Kato BREUER ROSZA Interview 
Los Angeles, October 10, 1992
Conducted by Agi Linhardt w/ help from Peter Linhardt

Kato ROSZA, I live in Canada.  I was born in Hungary.  It was a small town.  We were 7 sisters and brothers.  I don't remember my grandparents, just my parents.  ...my 3 brothers.

Ferenc: was a cold, strong man.  He never showed his feeling.  But when his grandchildren came into his life he showed them....but showed his feeling to Agi.  One day he woke up and wanted to go to Budapest...My mother asked him why do you want to go to Budapest.  He said because he wanted to go to see Agi.

My brother Sanyi was my favorite.  He was a simple man....he is an intelligent man.  He is not a friendly person.  He never had a [].  He was very good to our parents.  I think he was good to you too (Agi)

We were not rich people.  My oldest brother was in Budapest and he got married.  He told my mother.....  I was a beautiful girl.  It was hard to get married in a small town if you don't have lots of money.  I went to Budapest and lived with my brother and sister-in-law who were very nice to me, both of them.  I had a wonderful life, wonderful.  First of all, I learned to sew.  And, I dated a lot.  I went dancing, to balls, theater.  I had lots of boyfriends.  I had lots of boyfriends, but one was was Joszef Gombos, a very nice good looking boy who was a good dancer.  But he told me we'd never marry because I was poor.  But I don't have any regrets.

When I was with my sister-in-law, Agi & Gyuri were born.  They were like my children.  I never thought I would love a daughter as much as I loved her.   Gjuri was very small.  ....  After a few weeks I met my husband on the street.  He picked me up.  It was unusual in Budapest.  [I was depressed?]  I came home.  I don't know where I was, on the street.  He came up to me and started to talk to me.  He was a good looking, nice guy.  ... He was wasn't rich,....but well situated...he had a store.  He wanted to marry me but his mother didn't want him to...not because of me personally, but because I was a poor girl.  We had a wonderful 2 years.   After a 2  years he had to go to forced labor...after sometimes he came back.and after I was pregnant....He was home the night I had two kids, twins.  I had two kids....twins...we went to the basement during the airraids and one of the babies died.  ...she was 4 months old...  My husband was there that day... I was crying...and he said don't' worry...only about you.  I was in the hospital....no one could come and see me except Agi.  Jews had to wear yellow stars.  Everybody was so scared.  Agi didn't wear a star so she was the only one who could visit me.  After a couple days I came come, but not by Taxi, there were not Taxi's, so the Ambulence took me home.  And my husband was gone.

In Sept. 1944, I came to the [], ...I had to come home with my little baby.  I didn't have a meal to give her.  I went to a house under Spanish protection.  We lived day by day.  Everyday ...[] Germans... My husband was in Budapest and he came to see me sometimes.  Afterwards, we heard they take the whole [] to Germany.  The last day I heard they took me husband (away).  We sent someone from the Spanish [Embassy], he was Jewish.  He went to the station to get him back.  But they said no way.  A Jew is a Jew.  My husband's name was Sandor.  He was 30 years old.

After the war, we came back in the house.  My house was a ghetto.  Jews were there.  But, I didn't have anything.  Only one bed (the other one we had taken to the Spanish house).  Anna was very sick with whooping cough.  She was coughing blood.  I don't know where we got food...I got it from the Russians.  For a little piece of gold I got a piece of bread.

We don't know what happened to my husband...just afterwards we heard the news about Auschwitz.  We heard they gave them the gas.  We don't know what happened to my husband, my brothers.  and father.  We went to a small town where my father had a house.  We didn't have food.  Me ... my sister, and Gyjurika.  We went to Ujfeherto where my parents had a house.  We asked for the house, but they didn't want to give it back.  They [said they] would give it back to Ferenc BREUER, my father.   So I said okay "bring back Ferenc BREUER".

My parents were at Auschwitz and they killed them.  One of my brothers came home (Sanyi) but he told me the other brothers weren't coming home.  I didn't know what happened to my husband.  About 200 people went to Buchwald, Germany...maybe people knew about it but didn't want to tell me.  after 8 months someone came to me...some friend, wife whose husband was with my husband. .  She said: what are you waiting for, he won't come back.  It was at the end of 1945.  So I was with my little girl, working hard.  Afterwards, someone came to my house with a newspaper.  I had two sisters who I thought were in Spain, we didn't know they were in Canada.  There was a ad in the newspaper from my sisters looking for BREUER Miklos, BREUER Ferencz and family.  My two sisters: Mrs. Hutter & Mrs. Klein.  They looking for us.  They were in Canada because the went to Canada in 1944.  We answered it, I don't remember how, and they wanted to bring me to Canada with my daughter who was 3 years old.  I had a boyfriend who I wanted to marry.  Both sisters said, no don't marry, come to Canada first.  I came to Canada with my little girl in 1948. I had a little nice apartment in Budapest.  

