HeisLangletssecretary,sheisWallenbergsinterpreter

Sandor(Kasza)Kasserandhiswife,ErzsbetAranyi:
workedforWallenberg,19441945

ErzsbetAranyiwiththeirchildren

Inmyrecentlypublishedbook,Wallenbergreport(AbOvo,Bp,.2014)Iwriteabouttherecollectionsof
Sandor(Kasza)Kasserandhiswife,ErzsbetAranyi.Hereisanexcerptoftheirstory.
KasserwasoneoftheleadersoftheSwedishRedCross,whichwasledbyValdemarLanglet.Kasserswife
wasWallenbergsinterpreter.Theysavedmanylives.
SndorKasserwastheCEOofoneofthemostimportantpaperfactoriesNemnyiBrothersPaperFactory
LTD.AstheleaderofthepaperfactoryheregularlytraveledtoSwedentobuycommoditiesforthebusiness.
ForthepurposeofthebusinesshewantedtolearntospeakSwedishsohetookSwedishlessonsinBudapest
attheuniversityfromtheSwedishlinguisticlecturerValdemarLanglet.Thetwomenbecamefriends..Later

onandthiswouldbeanotherexcitingstoryLangletbecamethecentralplayerforfreeingJewishpeople
fromdeportationinBudapest.TheSwedishlecturerLangletcalledKasserprivately,becausehethought,he
wouldabletoorganizeabigapparatusforthegoaloffreeingpeople.
Kassermanagedthecentraloffice,wheretheymadeprotectionorsafeconductlettersforpersons.Allthe
informationarrivedhereaboutthefunctioningofthebigandcomplicatedorganizationandthepeoplewho
neededhelplineduphere.Theywereoperating12hospitalsand47childrenshomes.Theorganizationwas
hidingandfeedingthepersecutedpeople.Theirorganizationincluded14seniorshomesand8housesinthe
protectedghettowithapproximately3thousandpeopleinit.Theywerealsohidingpeoplein7nuns
conventsand2monasteries,andtheywerealsooperating5soupkitchens.
Whatalsohavesavedthousandsoflives,employingLangletsideafrom1944May;theystartedtomake
protectionletterstothepersecuted.IntroducedbytheSwedishRedcrosstheSchutzbriefwastheforefather
oftheSchutzpasses.
AccordingtoMs.ErzsebetthefirstthingthatmyhusbandorganizedwasSchutzbrief,likehowtheSwedish
Redcrossaskedforit.BythetimeWallenbergarrived,theywereabout400ofthesegivenout.Itlooked
likedlikearealpassport.
Butofcourseithadnothingtodowithdiplomacy,ithadmoreofapsychologicaleffect,becauseitreally
lookedlikeaSwedishpassport.RightuntilSzalasicametopowertheyacceptediteverywheresaidKasser.
Tomyquestionthatwhoweretheluckyoneswhowereabletogettheirhandsonapassportlikethat,they
toldmethatanybodywasabletocometothemiftheyneededthehelp.MostlyJewishpeoplecame,butthere
werealsopeoplewhowerepoliticallypersecutedandneededtheirhelp.Theydidntevenhavetoproveany
relationtoSweden.Ofcoursewhiletheyweregivingoutthesepaperstheytriedtocheckonpeoplesothey
wouldnthavespiesmixedwiththeprotectedones.
Firstitwasonlyfourpeoplewhoworkedinthisaction,butthensoonenoughitbecametwenty.Thenin
MaytheHungarianRedCrosswheretheyworkedfiredthembecausetheyfoundthatthissavingactionwas
toomuchanddangerousforthem.
ButthaninthesummerWallenbergarrived,andthatwasabighelpforthem,becausetheywereunderhis
protectionaswell.ItbecameimportantparticularlyfromOctober.BythenitbecameclearthattheSwedish
RedCrosswouldnotbelegitimateforthiskindofactivity.WeveneededsomeconnectionsaidKasser.
TheSwedishRedCrosswasworkingtogetherwiththeembassyandtherewithWallenbergwhomanagedto
savepeople.KassernethinksthatthemostmemorableactionwaswhenshewasaninterpreterforWallenberg
inthemeetingoflieutenantcolonelgerdameLaszloFerenczy.(1)
Weaskedforimmunehouseswherewecouldabletoputourprotectedpeople.Thewholethingstartedwith
Ferenczymakinguswaitinhiswaitingroomforhalfanhour.Whatwasalsosodepressingtoothatthe
wholebuildingwasfullofarmedpeople.

