Veronka Polgar / Vera John-Steiner (F / Hungary, 1930-2017), Holocaust survivor
Veronka Polgar / Vera John-Steiner (F / Hungary, 1930-2017), Holocaust survivor
Steven Polgar (M / Hungary, 1931-1978), Holocaust survivor
- KEYWORDS : <Kastner Train> <Bergen-Belsen> <Switzerland> -- <United States>
Biography
Veronka "Vera" Polgar was born June 13, 1930 to parents Franz (Ferenc, b. 1894) and Sofie Fanagy Polgar (1908-1988). He had one younger brother Istvan (Steven, b.1931). This four-person family was deported from Budapest around June 30, 1944 on the first Kastner train, which went from Budapest to Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp, where the family was held for several months. They were then transported (children first, later parents) to Switzerland, and lived in the Geneva home for intellectual refugees between 1944 and ca. 1948. They immigrated to the U.S., settling first in New Haven, Connecticut. Steven earned his PhD at the University of Chicago, married Sylvia K. Polgar PhD (1928-2008) and was tenured at the University of North Carolina. Steven and Sylvia had two children, Michael Polgar PhD (b. 1963) and Chris Polgar (b. 1964). Steven passed away in 1978.
Source
- The presence of parents is confirmed in the extant lists. No apparent reference to the children.