Diaries: 1943 January 14-1943 May 26; 1943 May 27-1943 October 13; Loose material from diaries

29 full with people, standing and walking, while all tables were occupied. The personel is double of the old one and even so they can’t be quick enough with orders. People eat there and buy full trays with sweets and sandwiches. Terrible noise, this sort of [strikethrough] singing [/strikethrough] sing-song speech, which is so characteristic of Jews. Except myself there was nobody of gentile origin, but the personel of the shop. One small coffee with almond milk= 2*56p . My sort of people do not have the money to pay such prices.

Febr. [February] 4. Thursday. Dédé was here last night, he was at home to say goodbye before going to the frontline, but I have a slight hope their departure will be further delayed as with regards to Russian encirclement there is no positive knowledge of the whereabouts of our troups. [troops] Gn. Nagy Secretary of war allegedly has said “dögöljenek meg a németek”. Margit sent me again bread, ham and milk, all welcome. – I got up early this morning on a beautiful, clear, sunny day. Afternoon I went for a walk on the Svábhegy, 2 ½ hours, real spring in

30 the air, though very much snow still, melting.

Febr [February] 5. Friday. In spite of higher prices of cigarettes, there still continues the shortage [the shortage still continues]. Daru , which I used to buy these days is expensive enough (16 f) and until now I could get it, today no more. I could not have anything else but Symphonia!

The nice weather continues, it seems this winter at least has a kind tendency. Again I had a walk, 2 ½ hours, I am agreably [agreeably] tired but hungry too and this is a problem.

The [strikethrough] newest [/strikethrough] latest thing: the coffee-rooms still have real coffee somehow, so people used to buy up from them coffee already used once. This rest, half of it water, is sold at 8 Pengős per kg and you are happy when you can get it.

At noontime I spent half an hour with Bingerts, inspecting my things there in their cellar.

I am nervous, unhappy and impatient. I hope for final event to be hanging in the air and it is hard nothing to do but wait. I re-read your letters from America but even they do not help. Does

31 this restlessness show that the end is near? Psychologically it used to be the case that people are impatient for long terms and at the end they can’t wait for some hours, minutes.

Febr. [February] 6. Saturday. The weather lasts. A walk on the old hill, could sit on the sunshine, in spite of wind. – The first night since long weeks without [strikethrough] [?] [/strikethrough] a big raid somewhere in Europe. Is that a preparation for something bigger?

Gizi came to fetch me this afternoon as we were invited to Klári (Mrs Forrai) where I met the Clavels for the first time. Elma looks starved, René not so bad. Very cautiously he told me some details of everyday life in occupied France. He seems to [strikethrough] me [/strikethrough] be honest, as he always was.

With Lacy, also present, we guessed at the meaning of Mussolini’s big spring cleaning in his cabinet. We believe it will save Ciano and the family influence, when things take another turn. May be Grandi too, besides he has good connections in England, which would help later.

32 Febr. [February] 7. Sunday. In occupied France people’s fat rations is one dk per day, 25 dk of cereals, bread and flour included, 9 dks of meat for a [underline] week [/underline]. Here, with us in Hungary it is still better but there are things one can not understand well. Milk used to be in town in the early morning hours in peacetime, about 5 a.m. Now it is not here before noon. It used to be distributed from the shops, now you have to go and fetch it yourself. Though butter is rare, it is no reason why could it not be as fresh as it used to be before, but no, it is stale, every time you can get hold of it.

Young Pali rang me up this morning to be sure that I go and lunch with them. It is really nice of them, either Mamuci or Apu, or little Mary or Pali used to do this ringing up and insist on my coming. I do not feel so lonely with them, Peter is my friend too. – Yesterday I had to say some consoling words to Klári Forrai, it is the fourth year her husband is away, at present working at an Inverness hospital and she here with the

33 two boys, a bit tired of the situation. I had to tell her, it will not last long any more but I whish [wish] I could believe it myself.

So many telephon calls today and accumulated program. After Sebes’ I had to meet the Tordays at August tearoom to give a prescription to Macu, then I promised to visit Charlie, very depressed I found him, the reactions of frontline coming to the surface now. Young Pali promised to call at my flat about 8 p. m., so I hastened home, streetcars full and slow all the time, so that I spent one hour from Hanna to home. Here Dédé rang up to know whether he too could come with your friend Mimi. So three young people sat with me until nearly midnight. Tired, time to go to the bed.

Febr. 8. Monday The telephon calls continued this morning. Marguerite K. – H. asked me to lunch with her but as I promised Jamus already to put up a system of cartoteks of her library, I could not and we fixed a meeting for after tomorrow. I had to do some shopping