Tibor Jacob Grunberger

Dallas Holocaust Survivor, Tibor Grunberger, Dies at 92 Tibor Jacob Grunberger, who survived the Holocaust as a child, died Tuesday in Dallas—fittingly on Holocaust Remembrance Day. He was 92. “He was the bravest, the smartest, and the most handsome,” said his cousin, Agnes “Agi” Braun, describing Tibor as a youth. Agi credited Tibor with saving the lives of herself, her newborn son, and several other family members during the final months of World War II in Budapest. At 24 years of age, Agi was pregnant and hiding in the basement of a bombed-out hotel after escaping the Nazi ghetto, only to face starvation as the Russian front advanced on the city. Her husband Petr had left to fight and ultimately die in the Yugoslav resistance. When the Soviet army finally ousted the Germans, Tibor, only 13 years old, latched on to a rag-tag detail of soldiers as an unofficial Hungarian-Russian interpreter. The soldiers paid him with food, which he took back to the shelter he shared with Agi, as well as his younger brother Karol and another young cousin, Janos Braun. A jar of eggs one day, strawberry preserves just after the baby came. It was the difference, Agi said, between life and death for herself and her baby, whom she named Tomás. This was but one of many improbable stories of escape and survival, by luck and courage and an uncanny resourcefulness, that led Tibor from Slovakia to Hungary, and after the War to Israel, and eventually the United States. He came to Dallas in 1960, where he married, raised children, and stayed until his death. Tibor is survived by his wife, Ilona Lyde Grunberger; children, Jennifer Grunberger (and wife Aliza Orent), Glen Grunberger (and wife Sara) and Joel Grunberger; stepdaughter Aimee Lyde; former wife, Carol Hutchinson; and three grandchildren; Sue Carol Sedillo (and husband Miles Sedillo); Samuel Grunberger and Esmé Grunberger. Tibor was born February 27, 1931, in Michalovce in what was then Czcechoslovakia. He lived with his mother, Szeren, father, Ladislav, and brother Karol, in close proximity to a large extended family of aunts and uncles and grandparents. He loved visiting his maternal grandparents’ farm on the outskirts of Michalovce, and he said his father, who worked as a notary for the city of Michalovce, ‘spoiled’ him. He was also known from an early age to have a penchant for mischief—often playing hooky from Hebrew school studies to swim in the Laborec river on warm summer days. Most who knew him would say he never grew out of being mischievous. In 1942, Tibor’s father was deported to a concentration camp in Lublin, Poland, where he died later that same year. His father gave him a gold watch before he was taken. Two years later, Tibor used the watch to escape from the Budapest ghetto, giving it to a truck driver who allowed Tibor, his brother and cousin to ride on the underside of the truck as it carried dead bodies from the ghetto. Another time, Tibor and his brother were living in Budapest with their uncle when a neighbor turned them in. The two boys were detained for several weeks, and then set loose on the border at night in the woods by Hungarian authorities who told them they would be shot if they appeared again on the Hungarian side. And there were more harrowing escapes, in almost all of which Tibor showed an amazing ability to keep his wits and make clever choices under life-and-death pressure. Tibor was also saved by his proficiency with languages. Because Michalovce lies near the Ukrainian border, Tibor grew up speaking a dialect of Slovak that was very close to Russian. Tibor’s parents, however, spoke Hungarian, an ‘island’ language bearing no resemblance to Russian or other Slavic languages. His fluency in these two idioms allowed him to live without detection under false papers part of his time in Budapest and then to translate for the invading Russian troops at the end of the War. Ultimately Tibor spoke five languages fluently and was conversant in several more. Tibor lived in Israel for nearly seven years and spent most of that time working as a mechanic in the Israeli Air Force. However, he had always dreamed of being a pilot, and came to the U.S. in 1955 to attend Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa where he graduated a couple years later. Unfortunately, due in part to his citizenship status, Tibor could never secure work as a pilot and instead entered the apparel business. For over 35 years he traveled throughout Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma as a sales rep for dress manufacturers. In 1970, along with his cousin Thomas Dula, he opened Tibor’s, a men’s clothing store in El Paso, which later opened a branch at North Park in Dallas. In 1986, he cofounded Focus Apparel Group. Tibor was an original Dallas Cowboys season ticket holder and rooted passionately for Dallas-area sports teams. He also loved the symphony, holding seats for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for 35 years, and he was also an accomplished ballroom dancer. After his retirement from the apparel business, he traveled extensively on cruise ships as a ‘dance host.’ He met his wife, Ilona, through a Dallas-based dance group. He became involved in events at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum after its inception and was honored to be a part of the Dallas survivor community. Tibor will be remembered for many things: his bravery and survival, but also his generosity, sense of humor, love and loyalty to the family and friends who were dear to him. In spite of experiences that could have justified him giving up on humanity, he always found his way forward, always rediscovered enthusiasm. His family are forever grateful. Tibor was preceded in death by his father, his mother Szeren Grunberger; brother Karol Grunberger; and numerous grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who died in WWII, in concentration camps, ghettos or through illness and maltreatment under Nazi occupation. In Tibor’s memory, contributions may be made to Jewish Family Services in Dallas, Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Legacy at Home, Legacy Hospice, or the Alzheimer’s Association. The family also sends its deepest thanks to the amazing hospice workers, nurses and volunteers who helped Tibor’s final months and days be full of immense kindness and gentle care.

Tibor Jacob Grunberger

February 27, 1931 - April 18, 2023