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Manó Deutsch
Menachem Zvi Deutsch (1898-1944)
Chief Rabbi Menachem Zvi (Manó) Deutsch z'tl was born on 13. October 1898. in Balassagyarmat -died at Auschwitz in 1944.
Son of Chief Rabbi Joseph Israel (Yosef Yisroel) Deutsch z'tl. His twin brother was David (Chaim Aron David) Deutsch z'tl, chief rabbi of Balassagyarmat.
He finished high school in his hometown, and was a student of his father, Chief Rabbi Joseph Israel Deutsch z'tl in Balassagyarmat. He became the 101st priest in his family.
Menachem Zvi Deutsch was first prison chaplain and assistant rabbi of the Jewish Community in Balassagyarmat. On 15. July 1934 in the county's newspaper "Nógrádi Hírlap" there's a report about the inauguration of the district Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Vámosmikola. He was an educated, knowledgeable teacher of the Jewish community, he was also engaged with theological literature, like his father. He lead a yeshiva between 1934-44. Because of its high quality, Christians enrolled their children to the school as well. There were also a few high-school class in the school for a while.
In 1944 he was taken to the hell of Auschwitz together with her wife and children [their names: Agnes, Abris, Izso, József (Yoszi), Clara, Josephina, Rosa, Yetta, Philip (Moyshe) and Eva.].
György (Naphtali) Ruhig, survivor of the Holocaust, living in Israel in his memoirs wrote these words:
"The old "Uncle Jungreisz" was our chief-rabbi, not just of the Jewish Community, but all of the village, who tried to solve all the problems and sicknesses of the jews and the gentiles with his miracles, medicines made of herbs and mostly with his prayers. As he became old he could hardly hold his Sabbath "droshe"-s, to his place the "dayan" of Balassagyarmat, Mano Deutsch had been elected and inaugurated. He was young, father of two, high-minded and very likeable and friendly person, who quickly won the love and respect of the villagers. On sunny Sunday afternoons he was walking together with the "galoch" (Christian priest), they discussed together the extracts of the Bible. On Saturday afternoons he celebrated "Shalesudes" (Shalosh Seudot), where we children were could also take part and after washing hands and blessing to the bread we could happily assuage our hunger with the barches (challah) of the "Auntie Rabbi". Saturday evening after "havdalah" he held "Melave Malka evenings", with some lighter "snacks", discussing partly religious partly everyday problems he contributed to the traditional and social life of the jews."
Sources:
- József Koczó: Details of the social role of the Jewry of Vámosmikola, Debreceni Szemle No. 2007/1. (in Hungarian)
- Yad Vashem Archives
- György Ruhig : Vámosmikola and its neighborhood. In: "Örökmécs" (Eternal light) for the martyrs of Šahy - Ipolyság and its surroundings, Nahariya, 1994. (in Hungarian and Hebrew)
- Iván Bächer: Completely. Népszabadság, 18. September 2004. (in Hungarian)
(Yechiel)
