Aranyvonat

Gábor Kádár

Describes the demographic and economic situation of Hungarian Jews before March 1944. Relates how Jews were robbed of their property before and after the ghettoization. Tracks the route of the most precious valuables - gold, jewels, foreign currencies, paintings and carpets - which were loaded onto a train in March and sent to Austria. After 42 days, the train was handed over to the American army on Austrian soil. In 1946, the Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees became responsible for the treasures, which were used to help survivors in DP-camps and elsewhere. Pp. 133-222 portray the senior SS-officer Kurt Becher, who served in Hungary from March 1944. He seized all the property of leading Hungarian Jewish industrialist Manfred Weiss for the SS, which enraged the Hungarian government. Becher held talks with Kasztner and saved a lot of Jews in return for their money. He also helped in the handover of Bergen-Belsen. He assumed the role of the rescuer to save himself and to become rich, in both of which he succeeded.