John Dobai, Holocaust Survivor Shares Story with Year 10 Students

Born in 1934 in Budapest, Hungary, John Dobai lived through the horrors of the Holocaust as a child. Raised Roman Catholic after his Jewish family converted due to rising antisemitism, John was still targeted under Nazi racial laws.

When Hungary joined the Axis powers in 1941, his father was called to serve in the army but was soon sent to a forced labour camp because of his Jewish origins. After Nazi Germany occupied Hungary in March 1944, persecution of Jews intensified. John and his mother were forced into a yellow-star house — part of the systematic relocation and planned deportation of Budapest’s Jewish population.

In a desperate attempt to save John, his mother sent him to the countryside. But after falling ill, he returned home just before mass deportations began. The family narrowly escaped transportation to Auschwitz thanks to Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who issued protective passes and sheltered Jews in houses declared Swedish property.

Despite the protection, life remained dangerous. After Hungary’s fascist Arrow Cross party seized power in October 1944, thousands of Jews — even those in safe houses — were murdered. The family survived the brutal siege of Budapest and were finally liberated in January 1945.

John moved to the UK in 1948, completed his education, and became a chemist. Now retired, John devotes his time to Holocaust education. In a recent visit, he was interviewed by Year 10 students, who listened to his moving testimony about life under Nazi persecution. His story left a lasting impression, reminding them of the importance of tolerance, courage, and remembering the past to shape a better future.

Please click here to watch the interview.