"Waldsee" postcard (front)

During the deportations tremendous uncertainty was experienced among those who stayed at home. According some reassuring rumors, the deportees were brought to work and the families were accommodated together. Germans tried to confirm these tales through their propaganda. During a short period they forced the Jews deported to Auschwitz to write postcards. As a mailing address they had to put an imaginary resort, “Waldsee”. On the postcard they could only inform about their arrival and that they were healthy and well. The mail was distributed through the office of the Association of Hungarian Jews in Sip Street, where the replies were also collected. The aim of the whole setup was to pacify the population waiting for the deportation and to avoid panic.