Maria's Jewish family lived in a Slovakian manufacturing town. When her father's match factory failed, the family of seven moved to Budapest. In her early twenties, Maria opened a flower shop, but she gave it up when she married and moved to Ujpest, outside Budapest. Maria then stayed at home to raise her five children. Her husband owned a large furniture store, and she often gave him business advice.

1933-39: I love having all my grown children gathered around me at the dinner table, enjoying my specially prepared goose and chatting among themselves. It's always special when my youngest daughter, Kato, who lives 40 miles away in her husband's town, manages to get home to visit. But I'm worried--she's told me that at night, hooligans sometimes chant antisemitic slogans at their house and bang on the windows. If only she'd return to Ujpest!