Itzhak Mayer papers

Itzhack Mayer (born Peter Trebitsch) was born on August 28, 1927 in Budapest, Hungary to Chaim (Armin) Mayer (b. 1897) and Golda (Lili) Trebitsch Mayer (b. 1902). Chaim was an administrator of the Orthodox community. The family was Orthodox and Itzhack attended religious schools. In March 1944, Germany seized control of Hungary. That June, Itzhack escaped to a Budapest suburb where he hid together with 18 other people until December 1944. His parents remained at home until mid-October and then also went into hiding. From December until their liberation on January 13, 1945, the family remained together. Chaim died from natural causes shortly after the end of the war. After liberation, Itzhack repeatedly tried to leave Hungary and immigrate to Israel. After his first venture, he was imprisoned for two months for trying to leave the country illegally. In December 1949, Itzhack managed to escape to Slovakia and then to Austria, and he finally arrived in Israel in August 1950 on board the Artza.