Diaries: 1945 March 11-1945 June 20; 1945 June 25-1945 November 5; Loose material from diaries

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I believe, it is just an individual action on behalf of Székely, our house house-commissioner, who whishes [wish] to use the money for his black market [strikethrough] play [/strikethrough] gamble. He likes the idea, to earn hundred percent on it.

The afternoon. Lacy turned up this morning, the first day when the Francis Joseph bridge was opened, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m allegedly, so it will be in future, every day. She looks well, better fed, then here, poor thing and came loaded with food: flour, rice, bacon, sausages, really much and good food, I promised to visit them for the Easter weekend. Her brother has met Bö , she is coming too, some of these days.

Our landlord has turned up too today, I can see, how Székely was happy to see him. As Lacy, states, no order about the payments is issued yet, people simply begin to pay rents from now on.

March 22, Thursday [[Clipping]] [?] 1945 [?] 20.

Here is a cutting showing the loss in man [strikethrough] craft [/strikethrough] power, during the nazi period of Hungary. About three million.

We have to pay the rent backwards, after all, states Mr. Láng. So I shall be left with hundred and odd Ps. Could we pay it in time, I mean the 1st of Jan and February, it could be taken from the janitor, not from us by the Russians.

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It is the unreliability of everything around us, what hurts. Yesterday, we heard, one bridge is open for civilian traffic. Today we are told, it is closed down anew, when I have made my plans to visit Hanna next Sunday and Lacy on Easter Sunday. And I hoped to go to the [strikethrough] cinema [/strikethrough] movie too, where American and Russian pictures go, we have not seen since ages. Now I have to change my plans, but may be, it will be possible after all to cross.

The afternoon. Pravdáné was here to see me, the angel brought me some bread, bacon and sausages. So the crossing was possible, only but after 12 noon. She left after 4 p.m., so probably won’t be able to cross over to Pest, but I told her to come and sleep here in this case. They survived the siege some people died in their tenant house and many house in their neighbourhood were utterly destroyed, their flat is all right, not even the Russians looted them. The sausages came from Béla, they are OK at home, at Kál, he was here two weeks ago and wanted to visit me at any price, only it was not possible.

Today posters announced that form the 1st of April on we shall have a daily ration of 7 dks of flour or 10 dks of bread. This will be the first step towards provisions made for the population since Xmas. A wonder, we survived.

March 23, Friday I am so happy to see consolidation and so unhappy when contrary. I told you about the Dutch ladies in our house. They especially the old one, was so splendid during

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the siege and is broken now. Elly again has mania for work (possibly to let work other people too) but complaines [complains] all the time. They use a terrible amount of wood but she complaines [complains] of carrying it. She hates Hungary and Hungarians, but whenever she meets nice people and I point it out to her, she says, it is the exception, strengthening the rule. Yesterday, the evening some German planes were over Bpest and strong flack could be heard. I hardly noticed it, after our recent experiences it was but nothing. She complained of it, she had to dress up because of the danger! Now tell me, what was the use of dressing up, when nobody is dreaming of going down to the shelter nowdays. And with all her work and washing all the day (soiled clothes) she goes with dirty face and dirty neck. These senseless deeds are the sign of her personal [strikethrough] disconsolidation [/ strikethrough] organization. May be, the [strikethrough] strain [/strikethrough] stress was too much for her (she was very terrified all the time), but to have to look on is not agreable [agreeable].

The sunshine is beautiful and hardly any wind today. Having finished my morning’s work, I sit behind my balcony to have as much sunshine as possible.

Yesterday’s paper tells us of a big American break through on the Saar, Western frontline. It is splendid news but to speak “about a Bleitzkring” in the sixth year of the war –well, it is exaggeration.

Whatever may be the concept (-ion?) of bolshevism, sovjet soldiers do like to be rich just the same. They go with [strikethrough] lorries [/strikethrough] trucks around selling flour and exchanging goods. Is it about business, they are sharp, as any hard boiled American businessman.

March 24, Saturday Finished quick the morning’s public health meeting

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and since enjoying the splendid day we have. Only a few days of better eating and already putting on. Maria Pató turned up after about two weeks absence she is living on the Pest side. She has news about Maort looking for a flat for Mr. Ruedemann about Bammautyné living in Romania, well, these are the best news, she could bring. She promised in case your friend would turn up, here, I shall meet him somehow. May be he let you know in time, he is coming over and [strikethrough] then [/strikethrough] may have a letter from you already. Such news are going with spring and I am able fully to enjoy it. I took out a summer dress out of the wardrobe (it is so nice warm on the balcony, one feels [strikethrough] hot really [/strikethrough] too warm), it had two holes from splinters. On the last days of siege, when not even paper [strikethrough] hold [/strikethrough] held out the airpressure and was [strikethrough] [?] [/strikethrough] torn open every five minutes, we used this wardrobe as a barricade by the balcony door, partly against cold and partly against splinters. Other clothes are [strikethrough] again [/strikethrough] unhurt, luckily your ermine coat too.

March 25, Sunday (Gyümölcstartó Boldogasszony és Virág vasárnap egyben! ) The most beautiful day, with regards weather and sunshine. I got up early, bathed, dressed, had breakfast and at 9 in the morning I set out for my travel to Pest. Not having a watch, I can not tell you exactly but I suppose, just under an hour I got to the other side, via Németvölgyi árok, transversal road and Francis Joseph bridge. The bridge building is a bravour well made, but again a bit exaggerating. On it there is inscripted. Glory to the Red Army.

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Pest itself, and even the City is a metropolis compared with the Buda side. Not so badly damaged, with help of loans it can be rebuilt in 2-3 years and life begins to go the way [strikethrough] again [/strikethrough] already. People go walking there, not just “robotki” (to work) as with us, they begin to be well dressed, though looted almost everywhere and Jews sell all sorts of things in empty shop windows. Carrots 20 P/kg, one “zsemlye” 6 P, one pair of stockings 250 Ps, etc. I went to see Hanna, they were really happy to see me, had a nice lunch, talked business and siege-events over there at 3:50 p.m. I had to run back, not to miss the bridge. On Bakáts tér I have seen your friend, old Gergely, living alone at the Radium hospital without Radium, G. s. have stolen it – he says Xray they have still and are beginning to work in a short time. Got home very tired but some days no trouble with my heart.

March 26, Monday Today a year, we buried poor Naitzer. We did well, sparing himself this year. The [strikethrough] soldier [/strikethrough] lawyer arrested by the Nazis then did not turn up even more. The burial took place on a Sunday, it was cold and snow, the Bingerts coming still on their car – few had it left by then – what a change in one year. Jancsi away, may be never to return, Ily & Co. I do not know where and how, but Iván easily in a concentration camp, because of their “Bund” membership. I have an [strikethrough] ingeneer [/strikethrough] engineer patient here, just like Iván, he believes to be irresistible and therefore exceptional treatment due to him.