károlyi tried his best to establishorder in the country. Among other things,he allowed the regular sergeants to weargolden shoulder straps like officers. (TheSoviet Republic later abolished all ranks.No wonder, most of the commissioned andnon-commissioned officers were againstthe Soviet regime.) Károlyi Mihály, the

Red Count

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The proclamation of the Republic

The chaos that followed was complete. Serb, Czech, andRomanian troops occupied two-thirds of Hungary. The Serb andCroat population of Southern Hungary issued a proclamation in thecity of Újvidék that they wished to join Serbia (November 25). OnDecember 1, the Romanian population of Transylvania issued asimilar proclamation in Gyulafehérvár to join Romania.

On March 20th, 1919, the Entente Powers (France, GreatBritain, Italy, the United States, Serbia, Romania, the Czechs, etc.)delivered the "Vyx Ultimatum" that allowed theenemy states to annex whatever territory was undertheir occupation. The next day, Károlyi and his entiregovernment resigned. The more radical socialistsjumped at the opportunity and joined forces withBéla Kun (1886-1938), the Bolshevik agitator whomKárolyi had released from prison earlier that day.Unfortunately, Kun’s original family name was Kohnand this caused a lot of problems for the HungarianJews later.

The Hungarian Communist Party was organized in a Moscowhotel on November 4, 1918, when a group of Hungarian prisoners ofwar formed a Central Committee and dispatched members toHungary to recruit new members, propagate the party's ideas, andradicalize Károlyi's government. They started to publish Vörös Újság(Red Newspaper) on December 7. By February 1919, the party hadsome 40,000 members, including many unemployed ex-soldiers,

Kun Béla

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young intellectuals, many of them Jews. In the same month, Kun wasimprisoned for incitement to riot, but his popularity skyrocketed whena journalist reported that he had been beaten by the police. Kunemerged from jail triumphant when the Social Democrats handedpower to a government of People's Commissars, who proclaimed theHungarian Soviet Republic on March 21, 1919. Sándor Garbai wasChairman of the Council of People’s Commissars from 22 March till23 June, 1919, followed by Antal Dovcsák (24 June – 1 August), butthe real power belonged to Kun who officially held only the post ofPeople’s Commissar of Foreign Affairs.

The Red Newspaper

On June 25, Kun's government proclaimed a dictatorship of theproletariat, nationalized industrial and commercial enterprises, andsocialized housing, transport, banking, medicine, cultural institutions,and all landholdings of more than 40 hectares.

Dictatorship of the Proletariat!Long live the Hungarian Soviet Republic in alliance with the Russians

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The new regime was enthusiastically supported by theintelligentsia. They sang revolutionary songs like this:

Fel vörösök, proletárok, Csillagosok, katonák! Nagy munka vár ma reátok, Állnak még a paloták. Királyok, hercegek, grófok, Naplopók és burzsoák, Reszkessetek, mert feltámadt Az elnyomott proletár.

Orchestras all over the country played the International:

Föl, föl, ti rabjai a földnek, Föl, föl, te éhes proletár! A győzelem napjai jönnek, Rabságodnak vége már! A múltat végképp eltörölni Rabszolgahad, indulj velünk! A föld fog sarkából kidőlni, Semmik vagyunk, s minden leszünk. Ez a harc lesz a végső, csak összefogni hát, És nemzetközivé lesz holnapra a világ!

Proletarians of the World, unite!

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Even the greatest Hungarian poets saluted the revolution:

Im eljöttem!Eljött a Vörös Isten!És megy s dörgő léptére messze reszketA sárga Szajna s medréből kicsap,Jerichós visszhangot ver vén Westminster,S az Óceán zöld üvegén vörösenElõre rezg ezermérföldes árnya,S átfogja a Fehér Ház vak falát...Hozsánna néked, új Isten, hozsánna!Ismerj meg minket, tieid vagyunk!A szíved hajtó, élő, drága nedv,A diadalmas vörös lüktetésA mi bús bérünktől is gazdagult,S világra ömlő harsonád sodrábaGyötört torkunk reszkető hangveréseSzerényen s mégis egyítve simulA kicsiny, árva magyar jaj-patakA messze zengő, nagy moszkvai árba,Mely most tisztára mossa a világot;Hozsánna néked, új Isten, hozsánna!Legyen szavad teremtés új igéje,Formáld át sáros, bűnös, ócska bolygónk,Mit elrontott sok régi, úri isten.Te istenek közt új és proletár,Formáld boldoggá pörölyös kezeddel,Emelj minket roppant tenyereidreÉs a magad képére gyúrj át minket!

