Diaries: 1944 July 3-1944 August 19; 1944 August 20-1944 September 13; Loose material from diaries

28 [[Clipping]][Hungarian] !Társuljon! Koporsó-gyárhoz 200.00 pengövel ½-ben Forgalmi Iroda Rákóczi-út 61. 111.em.6

July 12. Wednesday. You see, business is flourishing, even if only in coffins. Some days ago I [strikethrough] have [/strikethrough] read in the papers about the death of old Wildner, Dénes’s father.

Since Saturday I feel a little relieved of my troubles but now a reaction seems to take place I am [strikethrough] very [/strikethrough] exhausted, sleep late in the mornings but am not rested, all day a heavy headache. This afternoon I met Lacy, I miss her. [strikethrough] rather. [/strikethrough] It came to daylight, she [strikethrough] is christened [/strikethrough] had converted since 1938. Later I had to see Mrs Kárász, mother of Ilonka, Zsuzsa and Kati. I like her way of thinking, absolutely honest, we agreed on many points. Her daughter was called up for labour service and [strikethrough] has she no luck, [/strikethrough] she [strikethrough] will [/strikethrough] may be sent to Rahó, inspite [strikethrough] her [/strikethrough] of being in [strikethrough] civil service here. [/strikethrough] non-military employment. Rózsi tells me about the recent divorce of Pisti and Mimi. It was again Pisti, who began to flirt with someone else but since he left her, she lives scandalously too. Gréti is going

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to have a baby and made a success out of her second marriage, I am told.

Quite [strikethrough] [?] [/strikethrough] unexpectedly I met Lulu Sebestyén this afternoon. She told me there [strikethrough] happened yesterday scandalous [/strikethrough] were scenes before the Teréz church at Nagymező utca. Many Jews are living in the neighbourhood. Yesterday some organized gang appeared and made noise before the church and spat on the priest who tried to pacify them. No need to say, the hooligans had no yellow stars. In Today’s Esti Ujság I read an article in the same sense, christians complaining [strikethrough] on [/strikethrough] of Jews, because they “infest” the churches.

July 13. [strikethrough] We [/strikethrough] Thursday

A comparatively quiet day. The morning I met Elma and Lulu on the street, the afternoon Emil, instead of Erzsike. Later in the afternoon the two Mariannes Horchler, Halasz came here. They know about the same [strikethrough] from the circumstances [/strikethrough] of the recent turn of affairs. There is talk about a letter, addressed to the regent by the Swedish king. Crown council. Military dictatorship.

The evening I was asked to the Hermans. We

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had a quiet [strikethrough] chat [/strikethrough]. Thus I [strikethrough] evaded [/strikethrough] avoided Mrs Székely who yesterday came to me at 10 30 p.m to tell me in detail what doctors had to say about her mother [strikethrough] and what she ate. [/strikethrough] etc.

11 15 p.m. Heavy [strikethrough] airtransport began again [/strikethrough] airtraffic over us. It is at least the third one, I [strikethrough] can [/strikethrough] hear the first’s noise did not die in the distance, when the second [strikethrough] begin [/strikethrough] began. – After the heat of last Saturday and Sunday there are nice cool days now. One does not feel July as a burden.

July 14. Friday.

The morning began with [strikethrough] alarms [/strikethrough] alerts, we had none [strikethrough] since [/strikethrough] for a week – it is Földvár this time. [strikethrough] already. May be, it will go father, then us, over Sopron and Győr the routine used to be Austria. [/strikethrough]

A phantastic story is told in town [strikethrough] since one or two [/strikethrough] the past few days, I have to tell you, just because it sounds so unbelievable. A [strikethrough] sublieutenant [/strikethrough] second lieutenant took three men – ranks and [strikethrough] files [/strikethrough] file – to a bar and [strikethrough] gave them [/strikethrough] ordered drinks. [strikethrough] A lot. [/strikethrough] Several rounds. When they were [strikethrough] drunk enough [/strikethrough] under the influence, he said, he [strikethrough] is going [/strikethrough] will go into the Golberger villa (Óbuda), where István Bárczi, a [strikethrough] former cabinet minister is [/strikethrough] secretary of state for the council has been living [strikethrough] recently [/strikethrough] lately, he is

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going to [strikethrough] have a [/strikethrough] talk with him and in the mean time the soldiers should [strikethrough] come after him [/strikethrough] follow and shoot [strikethrough] Mr [/strikethrough] Bárczi [strikethrough] in the stomach[/strikethrough]. One of the men was not drunk enough, remonstrated, said, well, if I do this, I shall be hanged for it. The [strikethrough] sublieutenant [/strikethrough] lieutenant got angry, took his revolver but the man was [strikethrough] more quick [/strikethrough] fast and fired first. [strikethrough] at him wounding him seriously. So [/strikethrough] The plot came to daylight and allegedly it was one of the secretaries of state, who gave [strikethrough] the command [/strikethrough] orders for the attempt. – This taking justice (or whatever you call it) in [strikethrough] the [/strikethrough] one's own hands is a dangerous [strikethrough] stage. [/strikethrough] game. Plus, we do not see anything about these things in the papers. It would take all mysteriousness out of such affairs, could we [strikethrough] [?] [/strikethrough] read about it. [strikethrough] But, about the gentleman, living recently at the Goldberger villa I have read an article a few days ago at Esti Ujság. [/strikethrough] Same night. The morning we had alarm from 9 30 a.m. until 11 30 a.m. and a raid with [strikethrough] about [/strikethrough] some 500 bombers. It was again oil, Shell Fanto and something at the Gubacsi ut. People do not even talk about it, we got accustomed to raids.

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Irmus [strikethrough] invited [/strikethrough] asked me yesterday so after office I went after [strikethrough] my work [/strikethrough] to see them. All three were at home, [strikethrough] as [/strikethrough] Vilmica is back from Tinnye. Lajoska is [strikethrough] out [/strikethrough] home since three days. I believe it was very inconsiderate of the doctors to let him out of the [strikethrough] Asylum [/strikethrough] hospital, he is far from [strikethrough] healthy [/strikethrough] well. He tells the children to wash their hands in cherries, of course, they laugh at him. He has again his persecution complexes, complains about his best friends; they are thieves, etc.

The afternoon Lulu Sebestyén came to see me, she is a quiet person, good to be with [strikethrough] her [/strikethrough]. We went to the [strikethrough] gardener (flower nursery) [/strikethrough] greenhouse together and got lovely flowers: phloxes, calendulas, marygolds, ox-eye-daisies and pink antirrhinums. Not to forget [strikethrough] violets [/strikethrough] stock (viola) which [strikethrough] have [/strikethrough] are the most [strikethrough] splendid smell. [/strikethrough] fragrant [strikethrough] scent. [/strikethrough] Part of the flowers I gave to the Hermans, part I have here in my home. Lavenders I got, [strikethrough] from the flower nursery [/strikethrough] too, to put into my closets and drawers against moth. I love the cool [strikethrough] smell [/strikethrough] scent of them. It is so early victorian, grandmother’s times.

Since a few days almost continuous headaches