Janice Guy

A composite of two photographs of my mother with two of her cousins in Transylvania, Romania in 1930 and 1938. The photograph from 1938 was taken in Oradea. It was the last time my mother saw her cousins. The earlier photograph was taken either in Sovata or Borsec, two spa towns in the Carpathian Mountains where the families spent their summers in those happier times.

My mother, Anna Diamant, daughter of Maximilian Diamant and Ilona Eichner, is on the left at 8 and 16 years old.

Agi Eichner, daughter of Andor Eichner, Ilona’s brother is in the middle at 7 and 15. Agi died of thyroid disease in 1940.

Erika Michelup, daughter of Max Michelup (aka Micheli) and Elza Diamant, Maximilian’s sister, is on the right at 6 and 14. Erika was last seen in Auschwitz in 1944.

Incidentally Agi’s mother Erzsike was the sister of Aniko who was married to Theodor Diamant, my mother’s and Erika’s - and of course Agi’s - uncle, brother of Elsa and Maximilian, further linking the Diamant and Eichner families.