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[page one]
My dear Pali [translator’s note; the way that this is written indicates this is her son]
We are nearing Kassa. Here the country is wonderful, if only you would be here and under different circumstances the trip would be unforgettable. So judging from our mood, and taking other things into consideration, we should be over it very soon.
Though until now, my dear, I hoped that I would see you again try to understand that one cannot wait for the natural end in these circumstances. In any case, with you in my soul, I will fight for my life to my death. Zsuzsi with others are in another cattle truck. This breaking up is terrible. I so want to have news from you, even though only three days have passed. What will happen after this? Are you remaining at K [translator’s note; this refers to the name of the town she is coming from – possibly Kolozsvar, where a ghetto had been established?] Probably.
Object description
Postcard dated June 1944, which was dropped from a wagon in which Hungarian Jews were deported to Auschwitz. The postcard was picked up by someone who sent it to the addressee.
This text of this postcard was translated for IWM by John Hajdu, who is a Holocaust survivor from Hungary. It reads:
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[page two]
Demand from Eva what she promised to us [translator’s note; literally ‘from Eva demand things with force’]. Show her this postcard, and pass on my regards. I would love to know that you are happy, but I will not live to find out. My sweet lovely Pali, as long as it is possible, I will send you news about me. I long to be with you. Your photo is on the wall of the truck/wagon. I send my affectionate kisses to you.
BA [translator’s note; it’s hard to make out the remaining letters of the name - Maybe ‘Baba’?]
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Additional notes; the place name ‘Myirenyhaza’ (which is the name of a town in Hungary) appears at the top of the postcard. Kolozsvar (which is now Cluj-Napoca in Romania) was the site of a series of deportations in 1944). The postcard has been stamped at Aszod. Aszod is near Budapest and would likely have been on the route from Kolozsvar towards occupied-Poland. Kassa is now Kosice (the writer uses the old version of the name). The location of this city indicates that the train was travelling towards Auschwitz.
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This card is important evidence that at least some of the 400,000 Hungarian Jews deported in March-July 1944 knew or suspected what awaited them at the end of their journey. The subject has been controversial as a result of the decision by Hungarian Jewish leaders not to release information about Auschwitz, so as not to compromise secret negotiations with Adolf Eichmann. The negotiations resulted in the release of 1,500 Hungarian Jews to Switzerland, but it has been argued that lack of knowledge prevented many more from escaping or hiding.
