​I  wanted to send an email message to you directly, to tell you how much I appreciate ALL of the efforts being made by Michael and yourself in regard to the preservation of the Budapest Jewish Cemetery. Thank you for your acknowledgement of my contribution. I will try to send additional funds from time to time as I am able, and please be assured of my on-going interest.

 

I visited the cemetery in 1977 when I was in Europe working as a consultant to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees). At that time, we were dealing with the crisis in South East Asia. My time was limited and when I went to Budapest, I did not have very good help. Although I can manage a bit in German, I did not know Hungarian at all! The "guide" who took me to the cemetery was not very helpful, and so I could not find the graves of my relatives. I remember as well that the cemetery was in poor condition; many broken and defaced grave markers, as well a lot of trash. The appearance of the grounds was also very bad. I am so grateful to you for taking on this project. 

 

Three of my grandfather's siblings are buried there, and perhaps other  relatives whom I am not aware of. My Grandfather Komlos (formerly the family surname was "Kohn"), was the only one of his siblings who went to America. He was from Nagyvarad, however his mother and siblings later lived in Budapest. They suffered a great deal under the Nazi's and the Communists. All of their property was lost. 

 

Thank you again for all you are doing to protect and preserve this historic place.

 

Very good wishes,

 

​​Jeffrey Spencer

USA

 

(My mother was from the Komlos family, and I was her only child. She married my father during WW II in America. My Grandfather Komlos came to America from Hungary in 1913, and his wife the following year - just before the ports were closed at the start if WW I. My mother was born in 1913 and was a small baby when she and my Grandmother came to America, to New York City.)