- Árpád Tóth: Új Isten szól hozzátok, emberek!

Ez az ország a mi országunk, Itt most már a mi kezünk épít, Tobzódtatok, tobzódtatok, Éppen elég volt ezer évig.Hír és dal ma riongva vág szét Városfalak közt, falvan, pusztán: Itt van a nép, megjött a Nép Vihar-irammal, Hadak Útján.

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Itt van a nép, trónt ülni fog most Ezer évig férge a rögnek, Itél a nép, ítélni fog S ezerszer jaj a bűnösöknek.

- Endre Ady: A Hadak Útja

Nyakatokon vad, úri tatárok, S mégis büszke a ti fejetek. Frissek a vérben, nagyok a hitben; Csák Máté földjén ti vagytok az Isten. Előre, magyar proletárok!Ami csak szépség s ami reménység, Mind ti vagytok a Tisza körül. Nincs a világon még annyi bánat, S annyi láncosa nincs még a világnak, Mint itt és nincs annyi nagy éhség.Éhe kenyérnek, éhe a Szónak, Éhe a Szépnek hajt titeket. Nagyobb igaza sohse volt népnek, Hitványabb Nérók még seholse éltek. Vagytok: a Ma; vagytok: a Holnap.Én, beteg ember, csupán csak várok, Vitézlő harcos nem lehetek. De szíveteket megérdemeltem, Veletek száguld, vív, ujjong a lelkem: Véreim, magyar proletárok.

- Endre Ady: Csák Máté földjén

Ady was celebrated during the Károlyiregime as the storm bird of the Revolution.He did not live to see the Soviet Republic (hedied on January 27, 1919).

Ady Endre

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Work! Bread is scarce!

Rezső as a social democrat and also as an intellectual wasnaturally attracted to this new life. He was elected to the Great Sovietand also to the so called Executive Committee of Twenty. In the latterhe served together with People’s Commissar Mátyás Rákosi, the laterdictator of Hungary. I have seen a document in the Museum of theHungarian Workers‘ Movement that proved this fact. These were notfull-time positions; he continued his work at the Railroad Company.His salary was raised to 2900 korona per year.

As might be expected, not everybody was happy with thisregime. However, Tibor Szamuely (1890-1919) organized a veryeffective commando force (the so-called Lenin Boys) who went fromplace to place to suppress any counter-revolutionary activity.

The Lenin Boys

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You! Counter-revolutionary, hiding in the dark and spreading disquieting rumors, tremble!

The following anecdote is typical of those times. An old peasantand a young man are sitting in a train car. They start a conversation.The old man consistently calls the young lad “Comrade People’sCommissar.” The young man protests and asks why he is called so.The peasant answers: “Because you are a sniveling brat and alsoJewish.” (“Mert taknyos is, meg zsidónak is tetszik lenni.”)

Shadow counterrevolutionary governments formed in Szeged(occupied by French troops). The “Szegedi gondolat” (Szeged’s Idea)was created by bloodthirsty military officers who gathered there readyfor revenge.

Don’t despair! The triumphant campaign of the Red Army (May-June,1919).

SzamuelyTibor

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To arms! To arms!

In late May, Kun attempted to fulfill his promise to restoreHungary's borders. The Hungarian Red Army marched northwardand reoccupied part of Slovakia. Despite the initial military success,however, Kun withdrew his troops about three weeks later when theFrench threatened to intervene. This concession shook his popularsupport. Kun then unsuccessfully turned the Hungarian Red Army onthe Romanians, who broke through Hungarian lines on July 30,occupied and looted Budapest, and ousted the Soviet Republic on

Red soldiers, forward!

In, into the Red Army!

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August 1, 1919. Kun fled first to Vienna and then to Soviet Russia,where he was executed during Stalin's purges. Szamuely was killedaround the border with Austria while he was trying to escape.

Gyula Peidl (a Social Democrat) formed a new government butit lasted only six days. He was followed by István Friedrich (7 August– 24 November, 1919. Károly Huszár’s government was formed onNovember 24. He stayed in power until 14 March 1920, when he wasreplaced by Sándor Simonyi-Semadam (14 March – 19 July, 1920).

