Diaries: 1944 March 31-1944 May 25; 1944 May 25-1944 July 3; Loose material from diaries

24 it smelt after fear of loosing their privileged situation. Now these people, by greeting the G. invading troups with relief, have disclosed the fact how utterly indifferent they are [strikethrough] with regards [/strikethrough] to the national [strikethrough] [?] [/strikethrough] interests. There is nothing else important for them, but their wellbeing, influence, and [strikethrough] connections [/strikethrough] power. See the Zorkóczys, Becks, Bingerts, etc.

April 7. Goodfriday. The nazis understand to twist on the Jews after every move of the allies. After the Monday daylight raid they summoned the Jewish [strikethrough] committee [/strikethrough] Council and told them to [strikethrough] report [/strikethrough] release 500 [strikethrough] flats [/strikethrough] apartments for the use of the [strikethrough] blitzed [/strikethrough] bombed out Gs in 24 hours. Next day the [strikethrough] committee [/strikethrough] Council could not report more then 380 [strikethrough] flats so they put [/strikethrough] two members of the [strikethrough] committee in custody [/strikethrough] Council were taken as hostages. The Council was told [strikethrough] them [/strikethrough] to [strikethrough] evacuate [/strikethrough] report not 500 but 1000 [strikethrough] flats [/strikethrough] apartments in 12 hours, if not, their hostages will be shot. The evacuation means only evacuating people and what they can carry away in two-three-four hours, sometimes only what they can carry in their two

25 hands. Transport facilities are not available. Furniture [strikethrough] has [/strikethrough] is to be left behind, kitchen utensils too. In a Csáky utca house all the other inhabitants, gentiles, their servants, all helped to move and save what was possible. These people have to double up with other families in the house. (All the time I am writing, an alarm is going on [strikethrough] in our radio[/strikethrough] .) Besides these so called legal measures the looting of some Jewish [strikethrough] flats [/strikethrough] houses at different parts of the town is an everyday affair now. Drunken G. soldiers go to [strikethrough] different flats [/strikethrough] houses (Ujpest is their favourite now) and ask for money and [strikethrough] values [/strikethrough] valuables. They go [strikethrough] the [/strikethrough] at night.

A new order appeared in today’s papers: Jews have to give up their radios, within three days [strikethrough] are given [/strikethrough]. They [strikethrough] may [/strikethrough] are not permitted to sell or give it away. At Alkotmány u. 16. secretary of state Ángyán was taken into custody today.

The whole capital was flooded yesterday by yellow posters (drawing of hammer and sickle = Star of David) like this. Meaning: communism and Jews are the same. Today there were

26 scarcely a few to be seen. They were damaged or disappeared entirely. Seeing the fiasco [strikethrough] Jerry [/strikethrough] the Gs ordered to remove them, [strikethrough] the rests I mean [/strikethrough] those that were left. One of my friends, seeing a poster-man scraping the remnants of a yellow poster, [strikethrough] queried [/strikethrough] inquired [strikethrough] him about it [/strikethrough] and [strikethrough] the man told him [/strikethrough] was told they have orders to remove them without a trace. What next? They won’t put up with the situation, I am sure.

Seen Erzsike, Ancy, Irmus, and Pubi [strikethrough] have [/strikethrough] ‘phoned.

April 8, Good Saturday. Rather cold, rainy morning. No alarm on our radio but G. bombers raging over us at a low level, just as they did on the day of invasion. [strikethrough] Are they looking for prey? [/strikethrough] Has something happened inside the country? Our “great allies” are capable [strikethrough] for [/strikethrough] of anything.

[strikethrough] Lovely [/strikethrough] Good old times, when a gentleman could afford to be an antisemite! Exclaimed a friend sometime ago. This is the situation: in these days you can’t help to feel for them, whatever your feelings

27. may have been before. Besides, it is only [strikethrough] the [/strikethrough] a question of time, we Hungarian gentiles may get the same [strikethrough] fate [/strikethrough] treatment, see occupied countries.

Same night. [strikethrough] An agreeable [/strikethrough] a pleasant evening spent with the Horchlers. Coming home at half past nine, I just arrived to hear an alarm [strikethrough] in [/strikethrough] on the radio. Cold outside but the moon coming out of the clouds.

Pubi was here the afternoon.

At Mártonhegyi ut 38 ([strikethrough] before [/strikethrough] some time ago it belonged to the Liebsteins) a Polish refugee lived with his Hungarian wife and child. I [strikethrough] am [/strikethrough] was told today, he too was rounded up by [strikethrough] Jerry [/strikethrough] the Gs, on every occasion the [strikethrough] pretence [/strikethrough] pretext is an English spy.

Apr. 9. Easterssunday [An alert began here] At 1012 last night begun an alert [An alert began at 1012 last night] [strikethrough] here [/strikethrough]. I dressed up and was all prepared to go downstairs but did not go. Staying in my [strikethrough] flat [/strikethrough] place was so much better. There were but distant noises, mostly [strikethrough] flack [/strikethrough] AAC. larm was given [strikethrough] to [/strikethrough in different parts of the country, the south, the west, the north-east (Ungvár) so I suppose both the western allies and the Soviet had something to to with the affair. As to what

28 happened, we do not know yet.

About last Monday’s raid over Bpest, casualities are said to be between 1000 and 5000.

Same night. Hanna Sz. and Maria Pató here the evening. The morning Anni Pravda came with a beautiful rose coloured hyacynth and some mákos-diós from her mother. She is promoted to a clerk in the optical factory, is very happy and feels it as a social elevation. I lunched on the hill, young Pali is home, with some lung trouble. He looks feverish, euphoric, not quite himself. Apu got rid of his deputizing for the foreign secretary, Arnóthy-Jungerth took the responsibility, he is sixty, his service years finished, has nothing more to gain or loose. I understand, [strikethrough] Jerry [/strikethrough] the Gs still [strikethrough] does [/strikethrough] do not have Bethlen neither Kállay, nor Ali. Bethlen somewhere hiding, Kállay at the Bpest Turkish legation and Ali is sleeping every day at another house, day time walking on the streets. So Erzsi and the children. I suppose the G. do not want them seriously, they could [strikethrough] detain [/strikethrough] find them, surely.