[Written in 2013]
Some time ago I was lent a book comprising a collection of old letters and postcards of Jewish interest from all over the world. I scanned some of it into my computer and forgot all about it. Recently I was searching for photos of my grandparents’ tombstones, when I came across these late 19th or early 20th century postcards from my native land, Hungary.
It was customary to sell entrance tickets for the High Holiday services, without which you were not allowed to enter for prayers; the ticket pictured is from the north Hungarian town of Miskolc, dated September 1941, issued by the local orthodox community to a Helen Krausz. Her seat was situated in the upper class, third row on the right side, seat number ten. The cost of the ticket was 15 pengös with 5 pengös tax (this amount was a high price to pay).
There are two postcards depicting the famous Dohany Street Synagogue, built from 1854 to 1859, the world’s second largest. One is showing a view of it from Karoly Boulevard from c.1900 and the other is postmarked 20 July 1892.
There is a postcard sent from Munkacs, my mother’s birthplace, depicting a group of Hassidim. The sender is wishing happy celebrations and promising the sender to be with the recipient on the 20th.
The New Year card is printed in Hebrew, German and Hungarian. The inscription being in German is beyond me.
View the postcards below:
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