Magda Beer - July 5, 1983
Thoughts on Survival
Do you have any thoughts about why you made it through all this, survived?
Well I was very strong. I wanted to live, I wanted. You know, I was ten years alone. I lost a first husband, my son was a small little child, I always working and, you know, I was very, very strong--stronger like a man. And I am still stronger. Sometimes I'm crying. What can I do?
It has to be.
Yeah, I had a wonderful thirty years with my husband and now I am alone again.
And your mother passed away here?
Yes, yes.
How--when was that?
It was uh, sixteen years ago.
Woman: On my birthday.
Yes, on August 23rd.
Sixty-seven, 1967?
Sixty...'65.
Woman: Sixty-five.
No, sixty-five then it's more. Eighteen...
Eighteen years ago.
...eighteen years ago. When we, we left Hungary--no, we left uh, uh, Austria, then in the American consulate uh, the lady comes and ask me that uh, I'm happy that I'm going to America and I started to cry that my mother is here and she didn't get the visa yet, and she said, "If you go to America with your husband and your son, I guarantee a month later your mother will be there." You know, I talk a little English this time and I was lucky that I, I, I can tell her. And really a month later my mother was here. ??? sent the affidavit for my mother, ??? Klein. And my mother has a very happy two years, about two years.
Woman: ???
And we were in Indiana and ???
Woman: You were in ??? when she passed away?
Yeah but only a year ???? yeah. She had a good time. She loved America. She wanted to escape from Hungary. She was the first one who wanted to go away, you know. I think so I told you everything. It's so hard to remember. You want to ask me anything?
Trying to go back over this to make sure I have...
Everybody has a, a life story or his life story like another, believe me.
© Board of Regents University of Michigan-Dearborn