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Jewish Homes and Orphanages in Hungary after World War IIby Attila Novák
Following World War II, the youngest generation of the eliminated and decimated Jews, their surviving children were for the most part put in children's homes. These homes were in part connected to the old Jewish infrastructure, but new homes were also established. One of the aims were to try and replace the exterminated families, and so everyday life and upbringing attempted to follow the family model.
At the end of 1945, there were 255 thousand Jews in the territoties under Hungarian control in 1944. 144 thousand of them lived in Budapest, and 199 thousand in the [formerly Hungarian] Trianon territories. Of those residing in Budapest, 119 thousand were liberated [by the Soviets] in the capital. Many of them were children whose parents lost their lives during deportation or labour service.
The Joint organization had a leading role in financing the children's homes (though similar institutions were organized by the World Jewish Congress). Joint president Joe Schwartz had sympathy with the Zionists. The first president of Hungarian Joint, dr. Frigyes Görög strove to keep good relations with every color on the political palette. Görög was forced into exile by the authorities in 1948, as he was not yet a servant of left wing parties.
Different Jewish religious groups also had their own children's homes: the Orthodox Jews founded institutions at Kovácsháza and later in Debrecen.
Not all children's homes financed and maintained by Joint were Zionist, but many homes were founded by Zionists. The Zionists' aim was to migrate these children to Palestine as soon as possible. The homes were followed by the establishment of elementary schools, where children received a serious Zionist education entailing Hebrew classes, Palestinographic studies and Jewish national songs. They also took part in non-Jewish education.
Zionist children's homes, Hachsara and Pluga (a communal group aiming at kibbutz settlement) were mainly financed by Joint. 1.
Head of Joint's productivizational department was Sándor Grosszman, and for a long time this proved to be a great advantage for left wing organization Hasomer Hacair. 2. The head of Joint's children's department was the Gordonia Makkabi-Hacair member Révész Perec. In the beginning of 1946, one dr. András (Adolf) József ( Fisch ) came to represent the "synagogue" line at Joint. 3. Every month, András József would report on the children's homes to dr. Frigyes Görög, leader of the National Jewish Aid Committee.
In 1947, Joint cut back support an children under the age of 12 were moved to collective homes. Another restraint was that Joint would only approve admittance to children with needy parents. 4.
There were great differences between children's homes. Some Maon were day- schools or boarding schools. Along with these, there were also Miha or so-called „mittel-hachsara”. Maon were simple children's homes, while Miha attendants also took part in some form of physical or manual labour.
Typical numbers for the Joint-financed children's homes reveal that around 1650 children were nursed in 26 homes in and 14 out of Budapest. 5.
A good example of establishing a children's home is that of the civic Zionist Hanoar Hacioni home in the Hungarian town of Debrecen. 6.
The Communist party also founded a children's home in Debrecen, and compaetitive situations such as this encouraged rivalry. The Hebraist Ezra Grosz and his wife Hanna also started educating children. One László Lőwy (currently an education historian and pedagogy specialist living in Israel, under the name Arje Levi) played a leading role in management and by 1947, they were educating over 90 children. At this point, they needed a new home, and with about a year's work the Jewish Hospital building on Böszörményi street was converted into a children's home. 7. It was finally opened on the 21st of December, 1947.
Children's homes differed in accordance to which party or group they belonged to. Left wing chidren's homes weren't especially keen on religious studies, while the children's houses of the religious Mizrachi and Agudat Jiszrael taught "limude kodesh" or sacred languages, as well as „ Chumas-Rasi ”, or Tora, with the commentaries of Rashi ( Rabbi Slomo Ben Jicchak , a great Jewish scientist in 11th-century Troyes), and the Mishna and Gemara (parts of the Talmud). Religious Zionist organizations and Agudat Jiszrael, the latter formally anti- Zionist but in reality an implementor of Zionist means after 1945, also maintained Cheder (Jewish elementaries) and Jeshiva schools. 9. In the troubled times, Agudat Jiszrael even started a movement in 1945 to seek out Jewish children left in monastaries and Reformist children's homes. 10. They rented a villa especially for this purpose on Rózsadomb ["Rose Hill", an exclusive suburb in Buda - the translator], this project was continued by the Joint organization.