The revenge of the counter-revolution was horrible. The WhiteTerror that followed the fall of the Soviet Republic caused the tortureand death of thousands of communists and Jews (of course, withoutany legal procedures). We can read about the unspeakable atrocitiescommitted by the beasts of the white commandos in Andor Gábor’sLetters from Vienna. The castrations, buryings alive, hangings, andother tortures and mass executions committed in Siófok andOrgovány were especially well documented.

Three prominent butchers of the White Terror: Prónay Pál, HéjjasIván, and Bibó Dénes (from left to right)

Rezső was arrested, too. He was released on September 5 onthe condition that he had to report to the Police every week. Hiscolleagues testified in his defense.

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“I hereby testify that Ábrahám Rezső, clerk of the Southern RailroadCompany, did not commit any crimes during Communism, and he

behaved himself with utmost righteousness. – Horky Ferenc, August15, 1919.“

The Railroad Company also started an investigation that lastedalmost two years. Interestingly, Rezső‘s promotion during the SovietRepublic was approved already on November 28, 1919.

Rezső is a political prisoner Proofs of Rezső’s reporting tothe Police

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Ábrahám Rezső is acquitted of the charges for his behavior duringthe so-called (sic) Soviet Government. April 15, 1921.

The leader of the counter-revolution was Miklós Horthy ofNagybánya. He was born in Kenderes on June 18, 1868. He was aRear-Admiral of the Austro-HungarianImperial Fleet. He served as aide-de-camp (confidential assistant) of theEmperor from 1910 to 1914. InFebruary1918 the sailors mutinied inCattaro (now Kotor), a port in theAdriatic Sea. Horthy ruthlessly putdown the mutiny, ordering theexecution of many sailors, and earningthe nickname of The Butcher ofCattaro. After this heroic deed he wasappointed Commander in Chief of theentire Imperial Fleet. He surrenderedthe Fleet to the new State of Slovenes,Croats and Serbs (the later Yugoslavia)on October 31, 1918.

Horthy Miklós

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After the Romanian occupation he ceremoniously entered “guiltyBudapest” (his own words) riding a white horse on November 14,1919. On March 1, 1920 he was proclaimed Ő Főméltósága aMagyar Királyság Kormányzója (His Serene Highness, GovernorRegent of the Kingdom of Hungary).

Endre Nagy characterized him in his Cabaret:Volt egyszer egy tenger,Azon volt egy ember,Felmászott a trónra,Nem mászik le róla.

Indeed, athough he was Regent of the Hungarian Kingdom, hewas not planning to allow the King to occupy his throne. When KingKároly IV attempted to do so, Horthy’s troops unceremoniously threwhim out of Hungary.

Horthy enters guilty Budapest

Horthy is greeted by the triumphant new rulers of Hungary

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His Serene Highness

On June 4, 1920, the Peace Treaty ending World War I wassigned in the Grand Trianon Palace of Versailles. Its portion knownas the Trianon Treaty sanctified the dismemberment of Hungary. It isa fact that less than half of the population of old Hungary wasHungarian. It is also a fact that the national minorities had beenoppressed by the Hungarian authorities and looked down upon by theHungarian people. They were even referred to by derogatory nameslike tót for Slovak and oláh for Romanian. Transylvania was called theland of three nations: Hungarians, Székelys, and Saxons. TheRomanians who formed a considerable proportion of the populationwere not even mentioned, let alone represented. Many Slovaks tooktheir sons to a high mountain and showed them the land below:Vidish Yano, Magyarzország [Look, Yano, Hungary (with a Slovakaccent)]. And Yano traveled from place to place as a drótostót (tinkerSlovak).

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Therefore, it was justified that after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the Romanians,Slovaks, Serbs and Croats were allowedto join Romania and the newly formedcountries of Czechoslovakia and the Stateof Slovenes, Croats and Serbs,respectively. However, the creators of thisTreaty headed by the senile French PrimeMinister, Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929) established the new borderswithout regard of the actual distribution ofthe population. They took away two thirdsof historic Hungary including suchterritories as, for example, the Csallóközwhere the population was almost purelyHungarian. The entire province of Transylvania was summarilyswallowed by Romania including all of the Hungarian Székelys.

Georges Clemenceau

Justice for Hungary! Cursed be the hand thatsigns this peace!

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This is our cross! He is our supreme leader!This is our Motherland!

