György Pető (Dec 20, 1906-1971) was a talented violin player, photographer, and class lottery businessman in the southern Hungarian city of Szeged. He began making 8mm films in 1938. Pető was first in a Jewish forced labor company in Kiszombor in 1940. After returning home, Pető married Eva Lengyel (d. 1970) on September 8, 1941. They had a son, András, on October 3, 1943. Pető was again transported to the Ukraine with another forced labor batallion, where he was captured, and imprisoned in a Soviet POW camp near Zaporozje. He escaped somehow and returned to Szeged. The Jews from Szeged, including Eva, baby András, and many Lengyel family members, were deported during the summer of 1944. They were transported to Strasshof and later to Neunkirchen (Austria) where baby András and Eva's mother and father died. Pető’s mother Zseni was killed at Auschwitz. His brother László died. Eva returned to Szeged in 1945; Pető followed one month later. In 1946, Eva and György had a second child, Katalin Pető. When all of Pető’s property was confiscated by the communist regime in Hungary in 1949, he escaped with his family to the city of Budapest where he established himself as viola player in the Budapest Operetta Theater.
On November 11, 1938, Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy enters Košice (Kassa), Slovakia, which Hungary regained, along with other Slovak territories, as a result of the Munich Agreement. Hungarian titles throughout. “Egy kis világtörténelem.” “1938 November 11” “A Kassai Bevonulás.” “Fotografálta: Pető György.” “A kassai kórhaz bejárata előtt…” Building “Nemocnica” with people milling about. “...két órai alvás után álmosan gyülekezik a társaság.” MS, Pető and friends from Szeged (four men and one officer) stand beside a car. “Ezer és ezer autó érkezik a történelmi napra.” Street scenes with cars, bicycles, guards, and crowds gathering for the historic day. Line of cars driving along the main road, some vehicles decorated, spectators on sidewalk waving white flags, people milling about on the main square. “Diadalkapu Kassa főuccáján.” LS, Hungarian flags hang from “Isten hozott” [welcome] banner over the street, crowds. “Turay Ida, Muráti Lili, a tömegben.” Women in the crowd with flags, including actresses, Ida Turay and Lili Muráti. “Mint verebek a fákon…” Spectators in the trees for a better view. “Százezernyi tömeg áll sorfalat.” More of the huge crowds, storefronts. Troops parade (barely seen behind crowds). “Minden ablak, minden erkély, megeteit.” Decorated balconies and apartment windows, filled with people. Street views of the masses gathered in Košicefor this historic event. Flags. “8 emeletes ház tetején is emberek…” People on the roof of an 8-story building. “11 óra után pár perccel…” “Horthy Miklós kormányzó fehér lovon bevonul Kassára.” 03:11 Just after 11:00, Horthy enters town on a white horse. Flags and hats waving from the crowd. LS, parading along road, huge crowds. Another view of the Isten Kozott banner. Hungarian troops with rifles, some on horses. “A katonaság bevonulása is órákon át tart.” Military continues through town. “Kornyekbeli lanyok es legenyek unnepi viseletben.” CUs, VAR, local people in traditional outfits. 05:20 Pan up, closer view of the “Isten Hozott” gate made with light-bulbs. Locals. Airplanes. Film ends 05:35
Horthy enters Košice