Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive

Magda Beer - July 5, 1983

Life Under German Occupation

In the meantime, did your--your father-in-law's business was like under the name of a Gentile family?

No, no, no, no, Haskovitch.

I mean, he was allowed to keep--he was taken away right away, right? In '44?

Yes, yes, and when the--this--the Hungarian--the SS--I don't how you call milosh.

Woman: ???

Yeah.

Woman: ...the Iron Guard or whatever

When they take him away, my mother-in-law and myself we were scared that they will come and they will search the whole house for money and for jewelry. And I had a really hard time to put away everything and I did, but they weren't--but they don't come. Only I was once visiting him in the um, seminary the rabbinical seminary, and I saw him only two minutes and he wanted to tell me where he put some very some very, very...

Woman: Precious stones.

Yeah, some jewelry, and he couldn't tell me because the SS was outside and this was the last that I saw him. And I--my first husband never come home.

When was he taken away?

Uh, my son born in May '42 and in, in the middle of October.

Of '42?

Yes.

Woman: Forty-four.

No, forty-two.

Woman: Forty-two.

To a labor camp? Was he forced labor?

Yes, yes in '42.

Did you, did he ever get home before...

No he--once or twice. My--this time in '42 my father-in-law told him, "If you need money just send a little note and if you can help yourself just send and we will pay." And once he sent a little note but uh, and my father-in-law paid and from this time, we didn't hear.

You didn't know where he was taken?

No, I know some ??? some Russia's little village. And after the war one man came and he said that my first husband was so good to everybody. He went to take all the food from the--I don't know how you call...

Woman: The village.

No, you know it was supply uh, food supply.

Woman: Storage.

Yes, and my husband take more and give away to the people. He was very, very handy to the mans. Anyways he said, "Maybe, maybe Andur is already home," but--and after ten years I don't know.


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