The dismemberment of Hungary

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Horthy’s troops in front of the Royal Castle

Although Horthy came to power on Romanian bayonettes, hisregime was based entirely on revenge against all states that acquiredHungarian territory in Trianon, especially Romania. He did not forgetthe Jews, either. Numerus Clausus was intruduced in 1920 by hisPrime Minister, Count Pál Teleki (19 July 1920 – 14 April 1921). Thiswas the first anti-Jewish law of 20th century Europe. No wonder,Horthy bragged that he had been a Fascist before Mussolini. Thenumber of Jews who could be admitted to the Hungarian universitieswas officially designated as no more than five percent of the totalenrollment. As a result, talented Jewish young men left the country bythe thousands, among them Ede (Edward) Teller, Jenő (Eugene)Wigner, Dénes (Dennis) Gábor, and many other future prominentscientists. According to the famous anecdote, during the developmentof the atomic bomb, when Einstein went to the bathroom, somebodyexclaimed: “Gentlemen, now we can speak Hungarian.”

The extreme right-wing elements formed parties like MagyarOrszágos Véderő Egyesület(Hungarian National DefenseForce Union) and ÉbredőMagyarok Egyesülete (Unionof the Awakening Hungarians).They hysterically demandedrevenge.

Meeting of the AwakeningHungarians

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Demonstration of the new masters of Hungary

Horthy used all available means to establish himself as the realruler of Hungary. He went as far as creating his own nobility in theform of the Vitézi Rend (Order of Courageous Warriors). Needless tosay that the first Vitéz was Horthy himself.

Vitéz nagybányai Horthy Miklós initiates new members into his Orderof Courageous Warriors

A few surviving freedom-fighters of 1848 are celebrated in 1920

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Opening an academic year of the Pázmány Péter University

Horthy’s gendarmes in action

Teleki was followed by Count István Bethlen as Prime Minister(April 14, 1921 – August 19, 1931). His task was to make Horthy’sblood-stained regime presentable. He is known as the creator of theera of consolidation. Tortures and killings were replaced by a corruptgentry heel-clicking old-boy regime. To get ahead, one had to know –or even better be a relative - of influential people. The novel Rokonok(Relatives) by Zsigmond Móricz (1879-1942) clearly demonstratesthe true nature of these “happy“ times when decisions were madebehind padded doors by the ruling political and economic elite, poorpeople were starving, but others started to laugh again.

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Bethlen István (far right) and his Cabinet

The consolidation has already started

As always, the Cabaret reflected the mood:

Tudja az Isten, hogy mért lettem ilyen röhögős.Kiderül abból, hogy sohasem voltam nős.Temetés, vagy esküvő, vagy egyéb gyászeset,Nekem az olyan mindegy, mert csak röhögnöm lehet.S ez olyan ragadós, akár a kanyaró,Az én röhögésem elkapja a bon fülébe dó (?). Nevet a gróf, nevet a tót, nevet a Csortos, nevet a Kohn,Nevet az ember, ilyen még nem volt.Kacag a Spock, kacag a Spitz, kacag a Spitzer, kacag a Blitz,Kacag az ember, nincs is benne vicc.Röhög a Bloch, röhög a Blum, röhög a Kohn es Grün,Röhög a Grosz, röhög a Klein, röhög a Silverstein.Remeg a háj, röcsög a máj, reped a mellény, a vese fáj,Nevet a színház, hál’ Isten good bye.

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Hogyha a tárcám elcsórja egy szegény zsebmetsző,Nevetek egyet, de becsapódott ő.Ha a végrehajtó jön foglalni engemet,Nevetek egyet, s felkérem, hogy foglaljon helyet.Ha a lábamra hág egy mázsás asszonyság,Én igy röhögök: “Ne keljen fel, érezze jól Magát!” Nevet a zsé, nevet a faj, nevet az izr, nevet a gaj,Nevet a színház, hál’ Isten nincs baj.

The other side of the consolidation

Shoeblack

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Shimmy was the fashionable new dance:Jön-e velem Nagysád shimmyt járni?Bizsereg a talpam, nem tud várni,Ha a zenekarban hottentotta tam-tam szól.Shimmy ma a táncok fennkölt csúcsa,Már a csecsemő is mind ezt nyúzza,Ajándékba kaptuk eztet mink az Antanttól.Erre tanít mostan Pest és Danzig,Ez lesz a divat itt hundred zwanzig,Most kreálta épp egy néger bölcs a Kongónál.Csak a szerecsen nő volt rá büszke,De ma lobog érte minden nőcske,Shimmy, shimmy, shimmy szívem csücske,Shimmy nélkül nincsen bál!

