It's snowing. I was traveling with quite a lively bunch French P.O.W.'s returning home. We reach Szajol at noon. Still no scheduled train for Csaba - but there is a freight train and I climb aboard. I arrive at nine o'clock. The station is in total darkness. As I walk along Andrássy road, the lights go on for a few minutes. What a shock - utter devastation. The inn next to the station the little "Kakas" (Rooster) - flattened. The buildings on the Horthy Miklós Road in ruins. The lights go out - the town falls into darkness again.
I'm heading toward Haán utca (street). Oszkár and his family had planned to leave Pest and move home. Haán Street no. 8. They left Pest on February 14, and already everything seems to be in place. I have no wish to visit. I rush off to Apponyi Street no. 5 - my office address and what was our home. I can't go in - its locked. But I don't even want to. That life is no more - what could I possibly hope to find? Just across no. 4 - my mother's place - the plaque is still there: Dr. Emil Bíró, Attorney.
Old Mariska néni, the caretaker has the little apartment which faces the yard. Her daughter and beautiful little granddaughter live with her. I knock. When they come to the door, they hardly recognize me. It was surprising how little they knew about the recent events. They were astonished that my mother and Zsuzsi were in Pest, waiting to come home. I will be staying in her apartment - I will be sharing with their roomer János Murányi. The family will be staying in the kitchen. Murányi is a policeman. He was at work. "You can have the room as long as you like, Sir". János will have to share it. This all happened on March 7 in 1945.
I set out early next morning...there are familiar faces - my colleague, Dr. Géza Varga, notary and the mayor's deputy. He gave me a great welcome.
Szobek, the county governor, will be chairing tomorrow's national committee meeting - members representing various political parties will be present. He suggests that I consult them and he will introduce me to the mayor, Dr. Pál Lukács, who previously had been consultant for the police department. Apparently, even in Horthy's time he was known for his leftist leanings. As we enter the city hall, I ask him if he knows anything about Éva's young brother.
He tells me that Tibor and some others from the labour camp did manage to escape somewhere around Goma. This was last October. But then the Russians surrounded that area and they became prisoners of war in Arad and were shipped to Ploesti. Those poor Jews with yellow armbands - so hard to believe, but that is the way it was.
My next task was to obtain a permit to move to my office and apartment. It had been requisitioned!
Pali Lukács jumps up from his chair when he sees me and gives me a hug. He is delighted when Géza tells him of my mission. Was he Erdei's informer? It will be a hard nut to crack. They tell me who is who in the National Committee. They suggest that I look up Mihály Kocziha, who represents the Hungarian Communist Party on the committee and Károly (Charles ) Fock, member of the Civic Democratic Party - two very important and useful persons. I looked them up that same day.
After very confidential discussions, each agreed to speak up for me at the National Committee next day - March 10 - a Saturday. The meeting is always held at the City Hall, in the office of the Cultural Councilor. András Szobek, the governor of the County of Békés would preside. I was soon called in. This committee knows that I am a lawyer and have applied for the position of chief law enforcement officer, as was agreed by both Kocziha and Fock. Szobek asked some rather irrelevant questions and finally said that he would bring the matter up before the National Assembly's closed meeting. I was to wait for the decision in the adjoining room. After a few minutes the door opens and I am invited in. Szobek informs the members of my past record and my activities since liberation, all of which were met with approval. They are aware that I wish to continue with my law practice in Békéscsaba. I note Koczih and Fock's smiles. It appeared that Szobek either misunderstood - or more likely - did not want to understand. I was prepared that I might not be accepted - but not in this way.
Next day I called on János Gyuska, the town secretary for the Communist Party. I wanted to follow through with my promise to Erdei. I could start with the position of chief law enforcement officer and delay resuming my law practice.
Then I continued on to Apponyi Street no. 5 to my office and apartment. Dévald who lived on the ground floor helped me get into my office and apartment. What a sight! Only the cabinets and the sofa were still there - the place had been cleaned out Éva's clothes, my suits even the clothes hangers and the sofa cushions. Éva's beautiful grand piano - gone! The empty bookcase, letters, photographs strewn all over the floor. No rugs, of course. A terrible sight. After Horthy, in the Szálasi era, Csaba did not have to suffer the pillaging as in the rest of the country. I can imagine what it could have been like. People should have known that I was not deported but simply performing "useful jobs" and that I was to return. I reported this to János Kocziha - he manages the housing bureau. He believed that some of the things could be recovered. Pál Gabriel, the stonemason, one of my old clients, had some of Éva's things for safekeeping. He returned everything.
I met my roommate that evening - the policeman. We become acquainted. He tells me that he is a volunteer and does community service for the police department. When food is available at the market he is permitted to pick up some provisions for himself. We talk about the looting, which apparently occurred when Csaba was being liberated and during the German period, whatever was moveable was taken. Many things have turned up at the barracks next to the railway station. I might be able to find Éva's piano.
Next day, Sunday, I went to meet with János Gyuska, the town's Hungarian Communist Party honcho, at headquarters. In previous times it was the elegant Casino! He had been a partisan. He knew of my return and had unfavourable reports about my conduct while in labour camp...my friendship with my commander, which resulted in mistreatment of others. What an accusation! Could it be based on my deserting with the private, the blue-collar worker from Békés - Károly?
This can be cleared up - the Lerner brothers are here - they were there. Actually, Gyuska did not take this accusation as fact and said he would be in touch in eight or ten days after he looked into the matter.
That evening I was able to laugh at this story with the Sipos couple, who had invited me to their home for a wonderful dinner. I had to replace Dr. István Sipos as physician for the regiment. He has been back since the end of October and is practicing again. Nóra17.1, Pista's wonderful wife followed him to Erdély and Gödemesterháza. She was an Italian countess and therefore exempt from the fascist decrees. Actually, she had tried to persuade Éva to accompany her to Gödemesterháza so that she could sneak her to Arad in Romania and help her escape...
I still had one more day in Csaba. This day was to be dedicated to resolving my problems regarding the apartment. I was assured that the matter would be taken up in a few days. Next day I was ready to go. I had an enormous army knapsack, packed full of goodies, so that we would have plenty to eat in Pest for a couple of days.
My last evening was spent at Emil Gáti's. He is a major in the police force and is involved in criminal and procedural law.