Magyarországi Zsidó Hitközségek 1944. április

Függelék

have learned from experience with hooks I have use to catch with fish." (Quoted by Leni Yahil, The Holocaust, Oxford University Press, 1990, p. 505.) If so, the documents of the Hungarian case are proofs for the cynically extreme perfection of the destruction machinery applied by German authorities to the last major Jewish society under their control. Documents of their „catching with fish". In Spring and Summer of 1944 in Hungary, the Germans obviously used experiences gathered in other countries previously in order to make the destruction machine of Hungarian Jewry moving smoother and more effectively. From some other moments of preparation to the „final solution" in Hungary one gets the same impression (consent and active cooperation of the Hungarian administration and local authorities, of the Hungarian gendarmery, of railways, etc.). The circular issued by the Central Council concerning the census (see below) does not leave any doubt as to the fact that the Central Council is acting upon a strict order issued, perhaps only orally, by German authorities, and that the Gestapo is standing threateningly behind the order. A posteriori, one can see what frightened people did not realize at all, that the whole data collection and the order to its prompt execution was needed by the Nazis and their Hungarian complices for to get a complete picture on Hungarian Jews, their exact number and economic situation, in order to make preparations to their looting and to work out plans of sending them to death camps. The Central Council of Hungarian Jews, for that time the only authority of Jewish communities in Hungary, has during the first two or three weeks after the German occupation sent out only two circulars. One of them, dated from April 6, 1944, was published, with some omissions, by Ernő Munkácsi, in: uj Élet, 2, no. 3 (January 17, 1946), p. 3. (Munkácsi was during the events in question the attorney of the Budapest Jewish community, and in this quality of his a high rank eyewitness of the events.) In that first circular, the Jewish communities were informed that a new organization of Hungarian Jews, the Central Council of Hungarian Jews, to be established in Budapest very soon, is to comprise all local Jewish communities, orthodox as well as neológ, in the province. This plan was never realized, due to the deportation of Jews in the province. The second circular, right on the following day, deals with the census. It was published in the preliminary report on the Census, 1985-1991, first time. It runs as follows. Central Council of Hungarian Jews, Budapest Budapest, April 7, 1944 To the Board of the Liberal Orthodox Status quo Jewish Community On behalf of the Central Council of Hungarian Jews we request the Honorable Board to send us back the enclosed two questionnaires filled up precisely corresponding to the situation at December 31,1943, latest within 24 hours reckoned from the receipt of the present letter. The data contained in the questionnaries are needed for the countrywide organization of Hungarian Jews, ordered by the authorities, and are needed with no delay. In consideration of the present situation and the heavy responsibility, please handle the present call as a severe disposition, and fulfil it entirely. May we call the attention of the Honourable Board on the fact that the Central Council of Hungarian Jews is a body appointed by Higher Authorities fulfilling authority dispositions and bearing full responsibility for the execution of such dispositions. Therefore, those who fail to fulfil fully the dispositions forwarded by the Central Council, have to reckon with grave consequences. In the case of a Liberal [

kongresszusi

] Community that has already sent back the questionnaire concerning final accounts and the budget, as requested by the circular no. 262/1944, dated January 25, the repeated sending back is not required. Faithfully yours, Central Council of Hungarian Jews. (SIGNED BY Dr. Pető Ernő) Enclosed: 2 items. 2 In the original: kongresszusi, see note 3, below. 885