Winter/zima 2007/2008 - Pavelhaus

Introduction – Sixty-years later
For sixty years Maria Lackner had a
conscious doubt that she did not gave
enough. She felt that by giving more
she would have helped and saved
more suffering slave laborers. She
carried that burden on her shoulders
for sixty years.
Sechzig Jahre lang litt Maria Lackner
unter der Vorstellung, sie habe nicht
genug getan. Sie dachte, sie hätte eine
größere Anzahl Zwangsarbeiter retten
können, wenn sie nur mehr gegeben
hätte. Sechzig Jahre lang hatte sie
diese Last mit sich herumgetragen.
Introduction – Sixty-years later
Sandor Vandor
Sixty–years later, accompanied by my younger son, I revisited St. Anna again. I came to say thank
you to the citizenry for helping Hungarian Jewish forced laborers and especially for helping me
to stay alive. Mayor Josef Weinhandl facilitated the venue for me saying thank you for the community
for saving my life in 1945. I told my story to Middle School fourth grade students in
their classes. Besides the community in general, in my case, Mrs. Maria Lackner was outstanding
among the villagers. Maria Lackner took the biggest risk on herself and on her entire household
while providing food. Maria Lackner grabbed my arm and grabbed my comrade’s arm and pulled
us inside the house. She kept us inside the house while we ate her prepared food, and egg sandwich
with apple cider. She prepared food for us when the food was in short supply in the villages. Also
she gave us apples to take with us for later. Maria Lackner had a helper, her cousin Martha. She
opened the door for us and Martha spied the streets, she signaled, clear and safe before we were let
go from the house.
For sixty years Maria Lackner had a conscious doubt that she did not gave enough. She felt that
by giving more she would have helped and saved more suffering slave laborers. She carried that
burden on her shoulders for sixty years. With Mrs. Elisabeth Weinhandl, the Mayor’s wife facilitating,
Maria Lackner and I were reunited. My son, Ron and me, we verbally painted the Vandor
family tree, showing that I have 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Thus, we
showed Mrs. Lackner how far her apples went. With that she was able to unload the heavy burden
from her shoulders. The following moments she was tearing from happiness, when the photographer
captured tears running down her cheeks. Captured her tears on camera for prosperity.
On 17 March 2007, Yad Vashem sent a letter of recognition to Maria Lackner. In that letter Yad
Vashem expresses thanks and appreciation to Maria Lackner for her humane act, which helped
the victims to survive during the Holocaust. Her humanitarian deed at a time of great sufferings
of the Jewish people will remain enshrined in Yad Vashem’s records so that it will inspire future
generations.
Sandor Vandor
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