Short film about Eva and György; Jewish wedding in Szeged
Creator(s)
- György Pető (Camera Operator)
- Dr. Katalin Pető
Biographical History
György Pető (Dec 20, 1906-1971) was a talented violin player, photographer, and class lottery businessman in the southern Hungarian city of Szeged. He began making 8mm films in 1938. Pető was first in a Jewish forced labor company in Kiszombor in 1940. After returning home, Pető married Eva Lengyel (d. 1970) on September 8, 1941. They had a son, András, on October 3, 1943. Pető was again transported to the Ukraine with another forced labor batallion, where he was captured, and imprisoned in a Soviet POW camp near Zaporozje. He escaped somehow and returned to Szeged. The Jews from Szeged, including Eva, baby András, and many Lengyel family members, were deported during the summer of 1944. They were transported to Strasshof and later to Neunkirchen (Austria) where baby András and Eva's mother and father died. Pető’s mother Zseni was killed at Auschwitz. His brother László died. Eva returned to Szeged in 1945; Pető followed one month later. In 1946, Eva and György had a second child, Katalin Pető. When all of Pető’s property was confiscated by the communist regime in Hungary in 1949, he escaped with his family to the city of Budapest where he established himself as viola player in the Budapest Operetta Theater.
Scope and Content
Hungarian titles throughout. Stylized title for filmmaker: Pető György. “1940 - ben Kezdődött…” MS of two women (the one on the left is Eva) and a man sitting on a concrete slab smoking, and György on left, with the old Belvárosi bridge being seen in the BG. He greets the three before turning to look at the camera. A couple walks up a set of stairs next to the riverbank in Szeged (repeat). MCU of woman in dark patterned dress, smiling and talking to somebody off camera. The four reach the top of the stairs, where the car is parked, with the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas being seen in the BG. “Autóbusszal Ujszegedre” Bus full of people driving down the street. POV shots of riding in the bus, with scenery going by, pedestrians, and cars, then lingers on a church. “Gyakorlati utasítás kezdő menyasszonyok részére (kukoricasütés)”. Győrgy and women around a fire, cooking corn. MCU of Mrs. Peto in the garden in Szeged carrying two pails and watering the plants. 02:21 “Kirándulások a Tiszán” (color) Eva climbs down a flight of stairs. Ship (Verecke) traveling down a waterway, lowering smokestack to pass under the bridge. The couples in swimming attire, standing on docks, preparing little motorboats. They shove off and the action follows them in the water. Eva in a red swimsuit walks along the dock and suns herself. She talks to someone off camera. Shadows of the new couple in the water. 03:51 (black and white) Friends in the boat, traveling along the waterway. Man and woman in a rowboat. Child runs, woman runs across the sandy beach and back to the boat, giving the man in the boat a kiss. Women (including Eva) on the beach, smiling, laughing, and talking. Busy beachfront with ships passing on the river. Man smiles and laughs. 05:35 Eva and Győrgy pose for the camera. Shots from the POV of the small boat on the water. “Előkészület a kerékpáros világbajnokságra”. Janos and his mother walk out of a gate with a bicycle, and they ride along the road. “A favorit titkos tréningje.” Eva struggles to ride the bike, crashing many times before getting the hang of it. “gyorsasági verseny.” Slow motion shot of Eva riding the bike. “utólérhetetlen mutatvány.” Again, Eva on the bicycle, in reverse. “A példa ragadós” Győrgy pretends to struggle riding his bike. 08:20 “a tragédia 1941. Szept. 18.-án következett be” The wedding of Győrgy and Eva on September 18, 1941. They get out of a car, and proceed to walk inside the synagogue in Szeged. INTs, dark room, Győrgy is sitting in a chair, another man comes up and they exchange something. Eva and Győrgy exit the synagogue with their friends and family, and pose for a photograph. CUs of the group, smiling and happy. Eva holds a bouquet of flowers. “Klinikai látogatás”. Sitting for a family portrait with elderly relatives “Vége az I. Résznek”. Film ends 09:21.
Subjects
- COOKING
- JEWISH LIFE (PRE-WAR)
- SYNAGOGUES
- HUNGARY
- STREETS
- BICYCLES
- AUTOMOBILES
- BUSES
- CITIES
- JEWS
- BEACHES
- FAMILIES
- SUMMER
- WEDDINGS
- RIVERS
- BRIDGES
- BOATS
Places
- Szeged, Hungary
Genre
- Film
- Amateur.