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Sunday,
the 19th of May 1996 ...
...I
remember sleeping in that room...
I
remember sleeping in that room ( in Nagy Kanizsa) as a young girl, school
times, five-six years old. And I saw all the paintings, his
friends paintings, his new paintings.
- And
then I used to get high fever, 39-40o
C in no time. So this darling Jewish doctor used to look
after me. His name was 'Golabatshi' [phonetical from
Elizabeth]. He saved my mother and saved me. And no
transport at that time. He was already 70-80 then. He came
on his own foot in rain and snow, he would come, night or
day ... And I am ever grateful to him.
This lovely Jewish doctor respected my mother very
much. He did not want to embarrass her and examine her after
my birth. He asked the nurse to do this, asked whether my
mother was alright, and whether the birth-line was clear, no
problem. The nurse confirmed everything was alright. But
something was broken inside my mother, I do not know what
else, and within two days my mother had 109 F fever and for
nine years she never picked up her normal health! That woman
(the nurse) said that I was to be immediately christened.
But the custom was that a child would only be christened on
the 3rd/4th day or even a month or two later. She wanted to
call the priest immediately.
And my mother made the mistake and said, my daughter
will not be christened now. She will learn about all the
religions of the world and then choose for herself."
Dagmar mentioned surprised, "that is what I said to my
children also." And Elizabeth queried,
"Really?" Dagmar said, "yes of course, they
have a Hindu father and Christian mother, how can I force
Christianity on them? They have to choose for
themselves." Elizabeth continued, "and this way
the nurse got annoyed with my mother.
I was christened much later at the age of ten. I
myself decided ... decided god-mother, god-father and they
came with me, even mother came with me and I liked the
priest also. The priest taught us catechism at school, he
was a good man. I am sure he is no more." Dagmar asked,
"and so you became a Catholic Christian."
Elizabeth, "yes. But here in India I became everything.
There is one thing which is in everything, what ever you
call it. There are no two truths in this world. People keep
saying what is true, but I feel what is true. I often went
to temples to feel the atmosphere and paint.
"So there was a revolution! Mother in
black," Elizabeth
carried on and Dagmar continued, "marrying an artist
who had no money! But the two had everything in
common!" Elizabeth said, "yes." And Dagmar
stated sadly, "only the war broke everything
apart." Elizabeth emphazied, "yes, yes, yes.
Evolution of life. And their paintings ..."
"Where are your father's paintings, dearest
Elizabeth?" Dagmar asked. "Yes, that is what I
want to know," Elizabeth spontaneously put in,
"... so many things should be done. It should be
advertised in the papers, whether Ferenc Sass' paintings are
anywhere in private possessions. In Munich there must be
several paintings because for six years he not only
studied there but exhibited also."
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