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Contents

PREFACE

PART I - THE THIRINGER FAMILY IN EUROPE

Chapter 1. Family History through the End of WW I (16th Century to 1918)
  The Family's Early History
  Leslie's Childhood and Youth
  Fighting in World War I

Chapter 2. Life During the Turbulent Post-WW I Years (1918-1923)
  Resistance, Prison and Escape During Communism
  Activities in the Hungarian National Army
  The West-Hungarian Uprising
  Academy Life in Keszthely

Chapter 3. Peace, War and Farewell to Hungary (1923-1944)
  Leslie's Career and Hungary's Entry into World War II
  Experiences with the Germans During WW II
  The Soviet Invasion of Hungary
  Early Childhood of Tom
  Farewell to Hungary

Chapter 4. Six Years as Refugees in Germany (1944-1950)
  The Final Months of World War II
  Leslie in French POW Camp, Families Alone
  Cottage Industry in Reichenbach
  Leslie's Return and Illness
  Tom's School Years in Passau
  Preparation for Emigration
  Leaving Germany for the U.S.A

PART II - THE THIRINGER FAMILY IN THE NEW WORLD

Chapter 5. The New Immigrants in the U.S.A. (1951)
  Arrival to New York and Denver
  The Mount Vernon Country Club Period
  Leslie and Magda Move to California

Chapter 6. Tom's Years in the Air Force (1951-1955)
  Enlistment in the U.S. Air force (USAF)
  Three Years in England
  Return to the U.S. and Discharge

Chapter 7. The California Years (1955-1964)
  Attending Stanford University
  Marriage and Life on the San Francisco Peninsula
  NASA Job Offer in Washington D.C

Chapter 8. The Washington Years (1964-1993)
  The Move to Washington
  Peter's Birth and Tati's Passing
  Career Summary, First Visit to Hungary
  Anyu's Death and Mami's Decline
  Three Weddings and My Retirement

Chapter 9. The Washington Years - Continued (1993-2001)
  Mami's Last Years
  Apu's Deteriorating Health
  The Florida Condominium Purchase
  Apu's Final Weeks and Passing
  Apu's Burial, Our Last Travels in the 20th Century

Chapter 10. Arrival of the First Four Grandchildren (1995-1998)
  Melissa Marie Thiringer
  Leslie Capri Bonorden
  Stephen Joseph Thiringer
  Natalie Camille Bonorden

Chapter 11. The Florida Years (2001-2003)
  The Move to Sarasota
  Kara Nicole Bonorden
  William Joseph Thiringer
  First European Trip in the New Millennium

EPILOGUE

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Preface

Small beginnings often outgrow their original scope. It happened to the story of the Thiringer family or, more specifically, one branch of the family. The project had started out modestly enough. We all knew that my father, Leslie, or Apu as he is called had a long, interesting and exciting life. He had witnessed and participated in several historic events in Europe during the first half of this century, including two world wars. Over the years he told us a number of anecdotes from that period but we never heard the whole story in a concise, chronological manner. Although I had been collecting our family records for some time it was Peter, our son, who approached his grandfather and urged him to jot down his recollections. Apu was reluctant at first but then warmed to the idea. During the winter of 1990, at the age of 90, he compiled his memories up to 1946. Upon his return from Florida in April 1991 he handed me a thick pad of handwritten Hungarian notes, saying that since I knew what happened to us since 1946 I may as well continue writing the "family saga" myself.

Translating Apu's story was a slow, tedious process with my wife, Erika, editing and Peter putting the manuscript on computer. We discussed the project several times; I decided to continue our story to the present and divide it into two parts, first in Europe then in the United States. Thus, by the time the manuscript was complete the original scope of the project was expanded considerably. In addition to Apu's life and the family's early history, we added my own story and several "bells and whistles" such as maps, documents and pictures to highlight the narrative. The resulting work, I hope, will be of interest to members outside of our immediate family and to our descendants who will carry on the Thiringer name and some day might continue to write the family's history.

Alexandria, Virginia, May 1993

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When we finished the original eight chapters of our family's history over a decade ago we did not intend to continue this "saga" beyond the weddings of our children. However, after a relatively short time several events occurred in the family's life that seemed worthy of mentioning. Furthermore, also a number of pertinent new or revised facts came to light the inclusion of which, we felt, would improve context and understanding of the narrative. Thus we decided not only to continue the family's story after 1993 but also to update and revise the original text. Improved printing techniques helped us to include new pictures and documents as well. We hope the reader will overlook any inadvertent errors or omissions in the text, and still find the overall narrative of our family's history interesting.

Thomas P. Thiringer
Sarasota, Florida, January 2004

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