"In January 1944 I was called up by the Forced Labor Service, but I deserted on October 10, 1944"

György Ligeti's quote, "In January 1944 I was called by the Forced Labor Service, but I deserted on October 10, 1944", provides a glimpse into a traumatic duration of his early life throughout The second world war. Ligeti, who later on became one of the most influential avant-garde authors of the 20th century, discovered himself knotted in occasions that were much larger than any private, in the middle of one of history's grimmest dates.

The Forced Labor Service described in the quote was a system made use of in Hungary during World War II, where thousands, particularly those of Jewish descent, underwent required labor under harsh and inhumane conditions. Ligeti, of Hungarian-Jewish descent, was thus thrust into a brutal truth, as the political environment in Hungary throughout this duration was marked by widespread anti-Semitic policies and partnership with Nazi Germany.

The verb "deserted" recommends a considerable turning point in Ligeti's wartime experience. Desertion, or leaving one's assigned post without permission, particularly amidst war, was swarming with danger. It indicates a rejection of the dehumanizing conditions enforced upon him and a brave, albeit dangerous, act of self-preservation. Ligeti's choice to desert might have been driven by an intense awareness of the increasing threats as the war progressed and the Nazis intensified their genocidal undertakings.

This duration undoubtedly impacted Ligeti exceptionally, both personally and artistically. The horrors and the existential trials he faced informed his worldview and later infused his structures, which are typically characterized by an expedition of turmoil, dissonance, and a distinct blend of structure and freedom. The experience likely contributed to his interest in themes of death, transcendence, and the exceptional, common in much of his later work. Regardless of the difficulty of these early experiences, Ligeti emerged as a durable figure, channeling a rough past into ingenious and enduring musical expressions.