Later expeditions, 2012–2018 › 2013 Expedition

AHEYM-2013-131 · Kolomyya

Kolomyya (Kolomya in the project's index) 2013-05-22 11 min · 5 stretches Yiddish 100%

Not online: the recording is held by the project and is not on Media Collections Online, YouTube or archive.org. Everything below is a paraphrase of a machine transcript, the weaker of this site's two transcript layers — see how it was made.

Summary

A ten-minute camera file from the 2013 Kolomya session, with no interviewee named in the index. It opens with chat about places (Botoșani, Ștefănești (?)), Jewish numbers in Romania and Poland, and synagogues in Budapest. An older man then recalls a Hungarian woman he exchanged money with, sings a song about a Jewish land and a lighter song about a mekhutn and potatoes, and ends with a few remarks on his Romanian youth and antisemitism.

Stretches

00:00–02:36

Kerler asks whether the man ever lived in or visited Botoșani and Ștefănești (?). They discuss Jewish population figures for Romania and Poland. Kerler then describes the many synagogues in Budapest, including the large Reform synagogue, and notes serious antisemitism in Hungary.

before the war Local Jewish historySynagogue and prayerAntisemitism · Botoșani, Ștefănești (?), Budapest, Romania, Poland, Hungary

02:44–04:18

The man recalls a trip to Maramureș (?) where he exchanged money with a beautiful Hungarian woman who spoke some Romanian. Kerler, S2 and the man go on to talk about beautiful women in Ukraine and Russia.

before the war Work and tradesJewish–non-Jewish relations · Maramureș (?), Ukraine, Russia

04:18–07:02

The man sings a song about Jews wanting a land of their own and returning to Israel, with a refrain about leaving Poland and Romania. Kerler praises it. The surrounding talk is partly garbled, with a remark about a van.

Singing Songs and musicEmigration and relatives abroad · Israel, Romania, Poland

07:02–08:42

The man sings a lively song about a mekhutn (in-law) arriving, with potatoes and dancing. S2 mentions a song about Romania and what people eat there, and Kerler asks about it. The man says it was written in America.

Singing Songs and musicFoodMarriage and weddings · Romania, America