Forgiving Hitler – The Kathy Diosy Story Told by Kel Richards – Book Review
Katherine Diosy was born in Budapest in 1920. As a schoolgirl in Vienna, she was ordered out onto the streets to greet Adolf Hitler, after he and his thugs had swallowed up the country. Jews were even ordered to attend, to swell the crowd and show the outside world how everyone in Austria approved of it. He was standing a few feet from the man himself when he was ushered in, a pale-faced nullity of a type with a sly, sullen look.
Kathy was shocked to discover that even her teachers were hidden Nazis, and even more shocked to discover that she and her only friend were now considered outcasts, outcasts, forced to sit in a corner, so the other students wouldn’t talk to them. at any time, and it was a great relief to be able to return to his family and friends in a still-free Hungary, though only on the condition that he pay his school fees for the rest of the year.
That security would not last long.
The long shadow of evil turned towards Budapest and again Kathy and her family were persecuted, forced to attend train stations at odd hours, and much worse than that. Kathy argued with her mother about going. The daughter bravely tore off her yellow star and went into hiding, huddled in the abandoned apartment of a cousin, the same cousin who had been called up to the Hungarian army to fight alongside the German army on the Russian front. The unfortunate young man, suffering from cold and ration shortages and no mail from home, finally receives a letter from his homeland, only to discover that it is an electricity bill for the dilapidated and bombed-out flat in Buda, where Kathy is staying. hides in the hallway, living quietly with a single candle for company.
Eventually the Russians come and everything will be fine, except it won’t be for the young, conquered women. Things get worse again, much worse, but at least there is some comfort for Kathy in the Nazi hangers that decorate many of the Buda streetlights. Kathy touches their feet, for comfort, it’s good to know that at least some have paid the ultimate price for murdering and deporting millions of thousands of Hungarian Jews and others to the camps, including many of Kathy’s immediate family. Will he ever be able to forgive them? would you do it?
She applies to emigrate to the US, but they delay, citing one excuse after another, but Australia accepts them, and finally Kathy leaves Europe shattered and bitter for the sun and peace of a country a world away.
Forgiving Hitler is three books in one. First, Kathy’s own story, an intimate account of one woman’s eventful life and how other human beings can sink so low. Second, we pause from time to time to catch up on the progress of the war. This part did not convince me; and one or two of the facts weren’t quite right either, but hey, it was just a slight deviation from the real story.
And the third thread followed Kathy’s strange religious conversion. He came from an old Jewish family, but they were what might be called non-practicing Jews. They did not follow a kosher diet and only visited synagogues once a year. Someone had the bright wheeze that if they converted to Catholicism, they would all be safe. A priestly piece of paper in their pocket saying they were now Catholic would save them from any trouble with the Nazis and what’s more they could get such a document simply by making a substantial contribution to church funds, except for the piece of paper . it was as useful as the German banknote of 1920.
Upon his arrival in Australia, he tries again to join the Catholic Church, but surprisingly, and rather strangely, they don’t want to know because he has never attended a Catholic service in his life. But the Anglicans and even the evangelists are enthusiastic enough, and here she finds some peace, and even the ability to forgive, perhaps.
The book comes from a religious publisher, and that made me wonder about the final conversions, but read it and make up your own mind.
Overall, this is a fantastic book, detailing a young woman’s struggle with walls of evil the likes of which have never been seen before. Kathy’s story had me hooked from start to finish; the other two threads were never as engaging or compelling.
A great read, though, and Kathy’s story will live long in the memory.