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.
Kodak safety film logo. Hungarian titles throughout. Title card with drawing of a child on a rocking horse “Ez a kis film abba a boldog világla visz” “vissza bennünket, amikor még nem vultak… Title card with sketch of an angry man with his hands over his ears and “sem gondjaink”. Stylized picture of a man sitting next to a woman with “sem szenvedélyeink” “a történet nem kitalált mese, hanem megtörtént valúság. Címe” “Janika vasárnapja” “a főszerepben:” János smiles at the camera. “Fotografálta és összevágta: Pető György.” “Történik:” “1940” (trick shots) “Május 26 Vasárnap” Small clock indicates the time 9:00 in the morning. Mrs. Pető opens a door and raíses the curtains, waking the boy up. CUs, János. He slides on a pair of slippers. 10:00 AM János takes a bath. “Hallás gyakorlat” More grooming: cleaning ears, brushing hair and teeth. 11:00 AM He is dressed by his aunt Rose and they go outside for a walk. 05:16 János, dressed in a summer outfit, at the riverside. “most egy nehezell mutatvány követketik” Trick shots of János jumping (in reverse) onto a bench. 12:00 PM He returns to the apartment with his aunt and at 1:00 eats a meal. 3:00 PM CUs, Rose reading paper, János greets her with a big hug and he receives candy. 4:00 PM (color) János rides a tricycle in the garden, beautiful flowers. He smells the roses. 5:00 PM (black and white) They return home. 6:00 PM He rides on the tricycle indoors. 7:00 PM Aunt Rose helps János wash up (hands, face, and ears) and he eats a meal before going to bed at 8:00 PM. Film ends 10:18
Janika's Sunday (May 1940)