Roza Weisz with her children Karoly and Jeno

Roza Weisz with her children Karoly and Jeno

In this picture you can see my mother, Roza Weisz, my brother Karoly and my brother Jeno, who was born between the two of us and died of pneumonia. In the picture he is one and a half years old. He died shortly after that. I didn't know him, because I was born later, in 1915. The picture was taken in Budapest in 1913. This sailor suit like children's clothing was very characteristic at that time. My parents might have gotten married around 1906. My brother Karoly was born in 1908, and I was born on 22nd May 1915 in the Weiss Alice Hospital. I had another brother besides Karoly, called Jeno. He was born in 1911. He was one and a half years old when he died. He fell ill with pneumonia and at that time there wasn't a cure for it. My brother Karoly went to Eotvos High School on Realtanoda Street. When he graduated from high school he wanted to go to university, he would have liked to become a doctor. But then the numerus clausus took effect. Jews couldn't go to university, and then he was apprenticed to an upholsterer. He was apprenticed to a very famous upholsterer, whose shop opened to Jozsef Nador Square. He was a renowned master. My brother also became a very good professional, and since he couldn't go to university and had to learn a trade, my parents saved up some money and sent him to Paris for a year. He was already an upholsterer at that time. When he came home he opened a comforter and tapestry shop on 2 Podmaniczky Street. My brother magyarized his name to Vajda sometime between 1925 and 1930.
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