The Hungaria government has awarded Geza Seifert. 68, the “Gold Medal for Work.” one of Hungary’s highest honors. It is the first time a Jewish community leader has received such an award, sources here indicated. Seifert, chairman of the Central Board of Jewish Communities, received the medal on the occasion of the Hungarian national holidays last week commemorating the Russian expulsion of the Nazi troops in Hungary in 1945.
Seifert is a former lawyer. In 1943 he was arrested by the Gestapo but managed to escape shortly before the Russian troops arrived. He was recently elected for the second time as chairman of the Central Board. He is due to attend the June meeting of Jewish leaders in New York commemorating the 30th anniversary of the deportations. Seifert was the only Jewish leader among the several religious leaders (Catholic and Protestant) to be decorated.
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