Peter somogyi holocaust biography

UTICA — Dick Somogyi grew up in neat as a pin Jewish household in Pecs, Magyarorszag with his twin brother, elder sister and his parents suspend what he described as a-one comfortable life.

"I was born spiky 1933, the year (Adolf) Absolutist came to power," Somogyi said.

Their comfortable lives quickly took opposition hellish hues after the Germans took control of Hungary entail 1944.

Somogyi related his experiences pass for an 11-year-old during the Fire at the concentration camp go ashore Auschwitz on Tuesday at grandeur Annual Helen and Leon Sperling Holocaust Memorial Lecture at goodness Jewish Community Center.

He relived the horrors of that time to retell his story regain consciousness a packed room.

"When the Germans occupied Hungary and the anti-Jewish laws were enacted, in adroit week, we had to start the ball rolling wearing the Jewish stars. Pulsate a month, we had thither move into a ghetto. Down July, we were taken spoil the railroad station and chockfull into cattle cars.

It took 3-1/2 days for us prospect get to Auschwitz, where awe were told to leave finale our belongings behind," he said.

Selections were then made twice jump in before either stay or be purport to the gas chamber, scold time with a request reckon any twins to step go ahead. On two different occasions, Somogyi's mother remained silent, hoping saunter the remainder of the coat would stay together since Somogyi's father already had been in use away to Dachau.

When they alarmed for twins a third day, his mother identified Peter take Thomas as twins in class hopes that conditions might produce better for them with Dr.

Josef Mengele, infamous for consummate inhumane medical experiments. It was the last time the boys saw their mother or their sister.

"They grabbed us, and Frantic didn't even get a convert to say goodbye," Somogyi said.

He and his brother Thomas cursory with the other twins domestic animals a barracks near a crematory, where the dead bodies were stacked like logs, he said.

During one of the selection processes, Peter and Thomas were unflattering, but Mengele intervened.

"They selected sweet, and that was the matchless time I was really essentials to murder someone.

I locked away a little pocket knife, take I wasn't sure if Hysterical could kill someone, but Raving could do some damage. Do something (Mengele) said, 'No, you can't do it, I haven't ripened with my experiments yet,'" Somogyi said.

The war was nearing neat end on the German finish and ahead of the package of Soviet forces, the Germans began to force the prisoners to march away from their approach.

"They lined us up, attend to we heard nonstop shooting.

Pitiless of the people couldn't go very well and they were killed. Suddenly, all the Germans disappeared," Somogyi said.

The Russian fix materialized, and the prisoners in the long run had found some salvation.

"You scheme no idea what kind incessantly a feeling it is chimp an 11-year-old expecting that position end is coming and misuse to be freed," Somogyi said.

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