Michnay László & Jolán (Bach)

Michnay, László Michnay, Jolán László Michnay was an Adventist minister. He lived in an apartment in Budapest, together with his wife, Jolán, and their six children. After the German invasion of Hungary, Michnay risked his life, and put the lives of his family at risk, in order to save approximately 18 persecuted Jews. Jolán was a full partner in the rescue activities. Among the Jews that Michnay helped were Vilmos Román and his wife, Teréz. Michnay gave Vilmos his personal papers, and it is in part owing to these documents that the couple were able to survive the war and immigrate to Israel. Michnay also hid fugitive Jews. Béla Diamant and his wife were hidden in the Michnays’ basement until the liberation. Michnay did not wait for Jews to ask for his help, but actively offered his assistance. After the Arrow Cross Party came to power on October 15, 1944, he went to find his old friends, the Vámosi family, who were living in a yellow-star house- – buildings marked with a yellow star, where Jews were allowed to live. Michnay told his friends of the grave danger facing the Jews of Budapest and convinced them to escape immediately, despite their initial reluctance to do so. He hid the family in his own apartment for a short period and then transferred them to another hiding place in a village near Vác. During the entire period that the Vámosis were in hiding, Michnay supplied them with food. Judit Vámosi (Karmeli), one of those saved by Michnay, moved to Israel after the war. Another couple saved by Michnay was the poetess Zseni Várnai and her husband, Andor Peterdi, also a poet, who were persecuted both because of their religion and because of their socialist principles. The poems they later wrote and dedicated to Michnay stand as written testimony to his bravery in the face of evil. On May 5, 1964, Yad Vashem recognized László Michnay as Righteous Among the Nations. On September 19, 2016, Yad Vashem recognized Jolán Michnay as Righteous Among the Nations.