May 2023 Portrait of the Month — Laló Erdélyi

Laló Erdélyi

This month, we are featuring a portrait of Laló Erdélyi in honor of his birthday on May 17th. Laló was 15 years old when he and his family were deported from Romania to Auschwitz - his mother and sister were immediately killed and Laló was forced to do brutal slave labor. Eventually he escaped to the barracks where his father was held, and they provided each other with the strength they needed to survive.

After liberation, Laló continued his education and eventually became a renowned journalist, known for his photographs and portraits. He went on to publish several books documenting his memories through photographs.

This portrait was created by a Hungarian teenager around the same age as Laló was when he was deported to Auschwitz. It was powerful to have his story told and his life honored in Budapest, where he spent much of his adult life.