Ici Writes of Her Father's Decision to Flee Romania

Both of my parents were raised in Nagyvarad. They also married there, and my five siblings were born there too. First four boys, and then to their great joy, a girl, my sister Kato’. (She had the audacity to choose Christmas Eve for her birthday, sending my father in the middle of the night for a midwife. Those times, babies used to be born at home and seldom with doctors assistance). Even the four brothers were happy at her arrival. The youngest, two years old Gyozo, jumped up and down yelling "Nan, nan!" (Lany, lany! - Girl, girl!). The name "Nan" stuck, it became her nickname.

Unfortunately they had to leave Nagyvarad soon. The Treaty of Trianon (1920) awarded Transylvania to Romania, and, since my father refused to swear allegiance to the new regime, he was expelled from the country. He had to leave in forty eight hours. His belongings and family were packed in a railroad wagon and sent over the Hungarian border.

The journey to the first large Hungarian city took two weeks. Refugee wagons were put on sidetracks often, as not to interfere with the regular traffic. Kato, the baby, arrived very sick, almost dying of diarrhea. She lost so much weight that when she finally got over it, she weighed hardly more than at birth.

I came about five years later, a surprise child. Probably this was the reason why I became my father's favorite and why he spoiled me to death.

We lived then in Szeged, where my father was employed by the Hungarian Post Office.