My sister was a newcomber, with a little house.  When I saw her house, right away I wanted to go back to Hungary.  ....I had to go work.  I couldn't speak English or even Jewish [Yiddish].  If I could speak Yiddish, I could speak with the Polish Jews.  I got a job working in a factory making silk underwear.  It was hard to leave my daughter. There was no place to leave her.   My sister never worked.  She was hear 2 or 3 years.  But she never worked because she had a baby.  When I came to Canada I started working so she said she would start working too.  I found a nursery....from 9AM to 4PM.  But I had to work until 6.  I don't know what I to do with my daughter.....After I got an apartment when she was 5 years old..And she went to school.  After school at 4 o'clock.there was a neighbor, I gave a dollar and they would watch her, but many times I'd come home and she was asleep in the snow.  It was very hard.

In 1952, my second husband came to Canada....I sent papers to him.  I met him here.  He had family.  So I met him here in 1952. I sent the paper here.   I brought him here from Viena.  We planned to get married.  We were married after a few weeks.  It wasn't easy the first.  Because He never had a child.  He wasn't used to working hard.  Very dirty job.  He worked in a very bad place.  In a junk yard.  we wanted to go back.  His hands were dirty.  He didn't make money.  He quit that job and got another job.  After a year I had a little money and he started a coffee business with another man.  Coffee machine.  Green coffee.  But since he didn't speak English or Yiddish it was very hard.  At that time there weren't many Hungarian restaurants.  He sold the coffee business.  He became a salesman for a company.  And afterwards, the company was sold and they sold him too.   He was very good to my daughter..  He loved my daughter very much.  After a year it was better.  He was a wonderful person. The whole city liked him.

And my daughter was growing.  My daughter finished high school and then went to college.  She worked at a bank.  She made money so she didn't go to college.  We went to Israel twice.  My daughter met an Israeli boy and she married him.   After I quit my job,  because my husband didn't want to take me.  ...transportation to the city.  He doesn't have to punch a clock.  He was a salesman.  We have a beautiful grandchildren....In 1978 he died.  Every year he went to.Toledo? for holiday with my husband...  He was a good looking strong healthy man.  He went on holiday and when we came back he was sick.  He kept losing weight.  Five months later he was dead.  I've been alone 14 years.

I don't know how I made it 14 years.  I sold my house.  I had a beautiful house.  I sold it because it was far and the transportation was hard to go to a friend.  I didn't have too many friends after my husband died because the married people were slowly gone.  I sold my house and I have an apartment.  I have 3 grandkids.....I have lots of friends.  They like me.  I go to clubs to play cards.  Sometimes they come to my apartment to play cards.  Every year we go to Miami with a group.  People like me. And I like people.

The best part of my life was when I was a young girl.  It was beautiful.  When I went to Budapest, after a few years I went to Debrecen.  I had a wonderful, wonderful life.  I had a friends.  I married.  My husband was so good to me.  He loved me so much even though his mother didn't approve since I didn't have any money. The second husband was a nice man.  All of Toronto knew him and loved him...  It was bitter...but I'm not complaining, I never cried on people's shoulders.

On the love of my life: First of all was Gomboska.  I go out with them.  I went with one for a year or 6 months then I went out with another.  I didn't make a big deal out of it.  I didn't make a big deal out of Gomboshka.  After the war I met this man.  I loved him.

Agi was a little Shirley Temple.  Danubia, a summer resort where I went with the boys.  When I went out with the boys on a boat ride, I'd take my niece too.  They would get mad at tme.  They would say "again!  You're bring her again?"  [..]

Tell us about your wedding:
It was a happy day for everybody.  Agi and Cila and cousins were bridesmails.  Pinky girls.  Agi was 8 years old and Djuri was 2.  It was a beautiful wedding, a very nice place.  My parents were not rich.  They invited people for a wedding and they invited people for a supper.  The groom had a tophat and a frock.  We went to the honeymoon in Balaton, Shiofock.  After the wedding people didn't want to leave but we had a limit to how many people could come for dinner.   They called to my new husband.  What can we do?  The people are staying.  My father couldn't afford to pay for it.  Then my brother Miklos said okay I'll pay for the dinner for everyone.

On how Ferenc Breuer came to America:
[My mother said that Ferenc came to escape the conscript because they didn't serve kosher food].  He went to America before he was married.  It was a secret, for us.  He was in the United States, he was working hard.  There was a class system.  If someone worked as a waiter, it couldn't be accepted.  We found a picture of my father and he was wearing a white apron.  The kids started whispering to each other " what is this".  My mother said "sssshhhh, don't tell anyone, your father was a waiter in the United States".....Before he took him to the Ghetto.  But they came, the police.   He said how can you take me?  I'm an American citizen.  We had a little house.  And I remember, there was a desk, and over his desk was an American citizenship paper framed.  He called me in Budapest, I was pregnant, and said  to go to the American consulate for help.  I don't know who went.  Maybe your father.  No your father wasn't there....if someone came back from the Unitied States, if he wants to keep his citizenship, he needs to register every 5 years.  We don't know why he came back.  When we told him he was very upset.   [Frank found a paper..showing that he requested his Hungarian citizenship back.]

