Heroism in Hungary during the Holocaust

Psychologist Erica Frydenberg has written a powerful account of the Holocaust in Hungary, weaving together her own family’s story of survival with history.

The book’s title Do Not Forget Me Street, refers to a real street in Budapest. It also evokes the cries of 560,000 Hungarian Jews killed in the Holocaust – the men, women and children lined up on the edge of the Danube River and brutally shot by the Hungarian Arrow Cross, and those sent on cattle cars to gas chambers.

Remarkably, around 250,000 Hungarian Jews survived, largely thanks to the Budapesti Schindlers, including Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg and Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz, who provided protective passes and safe houses.

For Frydenberg, this time in history is deeply personal.

Born during WWII in Budapest, just as Hungary was implementing Hitler’s Final Solution, Frydenberg’s own uncle, Nandor Eichel, saved her life. Protected by diplomatic papers, Eichel rescued many other Jews, whose stories only came to light decades later in Australia.

Like so many Holocaust survivors, Eichel had refused to speak of the past, as did Frydenberg’s parents, who instead focused on building a new life. In her book, Frydenberg attempts to piece together fragments of information, travelling to Hungary to better understand not only her family’s story, but that of the Jews of Hungary.

Frydenberg said it all started with research about her family history, but as a positive psychologist she wanted to contemplate how people could rise to the occasion, remain silent afterwards and never receive credit.

Discussing positive psychology, she said that “one looks at the good and sees what we can learn from the good,” and in terms of the Holocaust it is about looking for the uplifts – the upstanders – people who acted for the good in bad times.

Asked if she believes people are essentially good, Frydenberg said absolutely.

“People can learn to be good and people can be made to be evil. It’s a big challenge – how we fight the forces that might want to pull people into the negative, the destructive?,” she told The AJN, explaining that the Budapesti Schindlers, who are less celebrated than Oskar Schindler, are lesser known heroes, but heroes nonetheless.

“There are well known heroes. There are less known heroes. There are some heroes like Rezső Kasztner who was murdered. There are heroes like Moshe Kraus, who won’t ever be recognised because they made some enemies along the way… My uncle was obviously an unsung hero, and maybe he wanted to be unsung, to stay silent,” she reflected.

Looking at her own family, Frydenberg said she is very proud of her children and their achievements, former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and paediatrician Dr Lexi Frydenberg, who will be launching her book. Asked what life lessons she instilled in her children, Frydenberg said she believes in leading by example. The family travelled to Hungary together in 2023 to learn about their history.

“I think the message for my children is exactly like the message of the book. It’s about good people in bad times. It’s about gratitude.”

Pointing to the cover of the book, Frydenberg reflected on what the image means to her.

“This is beautiful Budapest. This is the memorial of the shoes. My father was taken to the Danube at gun point,” she said. “He survived, most probably thanks to my uncle or one of Wallenberg’s people.”

The title, she said, carried a dual meaning: “Do not forget me street – do not forget, but also remember with eyes wide open.”

Do Not Forget Me Street: Remembering the Budapesti Schindlers is published by Ginninderra Press, $39.99 rrp

The book will be launched at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum on May 14. For information, visit mhm.org.au/event/do-not-forget-me-street-remembering-the-budapesti-schindlers/