The Tragedy of the Hungarians of Transcarpathia

Associated with Nagybereg, bisected by the Ilosva-Beregszasz highway, nestled in the hills of Ardo, this village is situated in pleasant surroundings on the shores of lake Szernye.

In 1944, it had 668 inhabitants whose ranks were considerably thinned by W.W.II and the tragic events that followed it. 13 men died in battle. After the deportation of men, the local authorities set up two lists. Thus, on July 4, 1945, they recorded that 115 people were absent from the village. Of these, 76 (born between 1895 and 1926) were deported as civilians to Szolyva and during W.W.II 40 men of Kigyos (born between 1902 and 1923) were drafted as Hungarian soldiers. According to the data analysed by the Kigyos KMKSZ (president: Kovacs Miklos), there were 28 innocent victims of Stalinism.

In November 1990 a monument was erected to their memory in the local cemetery.

In 1944, the village had almost 1000 inhabitants. Upon instructions from higher authority, after the deportation of the men, the local leaders established the record of those 128 who were in POW camps. List No. 1, dated July 4, 1945, mentions the Sztarij Szambok concentration camp alongside the name of 78 men (born between 1899 and 1926) taken from Kisbegany. On the other, they listed the names of 50 men (born between 1900 and 1924) who were drafted into the army.

The leaders of the Kisbegany KMKSZ sent us the list of the losses of the village. Thus, we can determine that in the autumn of 1944 the Stalinists took 97 men; of these 38 died in the camps and 7 in W.W.II

On November 21, 1990, a monument was erected in the local cemetery to the memory of the victims of Stalinism and W.W.Il

Attached to the Botragy district and according to its census, this village had 493 inhabitants in 1944. They, too, were subject to the deportations. The list compiled on July 2, 1945 (the names of the compilers is not shown), consists of two separate items. On the first, the names of 32 civilian deportees (born between 1899 and 1926) are recorded. On the second are the names of 30 men who were drafted, were sent to the front or disappeared in the whirlwind of war.

All in all, 62 men in the prime of their lives were absent from the village in July, 1945. Unfortunately, we do not know yet how many returned as our request was ignored by the village authorities.

One explanation is that the local KMKSZ has not yet been established, but the representatives of the various churches did not show any eagerness to reply either.

Situated near Beregszasz, this village had 734 residents in 1944. As per the list prepared by the local commissariat (president: Csermatonyi, secretary: Gorgyaj, as they signed it) on July 3, 1945, 110 residents of Macsola (born between 1894 and 1926) stayed in various camps, in unknown places. Of these, as it shows clearly, 71 people were deported as civilians to Szambor. The remainder must have been taken to POW camps as soldiers.

The president of the Macsola KMKSZ, Jacura Laszlo with the help of Nagy Sandor, a survivor, recorded the losses of the village and checked it against the list found in the archives. Jacura Laszlo reports that on the one in the archives figure in people who were neither in camps nor on the front (i.e. Paulik Odon).

Furthermore, there were names of people who are unknown in the village, yet appear on the list as taken from Macsola in November 1944:

Menyhert Albert; Mako Gyula; Dr. Mako Istvan; Mako Peter, born in Pallo; Csepes Jozsef from Surany; Tarnai Istvan, from Bromice; Jurik Vaszil from Bocsko; Sete Jozsef from Nagyberezna; Bodo Istvan, from Ungvar; Pal Jozsef from Makkosjanosi.

Their fate is unknown. Some of them found work after camp; Mako Gyula was school principal in Kisbegany.

They took men from the surrounding hamlets too, but these are counted as dead as no information is available on them. Some residents were carried off, yet their names do not appear on any list. Whoever did not return, is named among the martyrs of the village. Thus we reckon that in the autumn of 1944 111 men were carried off forcibly; we know that 51 perished and 9 lost their lives in battle. Of those who returned, 20 are still alive.

The activists of the local KMKSZ erected a monument in 1991 to the memory of the victims of Stalinism.

Associated with Balazser, this Hungarian-Ruthenian village counted 1219 inhabitants in 1944. The names of those deported in the autumn of 1944 were recorded here also.

On July 3, 1945, the local officials compiled two lists which together contained the names and data of 125 people. The first lists 56 men (born between 1895 and 1926) who were forcibly deported to the concentration camp of Szolyva. The compilers of the Hungarian-language list were the president of the local commissariat, Popovics Pal, and a secretary named Grabcsahova. The second list holds the names of 69 men from Makkosjanosi (born between 1903 and 1923) who were drafted as Hungarian soldiers and sent into battle or to POW camps at unknown locations. The leaders of the local KMKSZ (presidents: Balogh Istvan; Gerzsenyi Tibor, Hapak Janos, Debrenyi Janos) fixed the losses of the village at 22 men from Makkosjanosi and Balazser who perished in the camps; their final resting place is unknown.

