Greenville High School

Surviving the Holocaust: An Exclusive In-Depth Look Brought to Greenville Students

By Natalie Wysokowski

Pictures taken by Nadia Boyea

On Monday, March 27th, Greenville High School students were given the special opportunity to meet Ivan P. Vamos. Born in 1938 in Budapest Hungary, Vamos entered a world of chaos. Foreigners were being brought to concentration camps and many Hungarian Jews were forced to live under various restrictions such as parks, pools, theatres, schools, and careers being prohibited. Ivan described the struggle he and his mother faced, having to pretend to be Russian refugees and carry around false papers. Their fake identities were the only thing keeping them alive -- that is, until he was separated from his mother. While she had been in line to be transported to a concentration camp, Mr. Vamos was forced into a different line, where he awaited his death.

Ivan’s mother acted fast, rushing by his side and taking a strong grasp of his hand. Together, they miraculously were able to run off and escape without facing any consequences. Later they found an abandoned apartment house: the only suitable refuge they’d find to keep them out of harm’s way. There, they remained in the demolished building for months on end. Their source of water came from the toilet flushing tanks high up on the wall, while using scrap newspapers for warmth, and they survived on a small bag of split peas. They were finally able to leave their shelter when the Russians arrived. One could only imagine the relief they felt.

Ivan went on to live a productive life. Following his mother to the U.S. only a year after her departure, he found work in many forms such as the Deputy Commissioner for Planning and Development for NYS parks, and an Engineering Geologist in the US and Australia. Before working for these organizations, he dedicated himself to our Navy as a shipboard engineering officer. Recently, he completed an analysis of the impact of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) pollution in a part of the upper Hudson River. He continues to contribute to New York State and is happily married to his wife for 51 years.

Ivan Vamos truly is an inspiration for young generations. It was an honor for Greenville High School students to experience his life story and be in the presence of such a strong-willed human being.

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