FinallywhenwewereabletomeetwithFerenczy,heyelledatusinanger,thathowcomewearenotashamed
thatwearehelpingtheJews.Hetoldusterriblethings.
-

Butthanwhatdidyousay?Iaskedandinterruptedher.
WhatcouldIheavesaid?Youhavenoanswertothat.IfIwouldntdoit,thenIwouldve
beenembarrassed.BythewayIdidnottranslatemostofthethingstoWallenbergthat
Ferenczyyelledatus,becauseIwasworriedifhefindsout,Wallenbergwouldvelosthis
patienceandthenallofhisdiplomacymightbelost.Becauseyouknow,Wallenbergwas
neverscaredofanyone.Thatwashistragedytoo.Hewasnotscaredorintimidatedbecause
hethoughtthattheSwedishkingsupportedhimandnothingcouldhappentohim.ButI
stillthoughtitwouldbebetterifIwonttranslateeverything.AttheendFerenczycalmed
downandWallenbergmanagedtoget3morebuildingsfromhimwhichwerethenstanding
bytheSwedishEmbassysprotectionandwewereabletohouse650people.Thesepeople
weregoingtoSwedenassoonastheywereabletowiththeirpaperwork.Takingadvantage
onhowFerenczywasthatgenerousmyhusbandmanagedtogetfewmorebuildingsunder
theRedCrossprotectionaroundPozsonyiRoad.Thisguy,Ferenzcyactuallywasavery
handsomeintelligentperson.Irememberwhenfinallyweleft,Wallenberg,whousually
controlshimselfwassorelievedthatheburstoutinlaughandweweredancingonthe
streetinhappiness.

AthankyouletterfromWaldemarLanglettoSandorKasser(Kasza)
Kasserandhispeopletriedtousethesituationthattheremightbenewopportunitiesbetweentheembassy
andtheRedCross.KassertoldmeinanexamplethatWallenbergsenthimafewtimestotheJewishCouncil

tofindoutwherearetheysendingtogatherthedeportedJews,becauseKasserwasabletofindoutthis
informationwithoutcausingadiplomacyproblem.ButlotsoftimesitwasnecessaryforWallenberg
interventionintheHungarianArrowCrossauthoritiesforthepeopleunderhisprotection.
SometimesithappenedthatheaskedtheRedCrosstohidepeopleinahospitaloramonastery.Onetimehe
cameandhesaidheneeded80protectionlettersfortheseJewishpeoplewhoescapedfromtheworking
camp,andwehadtosavethemfrombeingdeported.Anothertimeithappenedthatwehadtowake
Wallenbergupintheearlymorninghoursat3AMbecauseagroupofpoliceandArrowCrossofficersbroke
intoouroffice,theywereholdinggunstous,andtheywantedtokidnaptheJewswhowewerehidingthere,
andtheywereunderourprotection.AttheendWallenbergwasabletosendthepoliceaway.
Forexampletheyworkedtogethertogetfood,whichbecameincreasinglydifficultbythen.Theyonly
mentionedtwonames,BelaKornitzer(2)journalist,whowasincontactwiththeillegalmovements,and
somekindofDeutsch,whobroughtfoodfromthepeasants.

ToourregularworkingdayattheRedCrossmeantthatwehadtodealwithpeoplewhothepolicebrought
inbecausetheywerefalsifyingtheprotectivepassportsandtheywerecut.Thanrighttherewehadtocheck
thedocumentsvalidity.Sinceitwaslimitedhowmanyprotectivepassporttheycanproduce,theyprinted
twocopiesofeachnumberofpassportstotwisttherules.Soofcoursetheyusedtwobookstoregisterthese
copiesofpassports,theyputthefirstinthefirstaccountingbook,thesecondinthesecondone.Whenthe
policebroughtinthecaughtones,wejustshowedonebooktoproveitthattheirpassportwasregistered.Of
courseithappenedthatthepolicebroughtintwopersonsandbothwiththesameregisterednumber,thanit
washardtoexplainthatitmusthavebeenanadministrationerror,andapologizetothepolice.Itwasnteasy.
Itwasfinewhilethepolicedidtheraid,butwhentheArrowCrossbecameinpowerthiskindofdiplomacy
hasfailed.

