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Recording Content:
The first part of the recording is the continuation of a formal interview with Elizabeta Freundlich, recorded in Cluj-Napoca. (Part 4 of 4. See Accession # 09-008.02-F MDV 239, MDV 240, and MDV 241) (see also: Accession # 09-008.02-F MDV 244,245,246)
The second part of the recording includes synagogue footage and informal chatting with community members at the Oradea synagogue.
The third part of the tape is a formal interview with Mihai (Avrum-Khayim) Freundlich, born 1921 in Baia Mare (Yiddish: Banye). (Part 1 of 3. See MDV 288 and MDV 289)
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00:00:00
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Freundlich speaks about Jewish life in the region during World War II. She then speaks about life after the war and academic conferences. |
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00:04:20
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Freundlich shows documents from her family and family photographs. She then speaks about her life in the 1970s and today. |
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00:08:19
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The camera records footage of the Oradea synagogue. The team then meets Gershun Shwartz and sets up an interview with him. He has lived in Oradea (Yiddish: Groysvardeyn) for forty years. The team then chats with community members about prewar Jewish life in Oradea. |
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00:15:47
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The formal interview with Freundlich, who is the cousin of Elizabeta Freundlich's late husband, begins. He speaks about Oradea and then provides personal information, before talking about his family. His father was a wood merchant. He grew up with three brothers and three sisters. Freundlich also addresses his family's fate during World War II. His mother was born Baia Sprie and his father near Jibou. |
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00:26:41
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Freundlich speaks about his life before the war. He was an employed merchant. Freundlich worked at an egg factory after the war, after he moved to Oradea. He also worked as secretary for the local Jewish cultural organization. Freundlich then speaks about his yeshiva education until he was fifteen years old. He attended three yeshivot in Şomcuta Mare, Tîrgu Lăpuş and Copalnic-Mănăştur. He also studied with a rabbi in Baia Mare. |
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00:29:48
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Freundlich talks about his work as merchant and then speaks about prewar Jewish life in Baia Mare. According to him, eight hundred Jews lived there. Freundlich also recalls enmity between Hasidim and Ashkenazim. He then talks about his father and different Yiddish dialects. |
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00:36:38
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Freundlich discusses his childhood memories before the war. In particular, he recalls the difficulties to reach religious school (cheder) every day and shares his daily routine. On Sundays, Freundlich explains, he attended cheder all day. |
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00:39:38
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Freundlich speaks about prewar Sabbath celebrations at home. He remembers how his family sang zemirot and their Christian neighbors would listen outside. Freundlich explains how the cheder boys were quizzed by the rebbe on Sabbath afternoons. He also recalls visits of a cantor twice a year. |
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00:42:08
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Freundlich sings a Sabbath song (zemirot) and addresses contemporary Jewish life. He then addresses prewar Purim celebrations. Freundlich explains how he participated in Purim shpiels and went from house to house. |
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00:45:02
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Freundlich talks about his family, in particular his father. Freundlich maintains that his father was an unsuccessful businessman and took the money Freundlich earned as youngster. |
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00:51:02
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Freundlich shares a family episode on Tisha B'Av before the war. |
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00:53:45
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Freundlich remembers a Purim shpiel and addresses his childhood and the rebbes' austerity. He then speaks about his life after the war. Freundlich states that he became a Communist at eighteen and did not enter a synagogue until he was sixty years old. He married a non-Jewish woman in 1956. |
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00:58:11
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Freundlich speaks about traditional weddings and his life before the war. He explains how tolerant his parents were regarding his a-religious way of life. Freundlich joined a Zionist youth organization. |
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