Ferenc Deutsch's employer and his wife

For a year after the war I was the housekeeper for my sister’s family, as I love cooking.

Then I got a position at the Fiume Stock Corporation. I administrated a coffee and teashop for Gyorgy and Klari Vajna. I did well in the shop. I have skill in business in my blood. I inherited it from my grandfather, who was also a merchant.

The leaders of the corporation liked me a lot. They helped me learn the trade. I loved them greatly for this
and they loved me too. They helped me rebuild my life financially.

At the end of 1946 I met my second wife. I would have liked to get married, but had no money.

I went to Vajna, and told him that I wanted to get married and could buy a house for 25,000 forints in Pest. He said that it was a big sum.

I told him that I could pay it back monthly from my wages, because I had good wages then. $10 or 10 kilos of sugar or 10 grams of gold was the agreement then, as the forint was good for nothing.

He said that the directors of the company would have a meeting later and they would discuss it.

The next day the director told me to go back to the office the same evening, to lift the last page of the telephone book and there would be something for me. There was the 25,000.

A month passed and I wanted to pay back part of the money, but the director said that I was such a good worker that I deserved that much and it was from the company.

I worked there until 1950-51. Then there was a problem again with my being Jewish.

The company was taken into state ownership and I got a beautiful note from Vajna and a good recommendation.

In 1956 when the Vajnas left for America, they offered their villa for me to move in, but I didn´t dare to accept this. I visited them in America several
times with my second wife. They were always very welcoming.

Their son Andras (Andrew) was also always very nice to me.