Victor Vashi

VICTOR VASHI is a gentle soul who loves babies, dogs, cats and America. A graduate of the Hungarian Royal Academy of Fine Arts, he turned cartoonist for one of Budapest, Hungary's leading newspapers, 8 Orai Ujsag.

Mr. Vashi cartooned his way through the years of Nazi and Soviet occupation of his country. He emerged from these experiences with no visible changes in his optimistic outlook or sunny personality.

The Nazis "loved" his tart cartoons, so much so that they ordered him to stay on for fifteen years. Fortunately, he managed to be engaged elsewhere during his "trial" and never served the sentence.

The Russians later became equally "fond" of his humor. He was locked in solitary confinement and was overlooked the day they cleaned out the Godollo Prison Camp, sending all able-bodied males to Siberia. This undoubtedly saved his life, but left him available for a "death march" to another concentration camp. Thus began his Communist indoctrination.

In December of 1946 Mr. Vashi managed to escape to Austria. In the process of making his way to America, he cartooned for a number of European newspapers including the Salzburger Nachten, Weiner Kurier, Hungaria of Munich, Emigrans Szabad of Paris and Praat of Amsterdam.

Mr. Vashi seriously considered writing abook, but after thinking it over decided to tell a story in cartoons, this time for the benefit of "children and diplomats." This primer is the result.

[from the book Red Primer for Children and Diplomats]