Poor people danced polka:Sej, haj, Rozi, vasárnap kirándulunk,Meglásd, Rozi, unatkozni nem fogunk.Két szép szemed hamisan kacsint le rám,Polka közben súgom neked,Hogy egy csókra szomjas a szám.

They also sang songs like this one:Éjjel az omnibusz tetején,emlékszel kicsikém, de csuda volt.Lent nyikorogtak a kerekek,s felettünk nevetett a telihold.Miközben a lovacskák bandukoltak Budán át,eloltottam égő ajkad, s a lámpát,Éjjel az omnibusz tetején,emlékszel kicsikém, de csuda volt.

It looked like better times appeared to the Ábrahám family aswell. György (Gyuri), the family’s third child, was born on March 12,1920. Three years later (March 5, 1923) another son was born: TiborIstván (Tibi). The Railroad Company changed its name to Duna-Száva-Adria Vasúttársaság (Danube-Sava-Adria Railroad Company)and Rezső advanced to the position of Controller.

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Ilonka around 1920

Gyuri’s birth certificate

Tibi’s birth certificate

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Tibi is inoculated against smallpox

Rezső became a member of the Chevra Kadisha (Jewish HolySociety) of Buda in 1924. The family, however, could not afford toattend the Dohány Temple during the high holidays. Instead, theyprayed at their relatives, the Friedmans (see Chapter 4), or at smallprayer houses. Some theaters (e. g., Budai Vigadó) were alsotransformed into prayer houses during the high holidays.

Rezső is a member of Chevra Kadisha

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Ábrahám Rezső around 1924

Rezső is a Controller

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Laci was a very smart and quite mercurial boy. He playedexcellent chess since early childhood and was quick to take a boxingstance and hit everyone (including adults) whom he did not like. Oncehe came home from school beaming: “Dad, I know German,” heyelled. “What do you know?” inquired Rezső. Laci answered: “A, a,a…, I have forgotten the rest.“

The children went to school in Attila Street. Rezső wanted Lacito go to a gymnasium (see Béla’s story in Chapter 3) after the 4th

grade. The Verbőczy Gymnasium was at the end of the same street,opposite the Horváth Garden. (As the popular song said: Legyen aHorváth Kertben Budán, úgy este fél nyolc után.) Rezső went to thedirector of the school in his railroad officer’s uniform and was greetedwith the respect due to a Hungarian gentleman of high standing. Thisrespect immediately evaporated when the director looked at Laci’sdocuments that stated his religion. So, Laci went to an ordinarymiddle school.

Laci studied to play the violin, Ilonka the piano, without toomuch success. The two children spent all their summers in Őcsény.There, Ilonka met her first love, László Filler.

Laci’s first-grade report Laci’s third-grade report card card has good grades has no grades (so ordered the People’s Comissar for Public Education)

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Laci is through with elementary Laci graduated from middle school school

Soon, new problems developed in the world. Mussolini came topower in Italy in 1922. In Russia, a bloody civil war was going on. In1924 Lenin died and Stalin started to consolidate his grip on power inthe Soviet Union. Europe suffocated in the grips of the GreatEconomic Depression.

Inflation started in both Germany and Hungary. It swallowedIlonka’s dowry. Korona was replaced by pengő on January 27, 1927(1 pengő was equal to 12,500 korona).

During the Great Depression Béla Zerkovitz’s song was verypopular:

Az egyiknek sikerül, a másiknak nem. A sors olykor nem tudja mit akar. Az egyiknek kiderül, s a nap fénylik fenn, a másiknak nem jut csak zivatar. Az én szívem nem sejti, mi a csók és napsugár, mert nékem nincs senkim, ki szívdobogva hazavár. Az egyiknek sikerül, a másiknak nem. A sors olykor nem tudja mit akar.

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Have YOU signed up as a volunteer (in the Civil War)?

Lenin and Stalin in 1922 Lenin is dead

Benito Mussolini

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A little piece of the emerging “socialist realism:” Female workers andpeasants! All to the elections! Under the red flag, together with men!

– We bring fright to the bourgeoisie!

A ten-fillér (one tenth of a pengő) coin of the Hungarian Kingdom(without a king). The Sacred Crown of Hungary is on the head side.

Rákosi Mátyás, the later dictator of Hungary, as a prisoner in 1925

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The Nazis were already marching

Have you forgotten what happened seven years ago at Trianon?

