Portrait of three Hungarian Jews.
Overview
- Caption
- Portrait of three Hungarian Jews.
From left to right are Alexander Steiner, Lori Sandor Leiner and Klara Steiner.. - Date
-
Circa 1932 - 1936
- Locale
- Hungary
- Photo Credit
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Agnes Barsela
Rights & Restrictions
- Photo Source
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Copyright: United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumProvenance: Agnes Barsela
Keywords & Subjects
- Photo Designation
-
LIFE BEFORE THE HOLOCAUST -- Hungary -- Family/Friends/Portraits
Administrative Notes
- Biography
- Leah Barsela (born Agnes Steiner) is the daughter of Alexander Steiner (b. October 29, 1903) and Klara nee Fejer (b. November 12, 1907). Agnes was born on November 13, 1931 in Budapest where her father had a grain business together with his father. He also worked in the commodities market. Agnes' grandfather was a judge in the commodities market. Klara's family was religious, while the Steiners followed the Neolog (Hungarian reform) tradition. The family shared a large home with both sets of grandparents and all the aunts and uncles. It was six stories high and each family had their own apartment. The office was on the top floor. Agnes attended public school for the first four years of elementary school and then transferred to a Jewish gymnasium. She remained in the Jewish school until the German invasion of Hungary in March 1944 and then continued in a public school.
In the early 1940's the fascist Hungarian regime constricted all of Agnes' father and uncle for forced labor. Alexander was sent to work in the mines. Initially he was allowed to come home for short visits, but in 1944 he was sent to Bor in Serbia where he perished. In 1943 the family sold their building to a company, but they still maintained other real estate. Agnes's family was able to live in one flat in the building that eventually became a Jewish safe house in Budapest. Agnes remained there until October 29, 1944 when her grandfather feared it was no longer safe and sent her to the Red Cross children's home in Buda on Orso Utca. She remained there until December 23, 1944 when she moved together with her mother and grandfather to where the Neolog "Hevra Kadisha" had been located (Erzsebet Korut 26). Agnes's grandfather had been the President of the Hevra Kadisha. It was turned into a hospital and was guarded by a soldier in the Arrow Cross. The whole building was populated by Jews and directed by the Hevra Kadisha. One side of the building was in the ghetto and the other side faced the main boulevard. Agnes and her mother and grandfather remained there until liberation.
After the war Agnes participated in Gordonia Macabbi Hazair, and in 1949 she immigrated to Israel with the youth movement. She was sent to Kfar Ruppin. After contracting malaria, she moved to Givatayim. She lived in the Beth Halutzah where she met her future husband Peter David Bisseliches, (b. September 7, 1923). He was the son of Moshe Bisseliches, born December 29, 1878 in Brodi, Galicia. Also a survivor from Budapest, Peter immigrated to Israel in 1949. They were married on September 7, 1950, and changed their last name to Barsela in 1951. Her mother immigrated to Israel a few years later. Agnes has three children and eight grandchildren and works as a travel agent.
- Record last modified:
- 2018-04-10 00:00:00
- This page:
- http://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/pa1170308
