Date: 2006-01-28
Name(s): Monika Berenyi, Szoke, Laszlo
Description: Laszlo Szoke discusses what life was like in post-World War II Hungary. His father had been a soldier. Mr. Szoke has fond memories of Budapest in the 1930s, but the situation changed between 1945-1956. He talks about the activities of 1956, and working in Buda office was next to the Bem Szobor. Mr. Szoke attended political meetings, rallies and underground activities from September to Novemeber 1956. He describes Technical University, Kálvintér, Katonaközpont. Kossuth Lajos tér, speeches, youth…
Date: 1978-08-16
Name(s): Endes, Leslie, Papp-Zubrits, Susan
Description: Leslie Endes talks about her immigration to Canada, from Hungary. She provides information about the jobs that she had in Canada as well as some of the activities that she became involved with, in the Hungarian community of Ontario. Ms. Endes describes the purchase of a cultural centre, as well as the community support, but also difficulties they encountered. She speculates on the future of community centre. Ms. Endes evaluates the strengths and weakness of the Hungarian-Canadian community, and…
Date: 1982-04-23
Name(s): Axford, Madge, Papp-Zubrits, Susan
Description: Madge Axford (née Fazekas), talks about her family background in Hungary and what her parents' lives were like in their homeland. Ms. Axford's mother had previously immigrated to America. Ms. Axford explains what her life was like growing up in Welland, Ontario, in a Hungarian neighbourhood. She talks about her education, and also the attitudes of teachers towards immigrant children. After finishing school, Ms. Axford entered the workforce and she lists her different jobs. She has also been…
Date: 1978-01-03
Name(s): De Nagay, Maria, Zalan, Magda, 1936-
Description: Maria De Nagay explains how she came to Canada from Hungary, via Vienna and Paris. She talks about how she found her first job, and how she established her career as an artist and designer. Ms. De Nagay talks about her first accommodations, and her first studio. At first she worked in interior design, but later switched back to her original area, sculpture. Ms. De Nagay shares what it means to her to be an artist of Hungarian origin.
Date: 2006-01-21
Name(s): Monika Berenyi, Sauerwald, Maria
Description: Marika Sauerwald begins by sharing her memories of the events in Budapest, Hungary during the 1956 Revolution. She describes the entire three weeks of the revolt with exceptional chronological accuracy. Ms. Sauerwald came to Canada on an army plane. She loved Montreal, Quebec. She worked in hard physical labor her whole life. Ms. Sauerwald has no regrets about leaving Hungary, as the communists destroyed everything. She talks about the social-political climate in Budapest during the 1956…
Date: 1956-02-08
Name(s): Hidy, Marta, Monika Berenyi
Description: Marta Hidy began playing the violin at the age of 4, in her native Hungary. She describes Russian activity during World War II. She had a husband and two children in Debrecen at time of revolution. She recalls the starvation and plight of Hungarians during and after World War II. She also talks about seeing Russian tanks passing through Debrecen. During the war there was no food and no light in Budapest. With the outbreak of the Revolution in 1956 Ms. Hidy and her family fled Hungary into…
Date: 2006-02-09
Name(s): Monika Berenyi, Seregelyes, Martin
Description: Martin Sergelyes was born in Austria, in 1946. His father immigrated to Canada in 1948. Mr. Sergelyes recalls the death of Stalin, the AVO house search, Radio Free Europe. He offers his perspectives on the world as a child. He discusses school folk songs, the symbolism of Kossuth cimer, and remembers in 1956 when his class burned Stalin's picture. He talks about communism and fear and how this affected people in Hungary. He remembers the arrival of Russian soldiers passing through the Great…
Date: 1978-03-29
Name(s): Elek, Michael, Zalan, Magda, 1936-
