Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Magda Beer - July 5, 1983

Introduction

This is an interview with Magda Beer in Oak Park Michigan on July 5th, 1983 and the interviewer is Kay Roth. Well, why don't we start like we did with Mrs. Klein? What--where were you born and when?

Hungary, Budapest 1915.

And, what was your--how big a family did you have?

I had a widow mother because my father passed away when I was two years old. And I had a brother who died in Russia, like a, what you call uh, armored soldier?

Forced labor?

Forced labor. And my first husband, also.

So, so when you grew up there was just you, and your, your brother and your mother?

Yes.

And how did you live? I mean, what--did your mother work or?

Yes, my mother made dresses and uh, when I was fifteen I went in an office and I was working.

And that was when you finished school?

Yes, I finished school. I had gone uh, middle school and one uh, commercial. You know, in Hungary it's different like here.

Mm-hm.

And after fifteen or so I went to work and I was working and my son born. I married in '41 April, and my son born--I'm sorry, yes, forty-two May my son born.

And what was your husband's name?

It's uh, Haskovitch. I don't know how you, you can...

K-O-V-I-T?

Haskovitch

Oh, do you want to write--you can write it here if you like.

Yeah it's ok. It's a little bit too much.

Go ahead. Too many letters?

Yes. This too, it not belong here.

Okay, H-E-R...

And this is an S not a Z.

Okay, okay.

Yeah, Andur.

Andur?

A-N-D-U-R.


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