This was also the era of the roaring Twenties. Josephine Bakerconquered the world by singing with very few clothes on. Everybodydanced charleston:

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Szívemben vágy parazsa nő,meggyújt egy fekete nő tüzes szemével.Beleszerettem rögtön, csak az a baj,hogy szívem olvad, akár a pirítóson a vaj. Az én babám egy fekete nő,a szeme fénylő fekete kő.Fekete hajú, fekete fajú,jól tudom, boldog, akit megölel ő.Fekete gyöngysor van a nyakán,fekete testén csak a banán.Piros, mint tűz a szája,a charlestont úgy riszálja,az én kis fekete babám!

Oly jól csúszik ez a banánhéj,Együtt csúszni ezen, babám, kéj,Dobd el valahova, jobb, mint a datolya,Jaj, csak ne nagyon félj! Ebből származik a banán-blues,Oly jó, mit a zene aláhúz,Egy kis muzsika kő, máris csúszik a nő,Jöjj hát velem, és csússz! Egy kis banán, mindig van ám,Csúszhatsz babám hát,Ha nincs talán, ültess babámEgy kis banánfát!

Josephine Baker

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After her husband’s death in 1917, Róza (Rezső’s mother) livedalone until 1929. She sold geese at the market together with herdaughters, Margit, Cili, and Mili. The Marksteins, parents of the laterwell-known humorous actor, Alfonzó (József Markos) sold geesethere, too. Róza convinced the younger Margit (her daughter-in-law)that she should buy geese from the peasant women right at therailroad station. Goose trading was a good business in those days,especially because of great demand for the liver of forcibly fed geese(this cruel practice is illegal now). The goose traders were mostlyJews. To this day, the anti-Semites shout “Libások!” (goose traders)in soccer stadiums to demonstrate against the MTK soccer club thatused to be affiliated with Jews.

Gyuri in 1927 Rezső at about the same time

The Ábraháms moved from Buda to Pest, to 53 NépszínházStreet, to be closer to the market. The Friedmans (Mili) and the Grófs(Margit) also lived nearby. Then Margit (Ábrahám) became ill. Shedeveloped an organic heart disease. It was believed that the originalreason was that she had punctured her finger with a needle, but it ismore probable that the cause was her latest pregnancy with Tibi. Itbecame desirable for her to live in a place with fresh air. They choseMátyásföld, a very nice, green settlement not far from Budapest (it isnow District XVI of Budapest) in February 1929. Although this is a flatregion, its elevation is approximately the same as that of MountGellért in Buda (about 100 meters above the Danube).

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Margit had to spend most of her time resting with cold water onher chest. This was the accepted practice to treat heart diseasesthen. Housekeeping and cooking became Ilonka’s job. She was only12 years old when she started cooking for the entire family. She hadto stand on a footstool to reach the top of the oven!

They rented a big house (five rooms and a veranda) with alarge garden around it at 6 Szép Street, Mátyásföld. The rent was notvery expensive because the owner lived in Romania, but when hereturned he gave them notice. In June they moved to a newer part ofMátyásföld, 11/A László Street. Their real estate agent was SándorSzentkirályszabadjai Mozgai, a retired captain of the Austro-Hungarian Army. Ödön asked him if there were any furriers inMátyásföld. He replied with disgust: “Come now! Only gentlemen livehere!”

Ilonka’s registration card for moving to Mátyásföld

It was a relatively good time for the family, not counting Margit’sillness. The Consolidation worked well and Rezső had a good salary(270 pengő per month). This was the time when Count KunóKlebelsberg, the Minister of Culture, managed to reform theHungarian educational system. He created 5,000 new schools in ruralareas, established new types of high schools, and fundamentallyimproved the university system by supporting academic research.

There was a Jewish community in Mátyásföld. Its rashe kol(chairman) was Mr. Szekeres, a rich needlework merchant. Hewanted his daughter to marry Laci. He was not the only one. Laci wasa very handsome, smart young man with a good job, but he was notthinking about marriage at all.

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Laci’s graduation tableau

After graduation from the 8th grade Lacicontinued his studies at the High School ofCommerce in Márvány Street. He graduated in1928. To find a job was not an easy task. Basedon the recommendation of his French teacher, hegot a job at the Book Distribution Company of theAthenaeum Printing House. He was a good typistand stenographer. His skills were used in theLegal Department of the Company.

