Selected text
I could not have gone between 1940 and 45, during the
Hungarian period, (when the Hungarians annexed Transylvania) but I had
private lessons and took exams in the Jewish high schools in Temesvar
(Timisoara) and Bucharest. It was just that there was a Jewish High School
and they allowed us to take exams. Because here (in Torda) it wasn't
possible because of the racist laws. I could hardly wait to take exams, so
as not to lose the years. The school years were alright. There were books
at home I recall, it must have been possible to get them in the shops. I
was a private pupil, there was always someone to help me. One of them I
recall was called Zozo. She was a Jewish apothecary, older than me. She
taught me everything, mathematics for example. The rabbi's daughter - I
don't know her name - taught Hebrew, she knew it well. She must have leaned
from her father. She was a bit older and very cultured. She taught every
week once or twice, she had a text book. She did not teach prayers, we went
for the language, as we had to take an exam in Hebrew. And in drawing,
history, all the things which the others studied. A special exam was set
for private pupils. During the exams all the high school students (Jewish)
came in, and they all wanted to help so that I would be able to write down
what they (the teachers) asked. The school was strict, we didn't know as
much as they required for the exam. The teachers were fairly relaxed,
because we passed, that was the main thing. I sat the first and second
(high school exams) in Bucharest, the third and forth in Temesvar, I don't
know why. There was one other girl from Torda, Jutka Adonyi. My brother
took me to the exam, she (Jutka) went separately, because she had an aunt
in Temesvar. I was the only one in Bucharest. My brother always accompanied
me. We went by slow train, it was very long, it took 13 hours to Temesvar.
And the route was long to Bucharest too. There were steam engines and went
very slowly.
Hungarian period, (when the Hungarians annexed Transylvania) but I had
private lessons and took exams in the Jewish high schools in Temesvar
(Timisoara) and Bucharest. It was just that there was a Jewish High School
and they allowed us to take exams. Because here (in Torda) it wasn't
possible because of the racist laws. I could hardly wait to take exams, so
as not to lose the years. The school years were alright. There were books
at home I recall, it must have been possible to get them in the shops. I
was a private pupil, there was always someone to help me. One of them I
recall was called Zozo. She was a Jewish apothecary, older than me. She
taught me everything, mathematics for example. The rabbi's daughter - I
don't know her name - taught Hebrew, she knew it well. She must have leaned
from her father. She was a bit older and very cultured. She taught every
week once or twice, she had a text book. She did not teach prayers, we went
for the language, as we had to take an exam in Hebrew. And in drawing,
history, all the things which the others studied. A special exam was set
for private pupils. During the exams all the high school students (Jewish)
came in, and they all wanted to help so that I would be able to write down
what they (the teachers) asked. The school was strict, we didn't know as
much as they required for the exam. The teachers were fairly relaxed,
because we passed, that was the main thing. I sat the first and second
(high school exams) in Bucharest, the third and forth in Temesvar, I don't
know why. There was one other girl from Torda, Jutka Adonyi. My brother
took me to the exam, she (Jutka) went separately, because she had an aunt
in Temesvar. I was the only one in Bucharest. My brother always accompanied
me. We went by slow train, it was very long, it took 13 hours to Temesvar.
And the route was long to Bucharest too. There were steam engines and went
very slowly.
Period
Location
Turda
Romania
Interview
silvia nussbaum