Mizrachi organization grounded a children's village in the South Hungarian village of Deszk, thereby even gaining the recognition of Hungarian authorities. The organization "Kfar Hanoar Hadati Bagola" (Religious Youth Village in Galut) had a children's daycare and home as well as a Hebrew secondary school operating with the Ministry of Culture's own study plan. 11. Secondary school education was undertaken by teachers from the former Hebrew secondary school located in the town of Ungvár. As a "Hungarian Tarbut Hebrew Association" project in accordance with Ministry of Culture license 31999 /1945, education took place in Hungarian and Ivrit. In the shool year of 1945/46, four elementary forms and the first four forms of secondary school were in operation. 12. Deszk also had a working Hachsara.
At the Children's Village opening ceremony, local delegates of the Communist party from the town of Makó were also present and held a speech. 13. The Deszk grounds were in an ideal location, in a two storey building in the middle of a large park. "We are trying to lead those Jewish Youth who speak the language of the Bible, back to the productive Jewish life of Biblical times. The secondary school features agricultural training within the local study plan so our students could actively participate in farming the gardens. Beside the agricultural activities, the children have access to our well equipped playground, boating lake and swimming pool to recover from the terrible ordeals of deportation and war..." - was how the Mizrachi chronicle of the time put it. 14.
In 1947, Mizrachi maintained several dayschools and permanent Maon, as well as several Minha. 15.
The great rival, Hasomer Hacair also had an extensive network of children's homes. They began transporting children to the town of Békéscsaba in 1945, establishing a maon with several hundred participants. 16. By 1947, the Smer also had an extensive network of children's homes. 17.
The children's homes were not unproblematic. In a devastated, poverty-ridden nation, many chose Zionist children's homes on account of their relatively good overall situation. "It becomes more and more obvious that Maons do not provide an adequate educational framework because children only attend for the accomodations..." - says a contemporary Somer document. 18. Many also had misgivings about the Zionist educational methods, for example the aguddist journal Darkénú criticized the coeducational aspect of the Mizrachist children's homes. 19.
Between 1947 and 1948, the children's homes gradually emptied: "In this school year (of 1947/48) hardly any Zionist homes remain. Some of them disbanded, and most of the students went to Palestine, a small fraction returned to their parents..." - as testified in 1953 by dr. András József ( Fisch ), a leading educator representing the "synagogist" line at Joint's department of pedagogy. 20.
The change was apparent on the Zionist side as well. Children's homes came under increasing influence of the synagogue communities, which implied the exclusion of Zionist educators. 21. This exclusion was further catalysed by internal changes within the Joint organization. 22.
Attendance at Jewish children's homes and orphanages continued to decrease, tapering to a minimum after [1948] the year of political juncture.
1. A letter written sometime in 1947 accounts of 180-200 thousand forints benefiting the Plugas. In: CZA S6 1919. to Mr. Joszef Schwartz. Children's homes for ages 2-12 were also organized by the World Jewish Congress in the spring of 1946. Application took place at the organization's Budapest quarters at V. Wekerle S .u. 7. „ World Jewish Congress Establishes New Children's Homes”. in: Új Élet, 1946 április 4. (II .évf. -14.sz.-4.l.).
2. Dan Eisler , a sliach for Mapai complains in a letter written on the 21st of January 1947 of being discriminated by an agent of Hasomer Hacair in: Bet Berl 101/47.
3. Stating in a later testimony: „It is also common knowledge that there's a desperate struggle for leadership here at Joint, between the Zionist group of dr. Görög and that of Stöckler ... ”. In :BM TI V-111/788. Writ by Dr. András József ( Fisch ) in his own hand. Bp. 1953. March 2nd. Dr. József explained his own appointment with the homes' educational problems. Adolf Fisch was also educational supervisor for Jewish schools, and his brother, dr. Henrik Fisch wrote possibly the most poignant document of the Shoa in Hungary as chief rabbi of Kápolnásnyék, entitled Christian Church Leaders (The speeches made by Sándor Raffay, László Ravasz, and Jusztinián Serédi in the Uper Cabinet of Parliament about the Jewish question in 1938 and 1939 regarding the 1st and 2nd Jewish Laws, respectively). Edited and published by Henrik Fisch (Budapest, 1947). (The book was "decorated" with the photographs of his own eliminated family members.)
