Laszlo Deák
| Town/City | Hobart |
|---|---|
| First name | Laszlo |
| Last name | Deák |
| Country of Origin | Hungary |
| Date of Birth | 1928 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1949 |
| Submitted by | Attila Urmenyhazi |
Story
László (a.k.a. Les) Deák (1928- 2002)
Story:
Born in 1928, Laszlo was the son of a well to do, landholding, sawmill owning family in Pusztakovácsi, Southwest Hungary. Towards the end of WW2, as a young teenager in 1944, he was taken by force by the Nazi Germany’s occupation troops and sent to a labor camp in Czechoslovakia, where he spent one year under unforgivable inhumanity.
After the war, he returned home to observe the gradual loss of past freedoms, and the progressive emergence of ruthless communism with his family interests and businesses confiscated by a subservient Hungarian government. Laszlo defected to Austria becoming a refugee under United Nations\’ IRO Agency’s care.
He arrived in Australia in 1949 and was directed to the Snowy Mountains Authority’s giant national hydro-electricity scheme as a building worker, labourer in dam construction works. Subsequently he is tested, selected, trained, and qualified as a hydrographer. He worked with the SMA until 1960 when he became redundant. During his tenure, he was elected a Union Representative and occasionally was involved in that line of necessary work. He arrived in Tasmania in 1962 and joining Tasmania\’s own Hydro-Electric Commission projects, worked as hydrographer until his early retirement in 1985. He then became a part-time shopkeeper in a mixed-business partnership that lasted several years.
For 10 consecutive years energetic Laszlo served the small Hungarian association in Hobart as their President, fostering retention and nurture of root culture and heritage. For 11 years he solo presented the community radio broadcast program in Hungarian language, after fighting for its introduction amongst other community languages.
He was a passionate birdwatcher and a keen photographer. His stunning bird photos enriched wall calendars. In recognition of his outstanding services to the community, Laszlo Deak posthumously received the award called: The Centenary of Federation Medal, from the Australian Government in January 2003, through Jan Deak his widow.