Obituary

Susanne “Zsuzsi” Jalnos was born on January 25, 1927, in Rajka, Hungary, a small town near the border of Austria and Czechoslovakia. Her childhood was a happy one, rooted in deep Jewish tradition. She was raised by her parents, Kornelia and Josef Weisz, alongside her older brother Miklos “Mickey” and younger sister Anna “Anni.” The family owned two butcher shops in their town, one kosher and one non-kosher, and built a life filled with faith, hard work, and love. They also farmed a large parcel of land near the Danube River.

That life changed forever on March 10, 1944, with the Nazi invasion of Hungary. By April, around Passover, all Jews in Hungary were forced into ghettos. The Weisz family endured three relocations, each time leaving more behind, until they were transported to Győr, where they were confined in an attic. Eventually, like so many Hungarian Jews, the family was deported to Auschwitz.

Upon arrival, Susanne’s parents were sent to the left to the gas chambers. She pleaded with Dr. Josef Mengele to let her sister go with her parents not knowing what their fate would be. He took one look at her, gave her a swift kick in the butt with his boot, said she was strong enough to work and sent her to the right with our mother. My mother later realized that her sister’s life. They were separated from each other, not knowing the fate of the other. Just 17 years old, she was thrust into unimaginable hardship. She was later transferred to an ammunition factory in Lippstadt, Germany, where she endured forced labor under brutal conditions, long hours, starvation, and the constant threat of beatings and death. As U.S. troops approached in 1945, Susanne and hundreds of other women were forced on a three-day death march, hiding by day and moving by night. On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, the Germans abandoned them, and she was liberated shortly afterward by the American Army.

Alone and uncertain if her siblings or any other family members had survived, Susanne began the difficult task of rebuilding her life. In 1949, she met and married Stephan “Steve” Jalnos (affectionately known as “Shimek”) in Kaunitz, Germany, and together they emigrated to San Antonio, Texas.

By what she often described as a miracle, she was reunited with her brother and sister in the United States in 1958 after finding out they had survived and were living in their hometown of Rajka. Living proof that even after unimaginable loss and suffering she knew in her heart she was one of the lucky ones that beat the Holocaust. She never forgot what she went through and was a strong advocate for “We Shall Never Forget”.

In San Antonio, Susanne and Stephan built a new life filled with resilience and purpose. They raised four children and became deeply rooted in the Jewish community.

In 1965 she lost her beloved husband Steve at the age of 39 to cancer, having to raise 4 boys on her own. She did one hell of a job raising her 4 sons, being the best mother and father, she could be.

Susanne devoted herself not only to her family but also to ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust would never be forgotten. Alongside her sister Anna, she spoke to countless schoolchildren, churches, and community groups, recounting her story with courage and honesty. In the 1990s, she recorded her testimony for the Shoah Foundation, and she became a regular speaker and supporter of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio.

Susanne often said, “I cannot forgive for six million lost lives taken But I will not live with hate.” Her life became a living testament to that philosophy—choosing hope, faith, and love over bitterness. She touched generations of students and community members, inspiring them to stand against hatred and to cherish freedom.

In her later years, Susanne remained a source of wisdom, humor, and warmth for her family and friends. She delighted in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, always reminding them of the importance of kindness, perseverance, and Jewish tradition. She lived a full and meaningful life until the age of 98, her spirit shining as brightly in her final years as in her youth.

Susanne is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Stephan Jalnos, her brother Mike Weisz, and her sister Anna Rado. She is survived by her four children: Joseph (Sheryl), Robert (Eileen), Carl (Rhonda), and Marvin; her five grandchildren: Steven (Mallory), Brandon (Emily), Jeremy (Layseen), Rebecca (Luis), and Mathew; and her five great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom she cherished deeply.

The family asks that donations in her memory be made to the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio. They would also like to thank the caregivers who supported Susanne in her later years, each of whom she welcomed with her survival stories and open heart. They all treated her like she was their mother.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, August 26 at 2:30, at Agudas Achim Memorial Gardens on Austin Highway followed by a meal of consolation and Shiva service at 4:00pm at Congregation Agudas Achim at 16550 Huebner Rd.

Pallbearers are her grandsons Steven Jalnos, Brandon Jalnos, Jeremy Jalnos, and Matthew Jalnos. Her Nephews Jim Rado and Robert Weiss and 2 beloved friends Jerome Cohen and Les Hoffman.