Upon the initiative of the local KMKSZ, Makkosjanosi and Balazser jointly erected a monument to the victims of the two villages. Jeszenszky Geza, Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the dedication ceremony.

This village, which has its own municipal council, had 538 inhabitants in 1944. On July 4, 1945, a list was prepared here also by the commissariat (Varga Karoly, president; the secretary's name is not mentioned). According to its data, 95 people were in POW camps or stayed at unknown locations. Of these, 68 men (born between 1895 and 1926) were deported to Szolyva under armed guard. Analysing the list, the local KMKSZ and officeholders of the municipal council determined that 24 people died in the camps and 5 during W.W.II.

On the initiative of the local KMKSZ (president: Jakab Bela), on October 29, 1990, a memorial was erected to the victims of W.W.II and subsequent Stalinist terror.

Administratively, this hamlet belongs under the municipal council of Beregdeda. As its 1944 census shows, its inhabitants counted 329 people, belonging mostly to the Uniate (Eastern Catholic) church.

Upon instructions from higher authorities, the commissariat (local president: Molnar Mihaly, secretary: Lonyai Ilona) prepared the camp lists on July 3, 1945. On the first appear the names of the 21 men (born between 1905 and 1923) who were conscripted into the Hungarian army. The second lists the data of the 26 men (born between 1896 and 1925) who were forcibly interned as civilians. Halavacs Jozsef, secretary of the KMKSZ of Beregdeda, went out and personally interviewed survivors or relatives.

He confirmed the available data: for instance: Egressy Janos, Kosztyo Gabor, Juhasz Bela - survivors, identified some of those who were forgotten: - the men who died in action, whose wives have also passed away and who had no children (Hada Ferenc, Lengyel Janos).

Zan Janos Jr. told us how his father, - the village judge, guaranteeing their return, reported for duty and marched out at the head of his people to fulfil their "3-day labour" obligation. He never returned, having perished in camp. Barate Jozsef, judge of Beregdeda, made the same self-sacrifice and died in camp also. The villagers were that unsuspecting!

Missing from the lists were the names of Egressy Istvan, Pracu Lajos and Petras Ambrus who died in action or in POW camps. After considerable investigation, Halavacs Jozsef managed to identify the 26 men deported to the camps. He also determined that the signer of the list, secretary Lonyai Ilona, did not belong, to Mezohomok but worked at the district office of Nagybegany.

To conclude, from the research of Halavacs Jozsef, we find that 7 men from Mezohomok died on the battlefield and 19 perished in the various camps. On November 26, 1989 Beregdeda and Mezohomok jointly erected in the cemetery a wooden monument to the memory of the victims who died in Stalinist camps.

Since then, they made a memorial in the shape of an open book: on black marble, on one side they engraved the names of the deportees who died in camp, on the other side the names of those who died in action. They also engraved a commemorative poem on white marble in the centrefold.

Well-known for its healing waters, this erstwhile market town had 2658 residents in 1944. Here also, the order went out. We could fix the losses of the town from a variety of sources.

On July 2, 1945, the local authorities listed 368 men as being in POW camps. Yet the authors knew that about 100 men (born between 1880 and 1926) were prisoners in the concentration camps in Szanok, Sztarij Szambor, Novij Szambor, and Szolyva. Under the leadership of president Horvath Gyula and activists Hegedus Zsigmond and Petnehazy Istvan canvassed the residents of this town and determined that of the civilians of Mezokaszony, 68 men died in these camps and 18 men lost their lives in action on various battlefields. They also noted that four men, (Nagy Miklos, Nagy Jozsef, Hegedus I. Mihaly, Szilagyi Arpad), came home from the camps gravely ill and passed away within a few days of their return.

According to the statement of May 1990, 36 people are still alive, having defied hunger and cold in the camps.

On November 24, 1991 a memorial was erected on the town square to the victims of W.W.II and Stalinist terror.

Several surrounding tiny hamlets were joined to form this village where the Czechs settled many Ruthenians. Its inhabitants counted 868 residents in 1944. 5 men died in action during W.W.II.

