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--> Puspokladany
The Railway Station
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Puspokladany
Puspokladany's Jewish community dates back to 1840, when the town numbered just 15 Jewish residents. The town's synagogue and Jewish communal complex was built in 1880, with the Puspokladany's Jewish population reaching 741 at the time.
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Nadudvar is a small town with about ten thousand residents. In running his business, my father experienced much aggravation and was overwhelmed by the competition. For that reason, we moved to a bigger town nearby, Puspokladany. It was a very cold Sunday in December, with the wind blowing sharply outside. Our household belongings were packed on a horse-wagon early in the morning, my father sat beside the driver and they left on their way. Later in the day our mother carried baby Yuda in her arms and the four of us bigger children followed her to Aunt Roza's house, where we had a warm lunch. Dear Aunt Roza escorted us to the train station and traveled with us to Kaba, the first town on our way to Puspokladany. There we changed trains. Aunt Roza helped us inside the train, making sure each of us sat comfortably. With a heavy heart, she wished us the best in our new place.
We reached our destination - Puspokladany - at about three p.m. December 1933. My mother with a baby in her arms, followed by four small children aged two, five, six and eight.
We entered the waiting area of the railway station. It was full of unknown people smoking cigarettes which clouded the room. Here we waited for my father to take us home to our new place in a strange city. My witty brother Sanyi was always finding someone to tease - now it was my turn to be his victim. The railway station was full of advertisements and pictures, one of them depicting a scene from Budapest. Sanyi scared me by declaring that we had not arrived at Puspokladany, but at Budapest. We got off the train at the wrong place! He knew exactly whom to tease. I really believed him and was frightened. My mother's words reassured me only slightly, but just then my father appeared as the door opened.
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© David Muskal, 2001
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