Ferenc Sandor in forced labor in Ukraine

This is me in forced labor. During the war, first I was sent to Gyongyos for forced labor service, then to Vac, and following that I spent one and a half years in Sastov, Ukraine, near Kiev. It was in August, 1942 when we went there. When full Jews were ordered to be sent further away, I, as a war-orphan, was offered the chance to stay in Vac. People who had Christian spouses were allowed to stay. They were given white armbands. I was contemplating whether I should go or stay, and in the end I decided to leave. But right then a guard kicked me back to the line. He wouldn't let me leave. Thank God. Because less than fifty percent of the company I was supposed to join ever returned. Later on, it was our turn to be sent to Ukraine. My company was a wonderful unit, an extraordinary group of people. Lots of medical doctors and lawyers among them. At the beginning of 1944 we were disarmed. Then on May 20, 1944 I was taken to Pecs, and from there to Szombathely. There I pulled the gold ring off my finger because I knew it would be taken from me anyway. I gave it away to someone in the street, so at least I gave it to someone I wanted to. We worked at an airport in Szombathely.