4.Dror Habonim and Haoved Hakibbuci . Liskat Hakeser . Mazkirut . Ejn Charod 1947 October in: Kibbuc Lohame Hagettaot .p. 3
5. The list of children's homes was published in the Communist Joint journal Fény (I.évf.5.sz. 1947 May issue, p. 5 ). Budapest Home's address, age group, headcount 1. Ady Endre u.22. up to age 16, 13 2. Bácskay u.58/ b 6-14, 50 3. Délibáb u.26. 10-16, 40 4. --''- - 6-12, 41 5. Fürj u.38. 14-18 20 6. Hermina-út 49. 14-18 47 7. Kalóz u.3. 14-17 33 8. --”- - 14-17 16 9. Keresztúry út 130. Temporarily defunct 10. Klebelsberg u.23. 10-15 28 11. Kövér Lajos u.2. 3-6 25 12. Mátyásföld, Apponyi u.2. 3-8 40 13. Mátyásföld, Kossuth L .u. 19. 2-3 42 14. Mátyásföld, Pappváry E-né u. 14. 14-16 29 15. Mexikói-út 43. 10-14 35 16. Múzeum-körút 41. 14-17 28 17. Nürnberg-u.39. 13-17 30 18. Rákóczi-út 9. 12-17 29 19. Szt. Domonkos u.9. 13-17 150 (39 employees) 20. Szentmihályi út 17/19. 6-13 31 21. Széchenyi emlék út 3. 3-8 61 22. Vasváry Pál u.5. 17-20 15 23. Zichy Jenõ-u.30. 14-17 41 24. Zugliget, Remete u.18. 4-17 86 Total: 930 children
Other towns: 1. Békéscsaba (somer ) 7-14 88 2. Csorna „B ” 5-12 25 3. Csorna 5-12 4. Debrecen Darabos u.18. 6-12 50 5. Deák F. u. 8. 6-12 23 6. Hunyady u.8. 7-12 36 7. Miklós u.13. 5-13 70 8. Nagyerdei-út 10-14 45 9. Deszk 6-14 82 10. Gyõr 10-14 19 11. Lillafüred 8-14 25 12. Pécs 8-14 42 13. Szeged, Algyő Temporarily defunct 14. Alsókikötősor 10. 6-14 31 15. Moszkvai körút 1. 6-14 64 16. Szõregi út 80. 4-14 64 Total: 7 2 0
6.Arje Levi, Bet- hajeladim sel Tnuat „ Hanoar Hacijoni ” B' Debrecen Hungarija , B'sanim 1945-1949. (Children's home in the town of Debrecen belonging to the Hanoar Hacioni movement between 1945 and 1949) Universitat Tel-Aviv. Hachug Lömadae Hechinuch . (year undecipherable).
7.Leó Csengeri presided president of the Debrecen synagogue community, as well as several Jewish leaders ( chief rabbi Dr. Miksa Weisz Miksa, Ernő Schwarcz as temporary head of the Hungarian Zionist Union, Dr. Arthur Schwartz president of Chevra Kadisa and Dezső Gábor school principal) petitioned the Jewish population sometime in the spring of 1947 to help raise funds for establishing a children's home. "The Joint organization subsidised a formidable sum in order to ground a children's home. This sum however is still not sufficient to have the institute's huge garden fenced off, to renovate the building's exterior and make the necessary amendations to its interior." See: Országos Széchenyi Könyvtár Plakát, - és Kisnyomtatványtár (National Library Poster and Print Archive, "OSZK Plkgyt" )Cionizmus 1947
8. Új Élet 1948. January 8th (2. issue p.13) and OSZK Plkgyt . (Cionizmus 1947). Also: Chozer 5708 Tévét 27. 9 .l . (1948 January 9th) .: „Otthonavatás Debrecenben”.
