Recording Content:
The recording is the continuation of a formal interview with Margit Mezei. (Part 2 of 3. See MDV 293 and MDV 295)
00:00:00
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Mezei speaks about her life in Birkenau and then forced labor at a factory in Thuringia, Germany. She also addresses her living conditions and work in Thuringia. |
00:04:42
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Mezei speaks about her liberation by the American Army and the previous death march to Waldenburg, Thuringia, with six hundred fellow prisoners. Mezei then mentions that she fell ill with pneumonia three days after the liberation and states that she was therefore saved from "overeating." |
00:11:17
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Mezei speaks about holiday celebration, including Passover, Hanukkah and Purim. During Purim, Mezei describes how she dressed up. She also addresses holiday food customs and recalls local boys bringing large baskets of matzo. |
00:18:56
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Mezei sings the song "Vos iz geven iz geven" (What was, was) and addresses prewar cultural performances and a wedding. Mezei then sings the song "A yidish meydl darf a yidishn boy" (a Jewish girl needs a Jewish boy). Mezei also mentions the fate of friends during the war. |
00:28:12
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Mezei shares an episode about a shidduch in her family. She then recalls how women sang Romanian and Hungarian songs during forced labor and then talks about aquaintances from Auschwitz. Mezei also shares episodes about selection for forced labor in Auschwitz, as well as her daily work routine. |
00:47:19
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Mezei speaks about her life before the war and shares an episode about her grandmother's observance. Mezei then talks about the literature she read before the war. |
00:52:33
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Mezei shares jokes in Yiddish and Hungarian. |
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