Béla Zsolt
Encyclopedia
Béla Zsolt was the Hungarian author of one of the earliest Holocaust memoir
s, Nine Suitcases (Kilenc koffer in Hungarian) translated into English by Ladislaus Lob. Zsolt was born on 1 August 1895 in Komárom
and died on 2 June 1949 in Budapest. He wrote seven novels and three other works including one volume of poetry.
Before the First World War
and whilst still a young man, Zsolt was already considered an outstanding representative of the Hungarian Decadence movement. In the tumultuous years of revolution, 1918 and 1919, he was a vehement advocate for a bourgeois-liberal
regime and opponent of the soviet republics and Horthy's emerging Christian-nationalist corporate state.
In 1920 Zsolt moved from his birthplace Nagyvárad (Oradea) to Budapest
where he quickly established himself in literary circles. His articles and novels gained general recognition. Like thousands of other Hungarian Jews in the Second World War
Béla Zsolt was a forced laborer for the Ukrainian army on the Ukrainian eastern front. His wife was able to secure his return to Hungary
where, however, he was soon afterwards imprisoned in Budapest's infamous Margit körút Prison. Using a false name he went underground in the Nagyvárad (Oradea) ghetto
. Zsolt depicts his experiences at the front, in the ghetto and his adventurous rescue from deportation
in summer 1944 in his book Nine Suitcases. His wife was rescued with him, his in-laws and wife's daughter Éva Heyman from her first marriage were transported to Auschwitz where they were killed.
As part of the so-called 'Kasztner train' Zsolt's freedom, along with that of a thousand other Hungarian Jews, was bought from the Nazis. He spent the second half of 1944 in Bergen-Belsen
with his wife awaiting emigration
. The move to Switzerland
followed in December.
Following his return to Hungary in 1945 Zsolt founded the Magyar Radikális Párt (Radical Bourgeois Party), whose newspaper Haladás ("Progress") he edited. Zsolt was elected to the National Assembly of Hungary
at his second attempt. He did not live to see the ultimate seizure of power by the communists. Béla Zsolt died in 1949 following a serious illness.
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
s, Nine Suitcases (Kilenc koffer in Hungarian) translated into English by Ladislaus Lob. Zsolt was born on 1 August 1895 in Komárom
Komárom
Komárom is a city in Hungary on the right bank of the Danube in Komárom-Esztergom county.The city of Komárom was formerly a separate suburban village called...
and died on 2 June 1949 in Budapest. He wrote seven novels and three other works including one volume of poetry.
Before the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and whilst still a young man, Zsolt was already considered an outstanding representative of the Hungarian Decadence movement. In the tumultuous years of revolution, 1918 and 1919, he was a vehement advocate for a bourgeois-liberal
Bourgeois liberalism
Bourgeois liberalism refers to either parliamentary democracy or Western popular culture. The foundations for bourgeois liberalism is that of Adam Smith's writing The Wealth of Nations, seen in 19th-century classical economic liberalism. The French term bourgeois' origins are that of 'middle...
regime and opponent of the soviet republics and Horthy's emerging Christian-nationalist corporate state.
In 1920 Zsolt moved from his birthplace Nagyvárad (Oradea) to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
where he quickly established himself in literary circles. His articles and novels gained general recognition. Like thousands of other Hungarian Jews in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Béla Zsolt was a forced laborer for the Ukrainian army on the Ukrainian eastern front. His wife was able to secure his return to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
where, however, he was soon afterwards imprisoned in Budapest's infamous Margit körút Prison. Using a false name he went underground in the Nagyvárad (Oradea) ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
. Zsolt depicts his experiences at the front, in the ghetto and his adventurous rescue from deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
in summer 1944 in his book Nine Suitcases. His wife was rescued with him, his in-laws and wife's daughter Éva Heyman from her first marriage were transported to Auschwitz where they were killed.
As part of the so-called 'Kasztner train' Zsolt's freedom, along with that of a thousand other Hungarian Jews, was bought from the Nazis. He spent the second half of 1944 in Bergen-Belsen
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...
with his wife awaiting emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
. The move to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
followed in December.
Following his return to Hungary in 1945 Zsolt founded the Magyar Radikális Párt (Radical Bourgeois Party), whose newspaper Haladás ("Progress") he edited. Zsolt was elected to the National Assembly of Hungary
National Assembly of Hungary
The National Assembly or Diet is the parliament of Hungary. The unicameral body consists of 386 members elected to 4-year terms. Election of members is based on a complex system involving both area and list election; parties must win at least 5% of the popular vote in order to enter list members...
at his second attempt. He did not live to see the ultimate seizure of power by the communists. Béla Zsolt died in 1949 following a serious illness.
External links
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/jan/10/biography.highereducation1 UK Book review of Nine Suitcases by Guardian newspaper
- The Diary of Eva Heyman: Child of the Holocaust. Shapolsky Publishers, New York 1987, ISBN 0-933503-89-X. yizkor