The Kallos Family Book 2022

PART 1: THE KALLOS FAMILY • 7
Zoltan and Lili-Regina Kallos
Zoltan and Lili Kallos’ family was well known
in Ťačovo because they owned the impressive
Kallos Hotel, located on the east side of Ťačovo.
There were four hotels in Ťačovo: the
Klein, nearest to the Ťačovo railway station on
Nádražní ulica (Czech for Railway Street), the
Kallos, which was the most modern, located a bit
further away from the station, the Korona in the
city centre and the Pichler, which was more like
a boarding house, in the south of Ťačovo near
the Tisa River and the border with Romania.
The Kallos Hotel, first built in 1928–29, contained
six guest rooms. In 1932 it was rebuilt
with sixteen guest rooms on the first floor, and a
billiard room with a coin- operated billiard table,
two dining areas and the kitchen on the ground
floor. The kitchen had two ovens, one a warming
oven that was also used to roast chestnuts in
winter. The Kallos family lived in a private
apartment, also located on the ground floor. It
had three bedrooms as well as a sitting–dining
area and bathroom. Zoltan and Lili’s bedroom
was elegantly decorated with cherry wood furniture.
Their eldest daughter Barbara shared her
bedroom with her first cousin Barbara Tabak.
The third bedroom was for the two youngest
Kallos children, Laci and Marta. The hotel had
running water, sewerage, electricity and central
heating making it very luxurious for its time.
Two valued employees also lived in the hotel.
They were treated so well by the Kallos family
they felt they were part of the family. Barbara
remembers them with fondness.
Maria Salamon, originally from Košice, Slovakia,
was hotel manageress in charge of guest
services and housekeeping. Her room had a night
bell for late arrivals. Ilon, a Gypsy (today called
Roma), was the hotel cook; she also cleaned the
Kallos family’s private apartment.
Located on the corner opposite the hotel
was a middle school for local Hungarians who
remained in Ťačovo after World War 1; it continued
to operate as a Hungarian school even
during the Czech period (1918–39).
The Kallos family at
the Kallos hotel before
the war. Lili and Zoltan
Kallos, seen here with
their children (from
left) Laci, Marta and
Barbara (see page 35
for a photo of the three
family members who
survived: Laci and
Barbara now adults,
and their mother Lili).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY
BARBARA KALLOS.