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Occupation | building engineer[1] |
| Parents | SIMON Abráham and SIMON Regina[2] | |
| Born | Nagyvárad, March 1, 1871 | |
| Residence | Budapest (Buda) | |
| Married | KONDOR Blanka from Arad (b. July 26, 1878; d. Budapest, September 27, 1959) in Budapest on 25 April 1897 | |
| Son | SIMON Gyula (1899) | |
| Son | SIMON László (b. August 7, 1901; d. Sydney, September 1, 1989; m. MARGIT Dani (March 21, 1909-1990) on July 27, 1935 in Budapest) [2] (engineer lived in England[1]) | |
| Daughter | SIMON Jolŕn (1903) | |
| Daughter | SIMON Klára (b. March 28, 1906; d. Budapest, March 10, 1987; m. TOROK Istvan in Budapest on April 25, 1937)[2] | |
| Daughter | SIMON Irén (1910) | |
| Daughter | SIMON Magda (1913) | |
| Died | Budapest, 28 February 28, 1939[2] (Burial: Rkeresztur, koztemeto, Plot 17.parc.1.sor 926sr) |
Norbert was a building engineer who built roads & bridges and was employed by the state in Transylvania. Originally, he worked in his birth town Nagyvarad, but later he got in a job in Segesvár, also in Transylvania. Norbert built the house his family lived in and had 7 children (the first one died).[6]
After the break up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of WWI, Nagyvarad was renamed Oradea and became part of the new state of Romania. Norbert, who was an ethnic Hungarian applied for permission to move to Budapest to retain Hungarian citizenship. Since Hungary was not accepting Jews, Norbert converted his family to Lutherans(?)[1] and moved to Budapest in 1919.[4]
In 1919, there was also a short-lived communist revolution led by Bela Kun. During the revolution, Blanka, her six children and her mother moved to Budapest. They had to leave all of their possessions in Nagyvarad. Norbert had to stay because he was in the middle of a construction project, but he joined his family in Budapest a couple months later. Initially, the whole family had to stay with relatives, but in 1920, they found a big house in Buda. Blanka opened a lace shop which prospered for 5 or 6 years until the global depression of 1929. In 1929, Magda went to Sweden to work, Julius was working as a banking lawyer and Laszlo was an engineer. In the early 30s, a series of anti-Semitic decrees put increasing restrictions on work, education and all facets of life until by 1942 Jews weren't even allowed to own anything (even gold). Norbert died in 1939.[6]
Blanka wrote books and had a newspaper column giving housewives tips on how to run a good household. She was a very modern woman, open-minded and strong who always put family first. Norbert was a liberal, easy-going guy. After the war, Blanca would have 20 to 30 relatives over every week for a family dinner providing a glue that held the family together the legacy of which is still felt in the Simon family today.[6]
Blanka KONDOR, wife of Norbert SIMON
Uncle Geza's Diary: My Younger Brother Norbert |
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He was born on March 21, 1871 in Nagyvárad, where he completed his elementary and gymnasium
studies. In 1888, he went to Budapest
to study at the university where he continued his study in spite of a delay
[caused by a] serious illness until he gained an Engineering Diploma in
1892. Being self-dependent, he had to work diligently
during his entire studies; tutoring the children of aristocrats, he got
acquainted with upper class families, [and] that’s how he was appointed
to positions in two cities even before obtaining his diploma. Since he wanted to work on government [public]
architecture, he took a position on October 25, 1892 at Szt. Győrgy in
Sepse. From there he got himself
transferred to Segesvár on December 20, 1893,
where he is still engaged today. He got married on April 25, 1897 to Blanka Kondor,
daughter of a retired professor Dr. József Kondor, with whom
he is living in the happiest marriage. His marriage encountered a great tragedy in the
first year after the wedding, because his wife delivered a stillbirth in 1898. However, the Almighty was contented with their suffering, and sent for their
solace their son, Gyula [on December 27, 1899] My younger brother’s wife was the youngest child of
Dr. József Kondor and his wife, before
her [their children were] Flóra, Alfréd and Otto, who already had families [of their own]
at that time [when Blanka married].
On August 7, 1901 his [Norbert’s] son László was born, with the
Hebrew name of Ozer. On May 9, 1904 his daughter, Jolánka was born. On March 28, 1906, his daughter Klárika was born. On December 6, 1910, his daughter Irénke was born. On April 3, 1913, his daughter Magduska was born. The Rumanian attack forced them also to escape;
after unspeakable privations and suffering, they arrived in Budapest, and here
they rented an apartment. As soon as
they settled down, they sent their children to school, and my younger brother,
Norbert was ordered to go back to Segesvár. The sons, Gyula and Laci also went back to
continue their education there. Their
mother, their [maternal] grandmother and the four little children stayed
on in their rented apartment at Sziget Street.
After being there for 3 months, fortunately, they returned by train to
Segesvár. The month of December of 1918 again brought
difficult days for him; because of the attack of the Oláhs [Rumanians] tumultuous days started once again. My younger brother, Norbert got himself transferred
to Pest, but for 6 months he couldn’t even start his new job, because he was
unable to obtain an apartment in spite of his greatest efforts and
expenses. His son Gyula now has a job
here in Budapest, [and] Laci had to be brought here lest the Oláhs enlist him [into Romanian army]. Since January
1, 1919, he [Laci] has come here and he continued his studies while he
lives at our home. After much hardship,
he [Norbert] was able to conclude his transfer to Budapest and, at the
beginning of April, 1919, fortunately, he moved with his family to a beautiful
bungalow on 15 Zárda Street, Rózsadomb. On
account of the difficult economic situation his wife Blanka opened up a hand-craft
shop, which subsists financially fairly well.
In the month of May, 1922, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his
marriage, in which I participated as well.
A very nice group of people came together and the evening was spent in
very high spirits. |
Sources
[1] Böske MOHOS (oral)
[2] SIMON family tree (from KELLNER SIMON Magda)
[3] Tony LINHARDT (oral)
[4] KELLNER SIMON Magda (oral)
[5] Oradea Jewish birth registry
[6] Tamas Doffek (oral) (based on Magda's memoirs)
25 September 2002; pml