Selected text
On August 23rd 1945 Romania went across (to the Allies). This meant that
immediately afterwards the German troops sent reinforcements, they advanced
with Hungarian forces and occupied Torda. They took over the factory, over
everything that belonged to Romania and went forward. In the meantime the
Russians and the Allied Romanians advanced. So Torda became a frontline.
At the end of the war the Hungarians entered, and the Germans and we went
into the factory cellars (we hid there). My mother came up from the cellar,
up the steps for something and saw them taking our vase and carpets. They
took everything out of the house (and we saw it all) as we lived right next
door. Locals and soldiers took things away. And they took my violin, I
remember that. The German and Hungarian soldiers even slaughtered a pig in
the middle of the room. And they found prayer books (in the house) and came
into the cellar and said that if there were Jews, to hand them over
immediately. We were terrified someone would betray us. The others were all
Hungarians and Romanians, only we were Jews. People had run there from the
neighboring houses. It was war, there were no workers, no one worked (in
the factory then). So the Germans cooked there, baking bread in the
(factory) kilns. One of the Hungarians said that we should go with them if
we want to escape - because the Russians were coming - and they will take
us to Debrecen. So no one knew we were Jews. If they had they would have
killed us there and then.
immediately afterwards the German troops sent reinforcements, they advanced
with Hungarian forces and occupied Torda. They took over the factory, over
everything that belonged to Romania and went forward. In the meantime the
Russians and the Allied Romanians advanced. So Torda became a frontline.
At the end of the war the Hungarians entered, and the Germans and we went
into the factory cellars (we hid there). My mother came up from the cellar,
up the steps for something and saw them taking our vase and carpets. They
took everything out of the house (and we saw it all) as we lived right next
door. Locals and soldiers took things away. And they took my violin, I
remember that. The German and Hungarian soldiers even slaughtered a pig in
the middle of the room. And they found prayer books (in the house) and came
into the cellar and said that if there were Jews, to hand them over
immediately. We were terrified someone would betray us. The others were all
Hungarians and Romanians, only we were Jews. People had run there from the
neighboring houses. It was war, there were no workers, no one worked (in
the factory then). So the Germans cooked there, baking bread in the
(factory) kilns. One of the Hungarians said that we should go with them if
we want to escape - because the Russians were coming - and they will take
us to Debrecen. So no one knew we were Jews. If they had they would have
killed us there and then.
Period
Year
1945
Location
Turda
Romania
Interview
silvia nussbaum