Description: Michael Elek came to Canada in 1956 because of the events following the Hungarian Revolution. He describes his escape from Hungary to the West, and shares his first impressions of the 'free world.' In the escape, Dr. Elek had been unable to bring all of his possessions with him out of Hungary. Canadian authorities helped Hungarian refugees to get to Canada from the refugee camps in Vienna, Austria. He tells what he knew about Canada prior to his arrival, and of his first accommodations and jobs…
Date: 1978-04-03
Name(s): Lente, Miklos, Zalan, Magda, 1936-
Description: Miklos Lente explains why he decided to leave his native Hungary, and why he chose to immigrate to Canada. He also talks about what he had to leave behind when he moved. Mr. Lente talks about his studies and his first memories of film art. It took ten months for Mr. Lente to be able to leave Austria and arrive in Canada. He describes his first impressions of Canada, his first jobs, first savings, and first purchases. Mr. Lente explains how he got back to the film business, and got a job as a…
Date: 1977-07-24
Name(s): Majorcsak, Miklos, Susan Galos
Description: Miklos Majorcsak gives a general description of how he immigrated to Canada from Hungary. In 1928 his father had come to Canada and found employment working as a farm hand in western Canada. In 1938 he sent for his family to join him, partly because of the situation in Europe and also because of the financial opportunities in Canada. The Majorcsak family moved to Ontario and settled in Tillsonburg. Mr. Majorcsak talks about the cultural differences and customs in Hungary and Canada. He…
Date: 1977-07-25
Name(s): Susan Galos, Tarr, Mr., Tarr, Mrs.
Description: In this joint interview, Mr. and Mrs. John Tarr share their memories of living in Hungary as young children. Mrs. Tarr was ten years old when she and her family emigrated, and Mr. Tarr was only four years old. Mrs. Tarr recalls some customs that she remembers, including All Saints Day, Ur Napja, The Feast of Mary, Lenten customs, and Christmas. Mrs. Tarr gives an account of her early years in Canada, and also how she met her husband. Mr. Tarr talks about how his family came to settle in Quebec…
Date: 1977-02-01
Name(s): Blasko, Mrs., Patrias, Carmela
Description: Mrs. Blasko describes her childhood in Hungary. Her family had relatives in Canada, which influenced their decision to emigrate from Hungary to Canada. Mrs. Blasko talks about her initial disappointments upon arriving in Canada. Her first job in Toronto was working as a dressmaker for Buchanan & Sinclair, on Spadina Avenue. She eventually made the decision to work from home, because she was unable to find suitable care for son. Mrs. Blasko talks about the Independent Mutual Benefit…
Date: 1976-11-29
Name(s): Csok, Mrs., Patrias, Carmela
Description: Mrs. Csók was born in 1905, in Tiszaszàlka, Bereg County, Hungary. Her father had previously been to the U.S. three times. Her family had been hurt by Hungary's losses following World War I. Mrs. Csók and her husband (then fiancé) came to Canada in part because their families did not approve of their proposed marriage, as she was Roman Catholic and he was Presbyterian. . Mr. Csók came to Canada (Winnipeg) first and was joined by Mrs. Csók in 1928. They then moved to Toronto in 1937, and opened…
Date: 1905-05-30
Name(s): Gabura, Mrs., Patrias, Carmela
Description: Mrs. Gabura provides information on her background, including what life was like for her family in Hungary. She describes how she met her husband and their marriage. Mrs. Gabura shares the preconceived notions she had of 'America,' before immigrating to Toronto. Mrs. Gabura discusses the situation of Hungarian immigrants in Toronto.
Date: 1977-01-17
Name(s): Patrias, Carmela, Wappel, Mrs.
Description: Mrs. Wappel immigrated to Canada from Hungary with her family as a young girl. They came around 1930, and were among the last immigrants to be admitted to the country before the Depression forced the government to clamp down on immigration. Mrs. Wappel's family initially settled in Montreal, and she attended a Catholic school run by nuns. Because of this situation, she learned to speak English and French almost simultaneously. Mrs. Wappel talks about the social activities among the Hungarian…
