Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944 Setting & Symbolism

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944 Objects/Places

Beregszasz

Beregszasz was a large Hungarian city where Piri's family lived. As the war went on, the city increasingly became hostile to Jews until the Germans finally arrived and sacked it.

Komjaty

Komjaty was characterized as a rural farming community. Babi lived here on the family farm. Because of hostilities between Hungarians and Ukrainians, the border between Beregszasz and Komjaty was temporarily blocked.

Ladybeard

Ladybeard was the name given to the goat the family adopted for its milk. Housing officials came one day to take the goat away, causing the family much distress.

The Ghetto

The local brick factory was converted into a ghetto, a temporary living quarters for the captured Jews prior to being shipped to concentration camps. Piri and her family endured several weeks in the ghetto's terrible living conditions.

Glass Globe

Piri received a glass globe as a gift upon her return from Komjaty to Beregszasz. For her, it became a symbol of the...
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