In the autumn of 1944, those men who claimed to be Ruthenians ,or Slovaks were spared. Material unearthed in the Beregszasz district's archives shows that a report was prepared and sent by the commissariat on July 6, 1945 showing that 170 Hungarian men between the ages of 18 and 50 were at that time staying in various camps. It is noteworthy that the deathcamp of Szambor is mentioned alongside 100 names. It was also known that the remaining 70 were conscripted and joined the Hungarian army during W.W.II.

In June of 1990, Bagu Balazs and Szatmari Istvan Sr. established the list of those deported from Nagy-and Kisbakos. Of the 43 men imprisoned in camps, 1 perished in the Orsa and 1 in the Szambor labour camps. During 1946-47 several returned from the various concentration camps: 23 from Orsa, 6 from Szambor and 2 from Krasznaja-Lucs.

Evidently the list is still incomplete; but the devotion to the village's dead will continue.

Cradle of the famous homespun textiles from Bereg; this village had 2504 inhabitants in 1944.

On November 19, 1944, the village's men between the ages of 18 and 50 were collected. On July 4, 1945, upon instructions from higher-ups, the local authority presented its lists of deportees. On list No. 1, it assumes that, 116 men (born between 1894 and 1924), conscripted into the army, were sent as soldiers to POW camps. Under the leadership of president Baran Zoltan, the members of the local KMKSZ established a camp-list of 221 names (born between 1894 and 1926). Of these, 33 died and are buried in camp cemeteries.

In November 1989, a monument was erected to their memory in the local graveyard

Belonging to the district of Mezovari, this village had in 1944, 1058 inhabitants.

From authenticated lists prepared on July 3, 1945 (the names of the compilers is not mentioned), we learn that 175 men from Borzsava (born between 1895 and 1926) were in various camps or at unknown locations. Of these, 56 men were drafted into the army and 119 were civilian deportees. The activists of the local KMKSZ (president: Buzasi Istvan), with the help of survivors, notably Darcsi Sandor, established the list of the village's losses.

On November 19, 1944, the men were taken in horse-drawn wagons to Beregszasz, whence 133 were distributed among the concentration camps of Szolyva, Szanok, Sztarij Szambor and Novij Szambor; 81 are buried in their common cemetery. Huszti Janos, already gravely ill, was released from the camp at Szolyva, but he died on his way home. His relatives claimed his body and buried it in the local cemetery. 52 men survived the death marches, defying frost and famine. According to the March 1, 1991 record, 20 are still alive.

During W.W.II, 82 men were drafted into the army: of these, 6 died in action on the battlefield, 49 became POWs of the soviets, 12 went to unknown camps and 15 were lucky enough to escape camplife altogether. When, at the foot of the Carpathians, the front collapsed, 34 of the soldiers deserted but were caught on the way or taken into camps from the village.

On December 3, 1989 a wooden memorial was erected in the cemetery to honour the martyrs of the village. The activists of the KMKSZ initiated the movement to set up a monument also.

Situated on both sides of the Beregszasz-Csap highway, this town had 2434 inhabitants in 1944.

Following the deportation of the Hungarian men and upon instructions from the commissariat of Zakarpatszka Ukraine, the local authorities (president: Mezo Miklos, secretary: Laki Sarolta) established 2 lists containing 329 names. These men, according to the July 6, 1945 report, were absent from the town: they were either deported or drafted into the army.

Yet the compilers knew exactly that 125 men (born between 1897 and 1926) were deported as civilians to Szolyva on November 18, 1944. On the second list, they report the names of 94 men (born between 1901 and 1923) who, as per the authors, "reside at unknown places". The KMKSZ of Nagybegany analysed the data and found that 10 men died on the battlefield; the Stalinists deported 110 men of whom 61 perished.

Show trials, were started against 10 people.

On October 31, 1989, Nagybegany - among the first in the Beregszasz district - erected a wooden monument in its cemetery in memory of those who rest in unmarked graves. The local activists started the movement for a bigger memorial.

The mostly Hungarian-born inhabitants of this town in the foothills amounted to 2215 in 1944. It belongs among those villages where about 70% of the deported men did not return from the camps.

The July 4, 1945 report prepared by the local authorities mentions 239 men (born between 1895 and 1926) imprisoned in POW camps. Yet the authors knew exactly that 215 men were deported as civilians and whether they were sent to Szolyva or Sztarij Szambor. The remainder were drafted and sent to POW camps. Among the village's martyrs was also Narancsik Imre, - well-known pastor of the Reformed Church.

The local KMKSZ (president: Verebes Erika) analysed the available data and found that after 1946 92 deportees returned to their families; many are still alive. But 129 men from Muzsaly never came back from forced labour in Szolyva.

