Imi: A Lifetime in the Days of Family Mandel

The story of “Kasztner’s Train” recounts the daring effort led by Rudolf Kasztner to rescue 1,676 Jews from Nazi-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust. As Hungary’s Jews faced increasing danger following the Nazi occupation in 1944, Kasztner negotiated with Adolf Eichmann to allow a select group to escape in exchange for money. Among the passengers was eight-year-old Imi (Manny) Mandel, whose journey from Budapest to Bergen-Belsen and eventually to Switzerland highlights both the risks and hopes of the time. Though Kasztner’s actions remain controversial—seen by some as heroic and by others as betrayal—the train offered a rare path to survival. Mandel’s later life in Israel and the U.S. reflects resilience and the lasting legacy of Holocaust survivors. His personal story, intertwined with broader historical figures and events, offers a poignant narrative of endurance, loss, and renewal.