It was dark when I heard the knock at the door. Two Russian soldiers! I didn't recognise them at first. Sargeant Elhem Jenkief and his friend. We had traveled together from Csaba to Szajol. I had promised to show them around Pest. They said that they had to report to headquarters in Kispest and would continue on next day across the Danube to their unit. Fighting was still going on in that area. They were hoping to see a little bit of Pest, Hungary's capital. They wanted to see where the battles took place and what was left of the city after the siege. They were very anxious and to prove their eagerness they began pulling out treasures from their bags placing them on the kitchen table: flour and sugar. Actually, they were hoping for supper and lodgings for the night. Supper was no problem, my mother had just begun to prepare the meal. But lodging was another matter. I said we would work that out somehow. I had to tell them that they had come at the very last minute. We would be leaving the next day. I would take them on a very short "sightseeing tour" now, though the sun had already set. When we get back a nice hot supper will await us. After that I'll help with overnight lodgings and so we set out.
We went along Podmaniczky, then Constitution streets. A traumatic sight - bombed out houses, buildings in ruins - then on to Személynök street towards the Parliament Buildings. That street was in fair shape as far as the Danube River Bank, but it was getting hard to climb over huge chunks of debris from the ruins and the bombarded buildings. They were shocked to see the blown up bridges. The Margit híd (Margaret Bridge) was hit twice. At the access to Margit sziget (Margaret Island), the bridge re-emerged propped up! The Lánc híd (Chain Bridge) was in the Danube, as was the demolished castle.
The sun had set at Hármashatár Hill, its fain rays barely giving light to the river - the river where blood had flowed the vicious Nazi executions. My companions realized what had happened.
After supper, I took them over to Izabella steet, to my uncle. They were given a warm welcome. A sofa bed and a cot were set up for the night. We went back together to Vörösmarty Street for their belongings. When we were walking together a black cat ran in front of us. Jenkief took it as bad luck. I just laughed and we said goodbye.
It was well after midnight when we are awakened by loud shouting and banging on my window at the courtyard side. "Open up you robbers!" What is going on? "Go away - we're trying to sleep." This did not help - they kept on banging. I had to open the door - three angry men, Oszkár Faludi, the housing director and the janitor. Faludi was out of his mind - screaming like crazy. He accused me of stealing his silver, his cutlery, candlesticks, his china etc.
"Last night everything was still in the big basket and it's gone now. It must have been the Russian soldiers. They saw where everything was and that's why they kept coming back here..."
The janitor agreed. He knew that they had been to my house and were in my company. They were sure they had found the thieves and it looked bad for me. How would I be able to leave in the morning and use my reservations, which were not that easy to get. I had to travel with my family...
It was dawn, banging again. I had to let them in. Faludi brought the guard - a Soviet soldier with a red armband and a green cap and the janitor came as well. They search the tiny apartment. The soldier digs into our packages all ready for our journey. "Davaj davaj" he says and urges me to hurry and get dressed.
My mother and sister are terrified. I can hardly get them to calm down and can hardly control myself...I give Faludi a piece of my mind.
The guard, Faludi and I set out towards the Nagykörút to the army headquarters - the Britannia Hotel. I'm taken to a large auditorium where I am seated at a table and the interrogation begins with the help of an interpreter. The officer is annoyed that I had arranged for lodgings for the soldiers.
"I bet you can't even tell me where they spent the night" - he said.
"Of course I can - Izabella street 43, apartment no. 1"
"Well they didn't report to headquarters - a major offence and it all looks very suspicious" - says the interpreter.
"If they really are staying at that address, you are in the clear - but they will be in trouble."
The soldier and the interpreter will escort me to Izabella street. I am told that if they find the soldiers, they will be arrested. But I have to wait at the Britannia. Time is at a standstill - maybe an hour before we set out and the train leaves at ten - how can I get rid of these guys?
Finally we set out to Izabella street to find only my aunt Éva home. She is terrified seeing me with the soldiers armed with their bayonets. I try to explain what is going on.
"Those were some guests you sent me!"
"Where are they?"
"They asked Ibolyka (my young married cousin) to help them with some shopping. One of them wanted to buy a purse for his wife - he didn't know his way around."
The officer calms down when he realizes that the soldiers belongings are still there. They go through everything - even the beds. Things are thrown out of the closet, the contents of the bags thoroughly checked. The place is now a disaster - but they find no evidence of the stolen goods. The soldiers are not expected back before noon. The officer orders the soldier with the bayonet to stay. When Ibolyka returns with the soldiers, they are not to know that the comrade awaits them. So off we go to headquarters. It doesn't look too good for my trip to Csaba. Jankief was right about the black cat.
The officer reports to the commander, who appears to be somewhat relieved. He turns to me and says that I must return at seven o'clock in the evening for the interrogation. I was given a slip of paper permitting me to leave the Britannia.
I made a mad dash to Vörösmarty street. Gyuró Kucsera really knocked himself out - he brought everything downstairs and loaded up the little cart. I didn't even have to go up - everything was ready. We pushed along to the rail yard and located our freight car. Gyuró's wife was already there along with cute Mici Gurzó from Csaba. She was nursing her baby.
Gyuró and I arranged the suitcases at the end of the car so that my mother and grandmother should be fairly comfortable.
I told them what had happened. He pushed me to the back of he wagon, worried that Faludi might send the patrol after me. The train pulled out at ten o'clock. My mother and my grandmother both burst into tears - tears of joy. When they were forced to leave Csaba - they were sure that they would never be able to return - like the poor souls who were, taken to Auschwitz.
Zsuzsi looked so sad as she sat down. Péter could not come to see her off. He was very sick. I tried to comfort her and said that he will soon recover and come to visit her. Then we would take care of him - he could stay with us. But Zsuzsi's thoughts were far away. She hardly heard what I was saying. Péter was gravely ill. He had been doing without for so long - living in such a dangerous and hectic world - in his life-saving mission. It was meningitis. His mother was giving him the best possible loving care.
It was only when I was back in Pest that June when I learned the outcome of the "detective story". Apparently some Ukrainians moved in just across the Street from where we stayed at the Vörösmarty apartment. That particular night, when the gates were shut, they were able to climb up from the outside and get in by opening the window without disturbing anyone and took off with the big basket of valuables. It was through brilliant detective work, that the culprits were discovered. Jankief and his pal were cleared.