ForthesetimesSandorKasserlefthisjobatthefactory,whereheworkedasafactorymanager,becauseat
theRedCrosshisjobmeanttowork24hoursaday.Butfortobenotdrawnintothearmyhethankeditto
thathewasaworkeratthepaperfactory.Hiskidswereverylittleatthistime,andthefamilywaslivinginthe
familyestateinMor.ThenatlateSeptembertheybroughtthekidsuptoBudapest.Withthemtheybrought
theircowandkeptitinthegarageinBudapest.Withthatthekidsgotfreshmilkeveryday.Andthenwhen
theywereshortoffoodbytheendofDecembertheyslaughteredthecow,sothattheyandtheirfriendswere
abletohavesomemeat.

InthemeantimetheArrowCrosstriedtoplantsomespiesintheirorganization.
Oneofourcoworkers,BelaHargitaiwasanArrowCrosspartymemberandactuallyhecametousandtold
usthattheyweresendinghimtospyonus.ButwebecamecloseandhewasevenlivingwithusintheIzso
streetapartment.Atonetimeweneededababysitterandhegotussomeone.Shortlyafterwerealizedthatthis
girlwassendbytheArrowCrosstospyonus,butbythenshewasalsospyingonHargitai,becausehedidnt
sendenoughinformationaboutus.ThanonedayHargitaidisappearedfor3days.Whenheresurfacedagain,
weaskedhimwherehashebeen.Heansweredthattheytookhiminandwerebeatinghimupbecausethegirl
saidhewasworkingwithus.Sandorswifesaidthatiftheyareinformedwell,theythinkthatHargitaiwas
executedafterthewarbecausehewaswiththeArrowCrossarmywhoattackedanorphanageandahospital
wheretheykilledJews.
KasserrememberedoneofthemeetingwithFerencFialas(3)ArrowCrosspressagent.
Ihadtomeetwithhim.HewastellingmethathecamefromBerlinandthattheGermanshaveamagic
weaponwhatwouldkillalltheenemies.Sothewarwillbewonbythem.Ianswered;fineitlookslikethey
willhavethemagicweapon,buthowaboutifnot?Thenyouwillbehangedafterthewar.Itsbetterifyou

cometooursideandhelpus.IalsoaskedhimtohelpmetogetsomepeopleoutoftheArrowCross.Thenhe
madethecall,andtheyletthosepeoplegowhomIaskedfor.Imsurethisiswhyattheendofthewarthey
didntexecutehim.
(1) AftertheinvasionLaszloFerenczybecamethemessengerbetweenAdolfEichmannand
theHungarianlawenforcement.HeleadtheprovincialJewsdeportation,andhetriedto
deporttheprotectedpeopleaswell.HecomplainedabouthowtheHungarianarmy
deliveredlaborservicepaperstotheghetto,andwiththattheysaveJewsfromdeportation
inthelastminutes.AfterthedeportationsFerenczysbehaviorbecametheoppositeofhow
hebehavedbefore.HewaslookingforconnectionsintheleadersoftheJewishCouncil,
andhetriedtocallhimselfthefriendofJews.AftertheArrowCrossbecameinpower,
heagainbecamehisrealselfandheorderedahuntagainsthisJewishfriends.Afterthe
warhelefttotheWest,butheendedupinAmericancaptivityandtheyhandedhimoverto
theHungarianstates.In1946theyexecutedhim.
(2) Writer,journalist,whowaspartoftheresistance.Afterthewarhewenttoliveinthe
UnitedStates.
(3) FerencFialawasthefounderoftheHungariannationalSocialistmovementandhewasthe
leaderoftheArrowCrosspress.In1944hewastheArrowCrosspartyHungarianist
Movementpresssecretary.In1946theHungarianPeoplesTribunalsenthimfor
execution,buttheychangedtheordertosentenceforlifebecausesomewitnessprovedhis
humanitarianbehaviortowardJewishpeople.Hespentalmost12yearsinprison,buthe
fledunderthe1956revolution.HewenttoliveinWestGermany,wherehewasworkingas
editorforsomeoftheHungarianRightwingpublications.

TheywerelaunchingJanosDesisbookin2014Dec.5that5PMintheBalintHouse.