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Map of Puspokladany

As always, my father's beaming face reassured me. A deep inner gleefulness took me over and I was sure we had arrived at the right destination. In a heavy, horse-drawn carriage, we went from the train-station through the long main street, Rakoisi-ut, passing by the central market and its monument commemorating the town's soldiers who died in World War One. Then we turned left to Bockai-ut and after a short while made a right turn to [Damjanich?] or Dembinsky street, then took a left turn to [Arany] Yanos street number sixteen. Alas we arrived at our first rented house - complete with big courtyard - in Puspokladany.

We hardly had time to look around before my father rushed to bring a doctor to check our baby brother Yuda. Dr. Oscar Szucs came at once. As he checked our baby bother's lower body, Yuda let out a long stream of pee on him. All us children tried to hold back our laughter. Dr. Szucs was a very handsome man and a very devoted, good human being. Faithfully and diligently he responded to his patients' requests. Without delay he came whenever his service was called for - rain, snow, storm, sunshine - to the rich and to the poor. He always came with a kind, beaming smile. But alas within eleven years he, too, would be among the victims cruelly driven to the gas chambers of Auschwitz, his dead body departing through the crematorium chimneys in the form of smoke, blending with the dark clouds in the sky.

Some of our new neighbors welcomed us very nicely, while others were less friendly. The Gyore family which lived opposite us were quite nice. They were also a big family, and one of the girls befriended me. She invited me to go with her to kindergarten, and for a while I enjoyed going with her. Then one day as all the children sat on the low chairs the boy sitting next to me kicked my legs. I protested to the teacher right away, but she ignored my complaint and sent me back to my chair. Even as a six-and-a-half year old child I felt the great injustice and humiliation. The boy kicked me because I was a Jew, and the teacher disregarded my complaint because I was a Jew. Never again did I go to this or any other kindergarten.

© David Muskal, 2001