Upon the initiative of the local KMKSZ, in November 1989 a wooden memorial and later a monument were erected to honour the deceased.

In 1944, this little village had 814 souls. The lists prepared by the local authorities on July 5, 1945 contain the names of 93 men (born between 1897 and 1923) who were in POW, concentration or labour camps.

In reply to our request, Demeter Ferenc, a survivor from Rafajnaujfalu, writes as follows:

"They took us all together for the 3 days of forced labour, - first to Orsa from there, I was sent to Vityebszk, then in the summer of 1946 to Mogiljov. I returned home on October 5, 1946; many of my companions perished in the camps. Those who did not were forced to continue working. As far as I know, they deported 24 to Orsa and 16 to Boriszov from here. Ten died in the camps. Some of us are still alive but we all feel the effects of the camps..."

Upon the initiative of the activists of the local KMKSZ, which was formed on February 19, 1991 (president: Fejes Sandor), a memorial was erected in the churchyard of the Reformed Church in honour of the martyrs of the village.

Stretching along the left bank of the (river) Borzsa, this village had 798 inhabitants in 1944.

From a report prepared on July 3, 1945 by the local commissariat (president: Brekoczki Karoly; the secretary's name is illegible, hidden by the seal), we learned that at that time 124 men (born between 1895 and 1926) were in various camps. Of these, 76 people were deported as civilians for "3 days of labour". The remainder were sent to the front as soldiers and became POWs.

According to the lists prepared by the activists of the KMKSZ, in the autumn of 1944 84 men were deported, and 50 died in the camps. During W.W.II, 12 men lost their lives in action.

On November 18, 1989, the local KMKSZ (president: Sebi Andras) and the residents of Sarosoroszi erected a wooden monument in the cemetery and dedicated a memorial in the churchyard of he local Roman Catholic church.

Attached to the district of Mezogecse, this little village had 718 inhabitants in 1944. From the lists prepared on July 4, 1945 by the local commissariat (president: Popovics Karoly; secretary Beca I.), we learn that at that time there were 110 men in POW camps. Of these, 53 (born between 1895 and 1926) were deported to Szolyva as civilians.

The activists of he local KMKSZ (president: Posze Attila) together with survivors, determined the number of deportees 74 men returned home from the camps but 40 perished

Organized by the local KMKSZ, on July 15, 1990; the village of Tiszacsoma erected a wooden monument to honour those who died in the, camps. Ruszin Ferenc, master cabinet maker, and Bakancsos Laszlo, member of the presidium, took a notable part in the realisation of this monument.

Administratively attached to the district of Nagybakos, this hamlet had barely 500 inhabitants in 1944. It lost 2 men in battle during W.W.II.

Bagu Balazs and Ember Balazs, Sr. compiled the list of the 18 men who were deported by the Stalinists to labour camps in Szolyva, Szambor, and Orsa in November 1944. Of the 18, 11 died in the camps.

In 1944, there were 1020 inhabitants in this village.

From a March 2, 1945 list prepared by the local commissariat and found in the archives, we can tell that 53 men (born between 1898 and 1923) were prisoners in POW camps at unknown locations. By analysing the available data, the local KMKSZ found that in the autumn of 1944, 20 men subject to military service were deported, of which 10 died in the camps. A further 12 men died in action in W.W.II.

In August 1991, upon the initiative of the activists of the local KMKSZ, a memorial was erected in honour of the victims

This erstwhile market town is situated at the confluence of the Borzsa and Tisza rivers, on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border. It had 2893 inhabitants in 1944.

The men from Vari (between the ages of 18 and 50) were taken under guard to Szolyva on November 18, 1944. Later, the local authorities prepared two fairly precise lists. On the first are the names of 135 men (all except one horn between 1901 and 1923) who became POWs as soldiers; the names of the camps are unknown. The second list contains the names of the 340 men (born between 1895 and 1926) who were ordered to report for "robot malenykij" and deported to the concentration camp of Szolyva.

W.W.II and the Stalinists' inhuman terror carried off 437 men. No exception was made for the guardians of Leninism: - the communists had their party cards confiscated and burned right there in Szolyva.

The activists of the local KMKSZ (president: poet Vari Laszlo Fabian), together with Szarka Karoly, Nagy Laszlo and some survivors established that 169 men from Vari rest in unknown graves and 34 lost their lives in battle.

In November 1989 a wooden memorial was erected in the local cemetery and on March 15, 1992 a monument was dedicated to the deportees and those who died in action.

The Tragedy of the Hungarians of Transcarpathia