Overview

The secret lay dormant for 50 years until Andrew Laszlo decided to share his past, the story of how his family perished in the Holocaust and only he survived. From his youth in Papa, Hungary, to his experiences with the Nazis, his will to survive was tested again and again. On March 19, 1944, Germany invaded Hungary. He wrote, ""As I warned you, from here on, this account is going to get rough."" Andrew's family was relocated to the ghetto and forced to wear the yellow star. He was conscripted into the Hungarian Labor Service. His father and mother were taken away. As the war dragged on, Andrew was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Years later, his children learned that Anne Frank was a prisoner in the camp at the same time. At 20 years old, having nothing left, Andrew escaped Russian-occupied Hungary and made his way to a displaced persons camp in Ulm, Germany. He was granted emigration to the United States. He arrived in New York Harbor on January 17, 1947, with two dollars in his pocket. He did not speak the English language. He became a world-class cinematographer.

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This memoir has it all, a loving family, a terrible time, unspeakable horrors and coming to America to begin a new life. Andrew Laszlo kept the family name alive. It is certainly a celebration of life, hope and renewal. The book is a triumph of strong will over evil. Throughout it all, the author never thought of himself as special. He writes in such a humble manner, hence the title, Footnote to History. There are many rags to riches tales, but few as special as this one. Andrew Laszlo came to America with the clothes on his back (sewn from an army blanket). He had no formal trade or advanced education. He did not speak English. He became a world-famous cinematographer. I am so glad that after 50 years of silence, he decided to share his secret. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Holocaust or World War II history. -Joe M. Pruitt It 'imprints' upon us the brutality of war, particularly this war. It reminds us that once people are characterized as 'others, ' they can be determined to be exploited and/or eliminated. While having general insights into WWII [born a baby boomer], this book narrates how only the creative/strong survived. The story of his father is a reminder that brave people, e.g., allow others to live at their own self-peril. I have had the privilege of knowing Andrew Laszlo Jr., who inherited these traits and is, therefore, successful. He has developed a narrative of the book. I will be attending one of his lectures, having read this extraordinary book. -T. Anderson It is very rare for me to read a book for the second time but Footnote To History changed my interest in history. I wanted to go back and read it again to make sure I remembered details correctly. What an amazing person Mr. Laszlo was to survive those years! -John L. Halstvedt Footnote to History is an unforgettable memoir by a Holocaust survivor. A successful American immigrant, renowned cinematographer Andrew Laszlo writes a gripping chronicle of growing up in 1930s Hungary, where his family contends with growing antisemitism. Andrew's world fell apart as Nazi Germany exerted control over Jewish Hungarians during World War II. Denied playing on school teams, then restricted to ghetto life, transported in locked railway cattle cars, endless days in a forced labor camp, surviving the horrors of concentration camps, and finally, liberation arrived...only to discover his parents, brother, and grandparents had all been killed by the Nazis. As a displaced person, America became his new home, but he kept his past a secret. While in his sixties, he changed his mind and wrote this compelling book so his wife, adult children, and now the public could understand the past and fight against today's growing antisemitism. -Douglas A. Pfeiffer

Author Information

Andrew Laszlo was born in Papa, Hungary in 1926. He was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. He emigrated to America after the war arriving in New York Harbor on January 17, 1947. Andrew was penniless and did not speak English. He became a world-famous cinematographer. After keeping his past a secret for 50 years, he shared this memoir with his new family.

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