USHMM Finding

https://collections.ushmm.org Contact [email protected] for further information about this collection RG-50.285.0019 Summary Nikolaus Kölly, born on December 12, 1924 in in the Austrian state of Burgenland in Zelem), bears witness to events/צעלעם :Deutschkreutz, (Hungarian: Sopronkeresztúr; Yiddish before, during, and after World War II. Although born in Deutschkreutz, Nikolaus grew up in the neighboring district of Girm, where most people lived from small-scale farming. He describes in detail the Jewish community in Deutschkreutz, whose main street was called the “Judengasse” and he mentions prominent Jewish families like the Figenstocks and the Goldschmidts. He describes Jewish-owned businesses and market stalls where Jews and Gentiles alike purchased produce and kosher meat. He remembers that there was a Jewish Temple, where the women and men worshiped in separate areas, and a “world-renowned” rabbinical school. He also stated that many non-Jews in the area had a poor opinion of the Jewish residents and were envious of their financial success. Kölly also remembers the small Gypsy community in Girm. He describes their primitive mud- brick huts and their poverty. Their children attended the same school as he did; however, they were lazy and did not do their lessons well. Kölly goes on to say that the Gypsies spoke both German and Romany, but not Hungarian. They lived from small-scale trades like mending carpets and had names like Aloyssius (SP), Horvath, Radosch (SP), and Joushka (SP). Kölly also states that the Gypsies did not attend church but enjoyed watching soccer and playing music, especially on the fiddle. He discusses the 1938 German annexation of Austria. He heard about it on the radio and stated that everyone was excited and happy. Kölly did not become a member of the Hitler Youth, because he didn’t like “playing soldier and marching around”; however his father became a party member. After the annexation, he states that teachers loyal to the previous government were replaced by Nazis, Jewish businesses were plundered, and wealthy Jews disappeared, their homes going to Nazi party members. Soon thereafter, Kölly states, the remaining Jews and all the Gypsies disappeared, although he did not witness the deportations. He did know that the Gypsies were transported to a camp in Lackenbach (Hungarian: Lakompak). After turning eighteen, Kölly was drafted into the German army, serving first in Westphalia and the Italian town of Sterzing (Italian: Vipiteno) in South Tyrol. He then served in Normandy against the Americans, not participating in actual combat, but in laying communication cable. At this point, Kölly comments on the role of the SS, stating that they were greatly feared, especially the “black SS”. He was also aware of a Waffen-SS division made up of former Hitler Youth serving in Normandy. The Americans captured Kölly and brought him to a POW-camp in Ebensee, Upper-Austria. Kölly stated that he was not aware that Ebensee was a former concentration camp. In fact, he states that he knew nothing about the camps until after the war. He returned to https://collections.ushmm.org Contact [email protected] for further information about this collection Deutschkreutz on September 14, 1945, where he saw the trench-fortifications that had been built by Hungarian Jews being filled-in. Kölly remembers that the Russians arrived in Deutschkreutz on the day after Good Friday and that they raped many women. .

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