Speare, Mary

Mary Speare was born in Budapest, Hungary but has lived in Canada for over 60 years.  She went through WW2 and experienced Nazis persecution against Jews.  Her father was taken to a labour camp early on, as the family’s fortunes began to unravel.  Mary was fortunate to be spared deportation to Auschwitz as her mother put her in the care of the Red Cross.  Unfortunately the Arrow Cross came looking for the Jewish children hidden at the nunnery in Buda, and Mary was taken to the Budapest Ghetto, where she was lucky to be reunited with her mother.  The two managed to survive their time there, and the Russians liberated them after a short time.  Mary left Hungary during the 1956 Revolution, and came to Canada.  Mary got married when she came Canada, and eventually had two daughters.  She and her new husband brought Mary’s mother to Canada a few years later.  Mary was interviewed for this project at Baycrest’s Cafe Europa on February 22nd, 2019 by Alex, Georgia, Kevin and Britney.