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Országos Magyar Zsidó Segíto Akció : OMZSA ÉVKÖNYV; 1943/1944=5704 [ISSUE 4], FINAL ISSUE

Budapest; Országos Magyar Zsidó Segíto Akció, 1944

Original wraps. 8vo. 246, [2] pages. 23 cm. Serial publication. In Hungarian, with Yiddish. “OMZSA Yearbook”. The Országos Magyar Zsidó Segíto Akció (National Hungarian Jewish Aid Association; OMZSA) was a general assistance organization for the large Budapest community. The OMZSA was involved with cultural, legal, and economic battles on behalf of the (religious) Jewish Budapest community. For example, a series of drawings by the artist Imre Amos (1907-1945) entitled “Zsidó ünnepek (Jewish Holidays) , representing the Jewish holidays in the shadow of annihilation, became emblematic for Hungarian Jewry. (The series appeared in 150 copies published in 1940 by the Országos Magyar Zsidó Segito Akció [National Hungarian Jewish Aid Action]. ) ” (YIVO encyclopedia) . According to OCLC, four issues of the yearbook are known to exist (the earliest issue is titled “OMZSA Naptár” –OMZSA Calendar) . This issue contains a calendar of the days and holidays for the year (In Hungarian and Yiddish) , and extensive literary (poems, letters, short stories) and journalistic pieces by dozens of writers and editors from the Budapest community. For many of these authors, this would be their last published work. “[T]he Germans occupied the country on 19 March 1944, Gestapo chief Adolf Eichmann set up his SS command in Budapest, and the Budapest Jewish Council was established. What had been an extended process of stigmatization, ghettoization, deportation, and murder elsewhere was greatly concentrated and executed with great efficiency and speed in Hungary. The deportation and gassing of almost 440, 000 provincial Jews at Auschwitz-Birkenau began in mid-May and was swiftly accomplished by July as a result of full cooperation of the Hungarian authorities. Only intense diplomatic pressure threatening harsh postwar retribution caused Regent Horthy to call a halt to the deportations on 6 July, giving Budapest Jewry a temporary reprieve. In Budapest, a series of measures increasingly placed limitations on Jews who remained in the capital. Restrictions were placed on using the public transport; later telephones, bicycles, and cars were confiscated, and an evening curfew was imposed. From 3 April, all persons defined as Jews were obligated to wear a yellow star on their outer clothing… The reverses suffered by the Germans emboldened Horthy to announce in mid-October his intention to withdraw Hungary from the war. With German backing, Ferenc Szálasi and his Arrow Cross Party seized power on 15 October. Budapest’s Jews were now threatened by a far more vicious regime whose radical antisemitic ideology was wholly in tune with Hitler’s apocalyptic vision. Forced death marches began on 20 October and along with German deportations, affected some 75, 000 Budapest Jews. The city rapidly descended into chaos as roving Arrow Cross bands combed the streets rounding up Jews. The first murders in the streets began on 12 November; the first executions took place by the riverbank on 23 November. “ (YIVO Encyclopedia) Subjects: Jews - Hungary - Periodicals. Jewish almanacs. OCLC lists 7 copies. Wraps lightly worn, with light pencil marks on front cover and first endpage. Pages lightly aged, otherwise fresh. Very good condition. (HOLO2-103-36), yivo-50 2012

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