He had been working there for half a yearwhen one of Margit’s cousins offered him a job atthe British-Hungarian Bank. When he disclosedthat he had had a kidney infection, the physicianof the Bank decided that he was unfit for the job. (Once he went tothe Velence Lake with his friends. While rowing on the lake their boatturned over and they had to swim in the cold water. He developed akidney infection, of which he was totally cured.)

Laci tried again with the Hungarian General Savings Bankwhere he was admitted as a “bank boy.“ This was a starting positionthat involved many menial tasks (according to a contemporary joke,the bank boys‘ job was to lick the envelopes before they weresealed). Nevertheless, it was considered a good job because it couldlead to a well-paid position in 10-12 years. Later he was transferredto the Magyar Általános Hitelbank (Hungarian General Credit Bank)where he worked for eleven years.

Laci in 1928

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Laci was an excellent sportsman. He won several fencing,rowing, and target practice competitions. One of his prizes was agood size bronze lion on a marble base. I am sorry it disappearedafter Laci‘s death.

The most influential and richest man in the Jewish communityin Mátyásföld was Lipót Götzl, the inventor, manufacturer, anddistributor of Szidol, a very popular liquid for cleaning silver tablewareand copper door handles. We will meet him again soon.

The Ábraháms were lucky to get acquainted with Dr. LászlóSzemere who was a wonderful, compassionate, and very intelligentphysician. In addition, he was also a poet who translated Hungarianpoems into German! His book Ungarische Dichtungen wasrecognized as an excellent introduction of Hungarian poetry for theGerman audience. He was also a doctor for the Southern RailroadCompany, so he became the family doctor of the Ábraháms. He wasborn before Rezső’s father, but was a very vigorous man. He went onhouse calls on his bike until he was 90 years old. When Margitneeded him, he came even in the middle of the night. Once Margitcomplained about a pain in her belly and asked the doctor where theappendix was. He replied: “I know, but will not tell you.”

On Sundays Ödön visited with his wife. They played musictogether. Rezső played the violin, Ödön the cello, Laci the cimbalom,and Sári sang (she had a good voice).

During Margit’s illness old Róza always felt when she wasneeded and appeared immediately. She loved Margit from the bottomof her heart. When the family moved to László Street, she moved inwith them.

The Ábrahám family in Mátyásföld, 1929:Tibi, Rezső, Ilonka, Margit, Laci, and Gyuri

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Tibi, Ilonka, Laci, and Gyuri

Gyuri graduated from Tibi is a first-grade studentelementary school in 1930

Ilonka became a furrier’s apprentice in Ödön’s workshop. Shediligently prepared food for the entire family and sang softly to herselfsweetly plaintive Hungarian songs:

A Hungarian peasant girl:Ilonka in 1930

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Akácos út, ha végig megyek rajtad én,Eszembe jut egy régi szép regény:Nyáreste volt, madár dalolt a fán,S itt kóborolt, csavargott egy cigány, Megszólítám: De jó hogy megtalállak itt,A legszebb lány tudod-e, hol lakik?Ott arra lenn, túl az akácsoron,Ma estelen egy ház elé osonj. Egy ablaknál állj meg cigány,Úgy muzsikálj, hogy sírjon az a szép leány,Olyan legyen, mint egy szerelmi könnyes vallomás.De csak csendesen,Ne hallja senki más.

Szép asszonynak ábrázatja vitt engem a gyalázatba,De kár, de kár, jaj de kár.Ha meghalok, jó emberek, anyám mellé temessetek,Megbántottam életében, tán megbocsát lenn a földben,De kár, de kár, jaj de kár.

Ödön and his employees in front of his workshop.He is the third from left; Ilonka stands beside him.

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These times are well represented by the annual publication ofthe Triple Books of the newspaper “Az Est:” one book for men, onefor women, and one for children. The Book of Women was dedicated“to working women as a useful tool, to rich women as a gorgeousornament, to young girls as a headlight to the future, and to elderlyladies as a music box with the sweet songs of the past.”

The Book of Women, 1930

Part of a bourgeois home in the 30s

Szökik az asszony, ha nincs GFB harisnyája(The wife runs away if she does not have

GFB stockings)

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Franciska Gaál (aka Szidónia Silberspitz, aka FániGalizenstein) was the most popular actress at this time. When FyodorShalyapin, the great Russian singer, gave a guest performance inBudapest, he had a little affair with Franciska. A frivolous story saidthat the lovers were walking in the rain, and then Saljapin ázott, GaálFranci ázott.(Try to translate this from Hungarian!)

