Although this photograph is not of good quality, it is of historic importance because it shows a Jewish Forced-Labor Service Company in Hungary. The only person in the photograph who can be identified is Geza Kovács (father of Miskolc researcher John Kovacs). Geza was born in Miskolc in 1908, but was living in Turkeve, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok county, when he was drafted into a forced-labor battallion in 1942. It therefore is likely that the other men in his company were from Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok county. The photograph is believed to have been taken around 1943.
On the left side of the photo are Hungarian soldiers in uniform, who probably were the company's leaders. On the right is a man standing in an overcoat without a hat, but with an armband on his left arm. All Jews in the forced-labor service had to wear either a yellow or (if they had changed their religion) a white armband.
Credits: Page design copyrighted © 2008 by Helene Kenvin. Photo of the labor company copyrighted © 2008 by John J. Kovacs. Information in the text courtesy John J. Kovacs, edited by Helene Kenvin. Page created by Helene Kenvin. All rights reserved.
