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.
WIth titles in Hungarian. “I.RÉSZ” with picture of a violin and a lever-action rifle. “AMI NEM MINDENKINEK SIKERÜL”. “A78-IK SZÜLETÉSNAP” An older woman looks at the camera, smiles, and talks. “ACSALÁD” CU, 3 playing cards - a jack, a king, and (what looks to be) a joker. INT, Laszlo Pető in the middle of two men playing cards, with 1 man standing in the BG. “ÖSSZES AOLU SŬLI ULSIMO” They play cards. Women, including older sister of Gyorgy, Rózsa Pető, and Zseni Krausz, sit at a table, eating and talking. 01:48 “II. RÉSZ” “AMI NEM MINDENKINEK SIKERÜL” “A33-IK SZÜLETÉSNAP” “MEGÉRTE, MEGÍRTA…” “FOTOGRAFÁLTA ÉS IGEN SZELLEMES FELIRATOKKAL ELLATTA:” “?” Man lies down on a bed and is reading a book titled “Chamberlain a felelos” with the author’s name being obscured by the man’s hand. “AHABORUERT ALLITILOAG” CU, book. “APOCSEK RAJZOKERT PEDIG” Man looks at the camera rather menacingly and smiles before cutting to a CU of an invitation to F.F. Haver for dinner on Saturday evening (December 16, 1939) at the home of PETÓ GYÖRGY in Szeged. Personalized menu card. 5 bottles of liquor on a shelf with cigarette boxes. Animation: “HALLÓ HALLÓ RÁDIÓ SZEGED DEAK F.U.4.SZ RÖVID HÍREK:” “SZAKAVATOTT TRÉNER AZ ÖSSZES KAVÉHAZI SPORTOKRA KITANITJA CIM: SZÁNTÓGÁBOR AGYALA-GYULA” The group of Peto’s friends and family look at camera and laugh; one of the men is in a woman’s dress. Peto at far left of group. “RÓKAVADÁSZATRA CSAK DOMANT HÍVJA AJÁMLATOK: “BIZTOS ELHIBÁZZA” JELIGÉRE”. The group laughs and chats. “SÁRGARIGÓ DARÁRSFÉSZEK ADDIG ESZIK MÍG NEM RÉSZEG E SZOKÁSA BARMI FURA SOKÁ ÉLJEN: BRUCKNER PURA”. The group poses for the camera, laughing, drinking, eating around a table. “EZ MEG A KÉT SZOBACICA EGYIK: ICA MÁSIK: CILS” Two maids provide service and the group has a jolly time. “LÁNYOK, FIGYELEM!!! HOGYAN KELL JÓL FÉRJHEZMENNI? BIRZTOS TIPPEK: VARGATIBORNE-NÁL” “TÁVIRAT VARGA TIBORNE SZEGED TIPP KITUNOE CILA” MS, the two maids. The cross-dressed man dances with another. “MINDENKI ÉRZI SZÜKSÉGÉT” “LATNI MÁR E FILMMEK VÉGÉT AKINEK VAN 2 TENYERE TAPSOLJON HÚT, EGYE FINE”. Peto stands against a wall, bowing and giving thanks to an imaginary audience. Kodak Safety Film logo. 06:25 “1940. Januar” “BEHAVAZOTT SZEGEDI UCCÁK”. Snow-filled street with people walking. Szeged city covered in snow, people walking around, and a horse-drawn carriage. Icy river, bridge, snow-covered bench in the park. Horse-drawn sleds travel on streets. Sign on building: “STOP: Taxi Allomàs 33-33” sign. Aunt Rose (or Mother Lili Wolf) drags Janos Peto on a sled. “MÉG GYENGÉN MÉGY A HÓGOLYOZÁS” Mom throws a snowball at the camera while Janos starts to gather snow together and throw it too. “OTTHON BARÁTSÁGOSABB A HELYZET” Janos plays with a model train set indoors. CU, he smiles. Zseni Krausz (grandmother), smiling, talking, and looking at the camera. “KEDÉLYES VADÁSZAT A BAKTÓ-BAN” “RÉSZTVETTEK A SZILFIA SUGÁR, HORVÁTH BOMBULI, A FÖRPE WELLISZ ZIVESSY SZUSZOG (MÉLTÓSÁGAS!!), DOMÁN, A HIRES. RÓKAVADÁSZ, KERSEH FERI, AZ Ö 120 KILÓJÁVAL, OSVÁTH LACI, NEVES ANTILKOHOLISTA ÉS PETHÖ GYÖRGY AKI A LEGTÖBB NYUKAT LÖTTE” “SZÁNKÁNKÁS UTTALAN UTAKON”. Shots from POV of riding in a horse-drawn carriage. “JŐNNEK A HAJTÓK!” Pan across snow-filled field. People riding in the horse-drawn carriage, they wave at the camera. The large group lines up in the field. CUs of some of the men. They shoot at a rabbit. Camera chases the rabbit. Hunters in the field. “HAJTÁS UTÁN: NAGY MESEMONDÁS.” CUs of the hunters, talking and smoking. “ESETT: 45 nyul.” “HANYATT ESETT: SZIVESSY ÉS DOMÁN.” They caught 45 rabbits. Film ends with the hunters jokingly falling down in the snow and laughing. Film ends 10:49.
Dinner reception at Pető home; snowstorm and hunting