us-005578-irn522143-irn513767
is or was included in: us-005578-irn522143
has record set type: Item
type: RecordSet
has or had holder: us-005578
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
title: FK monogrammed leather document case made by a Jewish Hungarian woman
physical characterisitics and technical requirements: Handmade, rectangular, polished, red-brown, bi-fold leather document wallet with laced edges and a tooled monogram FK on a shield with a garland on the upper right corner. Another piece of leather lines the wallet interior and creates 1 full length interior pocket. This lining also acts as the backing for 6 vertical half length interior pockets. On each side are 3 layered, yellow cloth lined pockets: the back pocket has a straight edge, the middle, a curved edge, with an accordion pocket on the left side; and the front has slot pockets, with a double slot on the left side. There is a flap and a pull tab for the full length pocket within the right edge wallet lacing and a loop on the right slot pocket.
date: approximately 1942-1944 May
scope and content: Leather document case with wallet pockets made by Anna Gondos in the early 1940’s when she had to support herself and her daughter Judit, age 7, while her husband Bela was away in the Hungarian forced labor service. She carried it when she was deported from Budapest to Bergen-Belsen on the Kasztner train with Bela and Judit in June 1944. The FK monogram suggests that the wallet was made for someone but was never purchased. Jews were increasingly persecuted by the Nazi-influenced Hungarian regime. Bela worked in 2 or 3 forced labor battalions until released in 1942 because he was a physician. On March 19, 1944, Germany invaded Hungary and the authorities prepared to deport all the Jews from Hungary to concentration camps. In mid-May, Bela heard about the Kasztner train, negotiated by Rezso Kasztner of the Zionist Relief and Rescue Committee to get the German SS to take money to release Jews to neutral territory. Bela and his family were selected because of Bela’s Zionist ties. Kasztner failed to raise sufficient funds and the train was sent to Bergen-Belsen, arriving on July 8. After ransom money was raised by Jewish aid organizations, the prisoners were sent to Switzerland on December 7, 1944. Bela, Anna, and Judit emigrated to the United States in 1946.
history: The wallet was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2011 by Dr. Bela Gondos and Dr. Judith Gondos Jacobs.
record resource extent: overall: Height: 6.125 inches (15.558 cm) | Width: 4.500 inches (11.43 cm) | Depth: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm)
history: Anna Ilona Havas was born on June 22, 1910, in Gurahont, Romania, to Jakab and Iren Bleuer Havas. She had a brother, Imre Laszlo, born on June 17, 1908, in Honcto. Her father Jakab was born in 1871 in Transylvania, Romania. He was a merchant and owned a brewery and bar in Bekes, Hungary. Her mother Iren was born in 1877 in Mezotur, Hungary. The family was Jewish but assimilated. Her brother Imre married Iren “Pircsi” Gruenwald. Anna was an interior designer. In 1934, Anna married Dr. Bela Gondos, a radiologist, born on November 25, 1903, in Erdobenye, Hungary. He was an active Zionist. The couple lived in Budapest where they had a daughter, Judit, on April 27, 1937. They had a prosperous life with several maids and lived in a large apartment. Anna and Judit spent the summers visiting Anna’s family in Bekes. Hungary was governed by a fascist regime, allied with Nazi Germany. From 1939, Jewish men were forced into the Hungarian labor service, which was put under army command in 1940. In approximately 1940, Anna’s brother Imre was conscripted into the labor service. In spring 1941, Hungary joined the German invasion of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. Bela was drafted into forced labor two to three times in the early 1940’s. In 1942, he was in a labor battalion in Szentkiralyszabadja. While he was gone, the family had no income. Anna made leather goods to sell and they had to let go of their help. There were constant air raids and Anna and Judit had to go to a separate Jews only, less secure bomb shelter in the basement. Bela was released from the labor service and returned to his practice, but had fewer patients because non-Jewish patients would not see a Jewish doctor. On March 19, 1944, Germany occupied Hungary. Anti-Semitic restrictions were implemented immediately. On March 31, Star of David badges were required for Jews. Bela’s clinic was closed and Judit was no longer allowed to attend school. They had to turn over their valuables. They were only allowed to leav…
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
identifier: irn513767
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn522143-irn513767/acquisitions/1
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn522143-irn513767/alternateIDs/1