Basár Alexej

Basár, Alexej Aladar and Fredrika Herz lived with their children, Alfred-Josef (b. 1936), Erika (b. 1938) and Ervin (b. 1941), in Chmiňany, in the district of Prešov. Aladar’s sister Terezia (b. 1920) was engaged to her cousin, Ernest Herz, a bakery owner. Following the anti-Jewish decrees, the bakery was given over to be managed by Alexej Basár, who was of Russian origin. Ernst continued to work in the bakery as a hired employee. In May 1942, deportations of Jews in the area began. Basár arranged for Ernest to be exempted from deportations because his work in the bakery was considered essential to the economy. However, this permit did not cover the other family members. Not wanting to part from his fiancée, Ernest decided to join her when they were taken away. When Basár heard that the Herz family had been arrested, he immediately went to Bratislava to obtain their release. By this time, the family was already in the Poprad camp, from where they were to be transported to Auschwitz. Thanks to Basár's intervention, Aladar and Fredrika Herz and their three children, as well as Ernest Herz and Aladar’s sisters Terezia and Esther, were freed and allowed to return home. In May 1944, the Jews in Eastern Slovakia were ordered to move to the western parts of the country. Before leaving, the Herz family deposited their belongings with Basar. The entire family survived the war in hiding or in the camps, and on their return home they were welcomed by Basár, who restored all their belongings to them. After the war, the Herz family immigrated to Britain and to Israel. They continued to support Alexej Basár for many years. On November 27, 2007, Yad Vashem recognized Alexej Basár as Righteous Among the Nations.