9. Agudat followed the educational methodology of Rav Meir Schapiro in its Budapest day school home (Bp. Holló u.6.). Agudat already operated Jeshiva in several towns in 1946: Paks (35 students), Miskolc (40 students ), Budapest, Hidegkúti út 62. (75 students ), Hajduhadház (50 students ). See: Auditor General's report 1946. MOL XXXIII-4-a 7 .d ./47.
The Mizrachi founded the Jesivat Rav Amiel in Budapest, on Svábhegy hill, directed in 1946 by Rav Fried. They operated five more Talmud Tora in the country at this time: Talmud Tora Lömiha (Bp. :Rákóczi u.6.), Talmud ToraT Lömaon Jeladim (Rákosszentmihály: this is where Polish children studied), Deszk , Kiskunhalas, Szarvas. See: Report by the Hungarian Zionist Union Mizrachi Department's Chaluc movement Center of 1946 May 30th for the Sochnut Educational Department's Religious Section CZA S32/72. (in Hebrew).
10.Lecture by Fülöp Ernst, head secretary of Agudat Jiszrael on the 8th of September 1947: „What has Agudat Jiszrael created in Hungary?" In: Darkenu 1947-5707 pp.2-4. According to one of the Agudist *** named „ Sabbaton ” (there were two, the other was published by the sniff of Bonyhád) the Ceiré Agudat Jiszrael organization of Budapest prompted the transfer of 60 children from Reformist children's homes. in: Sabbaton-Az Agudat Jiszrael Center's publication, Budapest 1946 June 15th
11. „The school was founded by the Hánhágá Rásit sel K'neszet B'né Akibá B'Hungárijá with contribution from Budapest's „ Tarbut ” Hebrew cultural committee and the former teachers of the Hebrew Secondary School Ungvár in September 1945. Studies are in progress ever since”. in: Deszk Children's Village. Budapest, 1946. ( trilingual issue) p. 6. Also Mizrachi Department's Chaluc Movement Center Report of 1946 May 30th CZA S32/72
Elementary forms I-IV ., elementary school V. and secondary school forms I- V. were in operation in 1946. Prof .Reichmann, former teacher of the Hebrew Secondary School, was principal. The Village was financed by Joint and Bachad. See Deszk Children's Village... picture 3 and p.10.
12.„Tájékoztató az 1946-47-es iskolaévre”. in: A Tarbut Iskolák I .Évkönyve 1945-46. Szerkesztette: Dr. Spiegel Aladár. Bp. ,1946 . o.38.
13. The "Village Council" („ Moacat HaKfar ”) comprised of the Teacher's Board and Hachsara members being present. The top forum of the Kfár was a democratically operated " Szichá Klalit ” assembling on a monthly basis in: Deszk Children's Village... p. 10.
14.„Report on the operation of the „ Tarbut ” schools in Deszk”. in: First Yearbook of „ Tarbut ” Schools 1945-46. Editor: Dr. Aladár Spiegel Bp. ,1946 . (pp.43-44.) The quote is from page 43 .The principal of the Deszk Secondary School was (presumably) dr. Ferenc Szabó (dr. Sraga Szabó). Márton Reichmann was a successful teacher, and with his help the children were taught Hebrew quite well within a few months. The Deszk School operated according to the Minister of Religious and Public Educational Affairs directive 31.999-1945-IV. Education in Deszk took place in Ivrit and English.
According to a different source, the Hebrew School's principal was Prof. Reichmann. in: Deszk . Kfár Hánoár Hádáti Bágolá . Bp. ,1946 . (picture 3) (trilingual edition).
