An older Jewish couple are featured in this vintage real photo postcard. An ink caption on the bottom front of the postcard states “Debreczen, Hungary, October, 1927).The couple are well dressed. The woman is wearing a double chained locket and the man is wearing a shirt with a wing tipped collar, a tie, and a yarmulke (kippah). A yarmulke is a jewish traditional head covering worn by most Jews in synagogue and worn by Orthodox Jews all the time. The photographer of this photo is Liener Bela, who operated a studio in Debreczen, the second largest city in Hungary (Budapest is the largest city). One can only hope that this Jewish couple left Europe before the Holocaust. In the first few decades of the 1900’s, Jews made up 5% of the Hungarian population. They had managed to achieve great commercial and professional success. In fact, their success was disproportionate to their numbers in the general population. Their accomplishments fostered resentment and the 1920’s were stained with much anti-semitism in Hungary. By 1920, Jewish enrollment in Hungarian universities were restricted by a quota. Admiral Horthy, the Regent of Hungary, was a self-proclaimed “anti-Semite”. Repressive anti Jewish policies were adapted and fascist groups flourished. Hopefully, this lovely couple survived. This vintage postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
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