Vera Farkas in a school performance

This is a school performance.

Next to us, next to Fehervari Street, there was for a long time a Jewish elementary school. I was enrolled there. Later we moved to Peterdi Street, and there I started to go to middle school.

I completed the first two classes. That [apartment] was somewhat larger, but Aunt Helen [father's sister] lived with us too, in the so-called servant's room.

Then three identical big modern houses were built in Tisza Kalman square. And -- it was back in 1936 - parties distributed the apartments there.

Half of them were given to members and families of right-wing parties, the other half was given to the social democrats and the trade unions.

My father did some kind of a job in the Trade Union of Commercial Employees, and so he got an apartment there. That wasn't a big apartment either, but it was nice and modern, with central heating.

I went to the middle school in Kalman Tisza square from there. There I had a Jewish schoolmistress, the religion teacher, who was a very intelligent and smart woman, because she didn't make us bone up on the prayers, but she taught the words.

She tried to teach us Hebrew language. Well, she had precious little success in that with a 12-year old child, but, in any case, she was a Zionist; she spoke a lot about Palestine.

After middle school I took a commercial course. I was to transfer to high school fifth grade after graduating from the middle school, but that was quite difficult, besides then the anti-Jewish laws began, and the family decided that I would go on a one-year shorthand & typing secretary training [course].

And then came the more serious trouble. I couldn't really find employment as a better-paid official. Then the family decided that I should learn some trade.

I first of all learnt corset-making, but when I completed my apprenticeship, I transferred right away to outer garments, and I worked there as long as I could, in a boutique in the inner city as an assistant.

Photos from this interviewee