Hanna Szenes’ Last Letter To Family Was Disclosed

The National Library of Israel has recently revealed the last letter of the legendary Hungarian poetess and heroic paratrooper, Hanna Szenes, to her family. This letter was disclosed as a part of the commemoration ceremony ofthe Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Hanna Szenes was born in Budapest in 1921. Her father was a famous Hungarian playwright and journalist, Béla Szenes; unfortunately, he died when Hanna was only six years old. She lived with her mother, Catherine, and her brother, György. From the very young age this talented young girl felt a very strong passion for poetry. Szenes’ poems became famous for its beautiful language (both in Hungarian and Hebrew); readers always found her literary works to be touching and courageous.
Apart from her literary success, Hanna Szenes is mostly known for her self-sacrifice and commitment. She was among the 33 paratroopers, who were trained by the British Army in Egyptin order to parachute into Yugoslavia, get to Budapest and help save the Jews, who were about to be deported to the German death camp at Auschwitz.

On June 7, 1944 Hanna Szenes has crossed the Hungarian boarder. Szenes was determined to help people of the occupied Hungary – she was absolutely fearless. However, almost immediately the Hungarian police have arrested Szenes and her companions, as they have found her military transmitter. From that day Hana Szenes was repeatedly interrogated and cruelly tortured in order for her to reveal the details of her mission and codes for the transmitter. Szenes refused to cooperate even after police arrested her mother and threatened to kill both of them. After almost 6 months of the most brutal tortures, Hanna Szenes was charged with espionage and was executed on the 7th of November 1944 by the firing squad. “She refused the blindfold, staring squarely at her executors and her fate. Szenes was only 23 years old.”