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After I finished the eighth grade at the school on Wesselenyi Street, I attended the textile technical school. It was really interesting, the way I ended up with a career in textiles. I had never had anything to do with textiles, but there were so many Jewish kids whose parents were in textiles, that I went into the trade too. My parents didn’t interfere with my career choice; they were happy that I could study, because they saw the fulfillment of their desires in that.
There were a lot of Jews in the textile technical school--I think 30% of the class was Jewish. And there were rich Jews, too, who had small factories before the War, whose kids went there. We didn’t talk much about being Jewish because it wasn’t a topic then. But after 1956, when we had class reunions, we found out that there were many Jews among the students and the teachers, too.
After finishing technical school, I continued my studies at the Technical University, in the textile department. After graduating from the university, I worked in textile factories, as director of the maintenance department, and later, because they paid the textile workers really badly, I ended up at Ganz Mavag, as an engine designer in the Engine, Wagon, and Machine Factory. From there I went back into the textile business, and I became the Associate Director Engineer of a factory.
There were a lot of Jews in the textile technical school--I think 30% of the class was Jewish. And there were rich Jews, too, who had small factories before the War, whose kids went there. We didn’t talk much about being Jewish because it wasn’t a topic then. But after 1956, when we had class reunions, we found out that there were many Jews among the students and the teachers, too.
After finishing technical school, I continued my studies at the Technical University, in the textile department. After graduating from the university, I worked in textile factories, as director of the maintenance department, and later, because they paid the textile workers really badly, I ended up at Ganz Mavag, as an engine designer in the Engine, Wagon, and Machine Factory. From there I went back into the textile business, and I became the Associate Director Engineer of a factory.
Period
Location
Budapest
Hungary
Interview
Peter Reisz