Ibolya and Imre (ca. 1933)
Imre Strausz was born in Miskolc on October 20, 1910. He was the son of Sandor (Samuel) Strausz and Julianna Pollak. During World War II, Imre and his wife Ibolya Gross were living in Debrecen. Imre was working as a pharmacist, when he was taken away by the Hungarians for forced labor. Below is a touching letter that Imre wrote to Ibolya while he was in a slave-labor batallion. According to the Card File of Labor Battalions in Hungary at Yad Vashem, he died on February 15, 1943. He is believed to have perished on the Russian or Ukranian front. Ibolya survived the war and later died in Budapest. Imre and Ibolya were the uncle and aunt of Miskolc researcher Julie Strauss Kirsh.
Letter from Imre Strausz to his Wife Ibolya
My dear and only happiness,
For a very long time, you have not had mail from me again and I can imagine your worry. Thank God I am well and there is no reason for you to worry. Today we are resting after a long journey and I am using this opportunity to write you to tell you that I think of you every moment and love you very, very much. I haven't received any mail from you,
but I hope that all is well at home. I take out your photo, and keep on kissing you in my thoughts. I hope and believe that I will come back to you a healthy man. My darling, my happiness, I wish you to be well and healthy. I hope to get mail from you soon.
Many kisses, with deepest love,
Imre
Credits: Text and page design copyrighted © 2010 by Helene Kenvin. Imre Strausz's letter and translation copyrighted © 2010 by Julie Kirsh. Page created by Helene Kenvin. All rights reserved.