Young servant girls sang songs like this:Meguntam az életemet, felmegyek Budapestre.Ott sétálok a fő utcán minden áldott este.Kicsínosítom magamat, a fejemet jól feltartom,Majd valaki belém szeret odakint a Dunaparton.

Meanwhile, the family enjoyed its peaceful existence inMátyásföld.

Rezső and Margit relaxing in Mátyásföld (1932)

Three Graces of three generations: Róza, Margit, and Ilonka in 1932

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Count Gyula Károlyi became prime minister on August 19, 1931.He held this office until October 4, 1932. On September 13, 1931,Szilveszter Matuska blew up the viaduct near Biatorbágy under theBudapest-Vienna express. Matuska had nothing to do with thecommunists, but the government used this act to announce martiallaw and do away with the communists who were still in Hungary.Sándor Fürst and Imre Sallai were executed in spite of stronginternational protest.

The Biatorbágy viaduct after Matuska’s attack

Young Hungarians pray to Prince Saint Imre

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The openly fascist Gyula Gömbös became prime minister onOctober 4, 1932. Although he died on October 6, 1936, Hungarystarted her irreversible path to total catastrophe under him.

Vitéz jákfai Gömbös Gyula (sitting in the middle) and his Cabinet

Laci was called to military service first on October 1,1932 andserved in a machine-gun company in the Hungarian part of Komáromuntil June 30, 1933.He was called toservice three moretimes later. Hereached the rank ofcorporal with a braidon the sleeve of hisuniform thatindicated that hewas a man withhigh-school education. Laci the soldier

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Horthy’s soldiers (including Laci)

The soldiers sang military songs like these:

Horthy Miklós katonája vagyok, legszebb katonája.Vígan élem katonaéletem, nincsen gondom másra.Masírozok káplár úr szavára, úgy gondolok az én violámra.

Százados úr, sej-haj, százados úr, ha felül a lovára,Hátratekint, sej-haj, hátratekint az elfáradt bakára.Ugye fiúk, szép élet a katonaélet?Csak az a baj, sej-haj, csak az a baj, hogy nehéz a viselet.

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Diófából, sej-haj, diófából nem csinálnak koporsót,A bakának sej-haj, a bakának nem írnak búcsúztatót.Ágyúgolyó lesz a baka búcsúztatója,Barna kislány, sej-haj, barna kislány lesz a megsiratója.

They also marched while singing better songs:

A faluban nincsen kislány csak kettő,Az egyiket elszerette a jegyző,A másik meg a kapuban neveti,Mert őt meg a segédjegyző szereti.

Jaj de magas, jaj de magas ez a vendégfogadó,Van-e benne, van-e benne barna kislány eladó?Ha nincs benne barna kislány eladó,Dűljön össze ez a vendégfogadó!

It is very interesting to read the postcards and letters to Laci fromhis family and colleagues:

Letter from his grandparents in Őcsény

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Postcards from Etel and Ödön

“You must avoid card players by all means. … Your Father”

“Drága Laczi fijam!“ Letter from Margit.(This is the only surviving handwritten remembrance from her!)

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Letter from Ilonka Letter from Gyuri (the gipsy)

Letter from Tibi (the frog croaking) Letter from Aunt Fáni (see Chapter 5)

Private Ábrahám László may leave the barracks before 12 o‘clock

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Excerpt from a long letter from his colleagues (He was very popular!Note his nicknames: Ábris, Áborka, Ámpor).

In 1932 the Danube-Sava-Adria Railroad Company wasnationalized and became part of the Hungarian National Railroads(MÁV). After twenty-two years of service, Rezső was promoted tointéző (a manegerial rank equivalent to captain in the Army).

Rezső is a manager at the Hungarian National Railroads

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The family celebrated Rezső’s fiftieth birthday on December 18,1932. They bought him a leisure coat, a bottle of cognac, fourpackets of tobaco, two pairs of socks. They also prepared a bottle ofcoffee liquor for him.

A month later, on January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler becameChancellor of Germany.

Hitler bows to President Hindenburg accepting the Chancellorship ofGermany (Göring stands behind him on the left).

On March 17 another catastrophe struck the family: Margit died.She was only forty-one years old! They buried her in the BudapestJewish Cemetery. A rose bush was planted on her grave. The smallbush grew wild and became a big tree that was removed twenty-oneyears later when another dead person was buried in her grave.

Telegram to Laci: “Mommy died; funeral on Sunday. Your Father.”