On father's business:
When I was a little baby, he got a big new mill.  I was 4 years old.   It was finished in the first war (WWI) and my father was very sick...people knocked on the   window and said... Mr. Breuer, the mill is on fire.  My father was very sick.  She told them to go to the fire department.  He didn't have any insurance.  We had to leave the big house to go to another house.  We had a gasoline station.  He was a grain broker.  He took it easy.  He was always a gentleman, he was somebody in a small town.  Even though we were not rich.  We lost everything.

On regilion:
The family was not religious.  Just ordinary people.  We kept a kosher home because of my mother.My father who came back from the United states didn't care too much about religious things..I never thought he was not a good man.  There was a casino every day.  Not all Jews were allowed in.  He went to the casino every afternoon and played cards with gentile people.

I have sister who passed away years ago ....  she was the smallest....when she saw my father coming she ran to put the wine and soda water on the table for "flurch" (splitzers).  ...  He was a strong, strict man.  We didn't see him laughing very often.  But I think he was nice to my mother because she deserved it.  She was a wonderful mother.

Why I'm here (in Los Angeles)
I'm here to visit my niece and nephew and I want to see them. ...  Agi called me every month.  George invited me to his wedding, but I can't come by myself. He called me ... Kato I will see you soon.  I want you to meet my new wife who I love so much.   Agi phoned. [...]

I was so happy I said yes immediate, I will, thank you, but afterwards I started thinking how can I go.  But two days afterwards when I got the ticket I said to my daughter, I didn't know why I was going.  But it was a non-refundable ticket.  So here I am and I'm very happy.  Everyone is very nice to me....I face my age.  This is a gift for me.

On my sisters and Brothers:

The oldest sister was Judtka.  I visited her in Los Angeles a few times. The first time I cam ewhen Agi & Djuri & mother were here.  I think  I came in 1957 or 58 when Agi's parents came out.  ..I was a poor woman.  I couldn't guarentee anything.  Her step-father was rich.Uncle Jerry...  That's why you came here...because of Jerry this and Jearry that.  So I came here to visit her and visit Agi.  When I was sick I came right away.  And I came And when her husband was sick, I came.  When her husband passed away.  I had another nephew who was very nice to me.  Two years ago my sister passed away.  I was in contact with her....I was here 2 or 3 days.  So She died 2 years ago.

My other sister who brought me to Canada died 12...16 years ago.  She was a young 62 year old woman.  She was a beautiful woman.  We were very good to each other.  years and years in canada.  we helped each other.  She died 16 years ago.  We were best firends.

Miklos was a nice man.  At a young age, I don't remember him.  When we went to Budapest.  He came to Ujfeherto and met this girl.  He was working for this big company Goldberger in textile factory.  He was a bookkeeper.  Very famous name.  He was a bookkeeper.  He didn't make a lot of money.  He was a very quiet man.  He didn't go dancing.  He went to the opera, the theater the movies.  I lived with him for many years.  He never said a word to me.  Only one thing.  One night I went out. dancing with the boys. I made a dress with no back.  He said to his wife "how can my sister go out to dance with men with a bare back?  He never said a bad word to me.  He loved Agi so much.  He took her all over.  He wanted a boy so much.  He only was with him 2 years.  But he was so happy with him.  He was so happy.  When Miklos was taken away we never saw him (not like my husband).

Erno: [he was importing dancin girls to Rome.]  He was 18 years old.  I don't know how he moved to Budapest. He got married at 18.   He signed my father's name on the marriage license.  He married a girl....never was happy....had a daughter in Israel..who is unhappy.  She is 60 years old but she never was happy.  She doesn't know much about the parents because she was with the grandparents in Ujfeherto.    

Laszlo (the 3rd bother).  He was a big communist.  Working with the chief of the communist party.  He was in the underground.  He didn't have a big education, but he was like a lawyer.  But he had a brain.  He represented poor people who didn't have a lawyer.  He was not a simple man.  He helped the poor people.  I don't think he was a happy man.  He never went out with girls.  He was always reading.  He was sick.  He had asmatha When they took him away.  He wrote letters, that the air was clear.  She was so sorry he was so sick.  He was a very nice man.  He was good to the poor.  He went to another city and helped them.  [He was an orgasnizer.]

My life was so simple.  I don't know how I lived 14 years by myself.  Maybe I'm sorry I didn't remarry,. but everyone said you'll never find another man like Rozsa.  But now I'm not sorry because I see people who get old and they don't want each other.  I'm not afraid of death.  Everyone has to die.  But I'm afraid of how.  I don't mind if I die, as long as I don't suffer.   Everyone has to die...the question is how.