15.Maon were in operation in the suburbs of Mátyásföld, Rákosszentmihály and Rákosfalva, as well as Deszk (with 25 children) and Debrecen. Budapest had the „ Mihat Racon ” (Rákóczi út 9.-23 children), „ Mihat Gan Cion ” (Zichy u.30.- 28 children ), „ Mihat Dor Hadas” ( Rákosfalva , - 28 girls), „ Maon Tikva Heatid ” (Mátyásföld, 39 girls ) and „ Maon Saaré Jiszrael ” (also in Mátyásföld with 40 girls). In addition, there was Jesivat Rav Amiel with 22 boarders, 60 at Deszk (probably permanent boarders), and 35 residing in the Bet Rav Herczog Bagola of Debrecen. The Maon were: „ Atidot ” (Bp. :52 children ), „ Nicanim ” (Bp.:18 children ), „ Zichron Jaakov ” (Kiskunhalas:51 children ), „ Tirat Cvi ” (Szarvas:52 children ), and „... Olamit ” (the first word is indecipherable)
Organizational description from 1947 or 1948. See: CZA S6 2282. „Record of the Hungarian Bachad children's homes”. (in Hebrew)
16. Account ... p.52. In: Givat Haviva ( Archion Hasomer Hacair ) 1 .6 .2/3/. On the first moaca-rasit ( general or national assembly) a Polish children's home was also included in the movement. The miha and bet jeladim of Poland emigrated to Israel in the same year. Ibidem. pp.52-53. Also Tear it off ... p. 93. (memoirs of David Gur).
17.Maon in Budapest: Zsigmond u. 5. ( February 1946), Rumbach Sebestyén u. 3. ( May 1946 ), Lajos u.91. ( September 1946 ), Király u.70. ( September 1946 ), Páva u. 39. ( September 1946 ), Zichy u. 7. (November 1945 to 1947), Kende u. (October 1946 to January 1947). Miha in Budapest: Mexikói út 43. ( January 1945 ), Tárogató út 2. (September 1947 ), Hungária krt.149. ( August 1945 to September 1946 ), Mátyásföld ( Pappvári Elemérné u.4. - September 1946 to September 1947 ), Kövér Lajos u. Maon in other towns: Szolnok ( February 1946), Debrecen (May 1946 ). Miha in other towns: Debrecen (May 1946 ), Nyírbogát, Orosháza (March through July 1945 ), Békéscsaba (February 1945 to October 1947), Elek (May through June 1946 ), Lillafüred (May 1945 to June 1947 ) In: Account p.47 .in: Beszámoló Bp.1947.pp. 46-47
18.Joman Hanhaga . Miszpar 1. June 28th 1947 p. 3 ( Givat Haviva /3/1 .6-2 .). ***Elhatározták, hogy a jövőben a kénekbe viszik át a kvucákat , és csak a b .m . korosztály számára fognak otthonokat fenntartani.***
19. According to „ Darkénu ” the reason that the Mizrachi had no objection to the existing prastices of coeducation in Jewish children's homes (which according to them, was voiced by authoritative bodies) was that it implemented such practises itself. in: Darkénu 1947? „Our Present and Future”. pp.10-12.
20. BM TI. V-111/788. Bp.1953 IV .9 .
21.Arje Jaari's letter to the Hasomer Hacair Center (El HaHanhaga Haeljona ) written on January 9th, 1948 in: Givat Haviva /4/81 .31 .
22. Excerpt from a testimony by Steiner Júlia (an educator at the Zionist home in Délibáb utca) 1953. VII .8 : „...I know from an account by Jenő Rác, one of the heads at the Joint pedagogy department, that before the disbandment of the Zionist Union he confronted the Zionists partly on account of higher orders from Joint, and that is how they started removing the educators from the homes. As far as I know, Zionist educators Tibor Weisz and György Gyárfás were removed, and I know of no Zionist educators by name who were allowed to stay on however Zionist educators remained in several homes ... ” The case of Dr. András József ( Fisch )András in: BM TI V-111/788.: In the spring of 1945, the Gordonia Makkabi Hacair established a study home for "youth of both genders" aged 13-18 at Délibáb utca 26. Letter from Gordonia Makkabi Hacair Youth Movement to the International Red Cross Committee .. Bp.1945. March 7th in : CZA F/36.
Another home was founded later at Délibáb u. 33.. First Yearbook of „ Tarbut ” Schools 1945-46. Hebrew section p. 14
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