Vera Schey - June 10, 1994
Maintaining Contact with Neighbors
Did you maintain contact with the people who hid you?
Oh absolutely, absolutely. They uh, after we came to the United States we sent packages to them all the time. And then they had two children. He was, was, the neighbors, they had two children and one of them married an American soldier and came to the United States and lives now in Wisconsin. They, they both died by now, but when we went back the first time they were still alive. He was still alive, she wasn't. And we looked him up and we kept sending packages and... Of course, while, while this whole thing was, they did not accept anything from us. And when it was over, whatever was in their possession, what the Russians didn't take away--and I saw with my own eyes as they were taking down things which were mine from their apartment, walking down the stairs--fourth, we lived on the fourth floor. And the elevator wasn't working then and as I was walking up I see on his shoulder my--well, in Hungary it was usually, it was customary dowry. Not like uh, I mean, every girl had uh, linens and tablecloths embroidered and stuff like that, which was kind of customary to have. And I saw them walk down with my pink and yellow and light blue sheets, embroidered sheets on their shoulder which were, they were taking for their, from their house because my house there was nothing. So whatever they didn't take, they gave us back, everything.
How did you get the silverware then?
That they, they didn't take it from them.
You...
Then had it and they didn't take it.
Oh that--they were the people who had the silverware?
They had, they were the people who had it.
Do you keep in touch with the daughter?
Yes, yes. And, and I--as I've mentioned before, I, I wrote the letter to Yad Vashem and asked them to put them in the--wrote the whole story and asked them to uh, designate them as, as uh, Righteous. Which after two years of letters back and forth, some phone calls, finally it did happen. I didn't think, I was so thrilled I can't tell you. It was like a crowning or something. I was so thrilled that I was able to do that and even so, the parents weren't alive, the son is in Hungary and I've seen him and she is here and I thought they would be so thrilled. Nothing. Nothing.
It means more...
I mean, they acknowledged that they got it and not thank you, that was nice or I'm glad for my parents. Nothing.
Probably means more to you.
Hm?
It means more to you.
It does.
And I suspect it would have meant a lot to them.
I, I'm sure it would have. Now it's another interesting thing. She--the daughter who's in Wisconsin says that her mother was here visiting her and visiting us and stayed with us and I have a total blank. I can absolutely not remember. And it's-- there's no question because she said you had the shoe store in Birmingham and you lived in Oak Park and we stayed with you for three days. My mother was still alive. And I can absolutely not remember. And I asked my friends, one or two who--we were very close. One of them remembers it. And I do not remember. Can you believe that?
Sure.
Why? I mean, I thought of them so fondly. Why would I not remember? It's not a bad memory, it's a good memory. Why in hell don't I remember? And when she told me, I said, "You know, I can't believe it, but I don't remember it at all." And she kept, you took us to the shoe store, and you gave us shoes, and...
[interruption in interview]
So, I think that's about it Sid.
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