PLEASE NOTE: This book contains graphic description ... - HUNSOR

86ground. we were able to read the lines on the marble. The newcomers' burial places provided thegreatest possible contrast. every tomb had its own marble headstone.Dear sir.This letter became a very long one. I had never told this story from beginning to end, noteven to my grandchildren.Yours Sincerely,a Bavarian-Swabian "girl" who feels she has a Hungarian heart."TEMERIN"I deserted the Hungarian army. In October there was still a German Tiger tank in front of ourhouse. When the Germans left, an executive committee was formed. We gathered in oldKalmar's Restaurant. In a day or two the Partisan Punitive Company arrived in the village. Wethought we were going to be punished, because we had not hindered the deportation of Jews thatsummer.A decree was issued ordering all the men between sixteen and sixty to go to the churchyard witha shovel and sandwiches for a day.The commander knew Hungarian. he said he lived in Zenta. There was a short man from Adaand a Jew in police uniform among the partisan troops.The men reported to the churchyard and were ordered to line up. An officer of the partisansstood in front of them with a list in his hand. He had a machine gun on his shoulder and apartisan cap with a red star on his head.The armed Partisans arrived in four or five horsedrawn carts from Novi Sad, all of them armed.There were no women among them. Everyone obeyed the call, since the Partisans said thatwhoever was found at home would be shot. Those who had carts and horses had to take them,but they all had to get off and join the others in the line, except for the few who had to carryfirewood to the parish hall.We thought we would have to join the army, but those who were called forth by the partisanofficer had to go to the convent. Our line stood between the church and the convent. I becamesuspicious when one of the guards said to a man whose name was called, "Pass me the shovel,you won't need it any more."I didn't know any of the partisans. The commander made it clear they had come to collect theguilty, while the rest would go to87work. They did not say that they were looking for the names of those who had participated in theraids in Csurog or Zsablya. They didn't care that the person had left the village. they gatheredtheir namesakes in the convent.They also tried to find the police officer of Nagyada, but out of fear he had hidden in a stack ofstraw and cut his throat with a razor. His relatives who had to pay the price for him.