Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1981. január-június (35. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)

1981-04-02 / 14. szám

• AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ

Thursday, April 2. 1981.

2.

A REMARKABLE EXHIBIT

THE “HUNGARIAN ETHOS”

Written for the March 22nd banquet by Roger Kiralv

n.

if we are to avoid losing, then, a viable sense of our ethnic identification as Hungarians, we younger Hungarian-Americans must ally ourselves with our older counterparts, who are a link with our past and who possess the knowledge and skills we must gain to preserve and develop our ethnic consciousness.

I cannot deny that this preservation of our Hungarian heritage will be a struggle. The pressures to “assimilate” are great. As Andrew Greeley remarked in Harper’s magazine, all too often “The best of the ethnic talents...are creamed off the top, converted, co-opted, tamed and taught how to hate their neighborhoods, laugh at their grandparents...” Advocates of the “common culture” believe, according to Greeley, that Americans must “break with the past, write off (their) traditions, forget the experiences that shaped (them) and dispense with the symbol systems they absorbed in childhood.”

However, the situation is NOT hopeless. In fact, there is much to encourage us! A recent survey, for example, concluded that teenagers think that a strong sense of ethnic identity is more important than their parents do. Some authorities even speak of an “ethnic revival”, with more college courses in ethnic studies being offered, more books on “ethnicity” being published, and more Americans bombarding village officials in Europe with requests for documents which confirm their “roots”. It seems that many people are coming to realize that one cannot throw off the “old country” as easily as one shrugs off an old coat. (Nor do they feel that a “good American” should be required to do so, in the interest of establishing some kind of WASP-de- fined “common culture”.)

Of course it is still too early to tell how many of these developments will last; no doubt many will fade away as their “fad appeal” wanes. That is why I am stressing the importance of an alliance between those younger Hungarian-Americans who have a serious commitment to strengthening the ties to their ancestors and those older Hungarian-Americans who are the personification of those ties. We must all find ways to forge this alliance, to keep the language alive among the young people, to make sure that invaluable cultural institutions like the Amerikai Magyar Szo do not die. These will not be easy tasks but the underlying struggle is important and cannot be ignored.

The editors of the Harvard EnCvclopedia of American Ethnic Groups believe, in reviewer Andrew Hacker’s words, “that the pace of assimilation we have been witnessing is unfortunate, not only for the groups and their members but for society as a whole.” Hacker emphasizes that the re-establishment of a rich ethnic diversity in this country will necessitate serious effort and “require more than celebrations of holidays and heroes.”

This statement may apply to those celebrations which exist primarily to attract tourists, but not, I am certain, to observances like yours today. It was for this reason that I presented my brief analysis to you of the events of 1848. If one views those events, as I have urged,as being based on a concentrated drive to make certain that the Hungarian

ethos would not become irreparably diminished, it is easy to draw parallels to our situation as Hungarian-Americans today and see how 1848 is directly relevant to our current lives.

Just as those renowned heroes and faceless individuals fought over 100 years ago to preserve and strengthen that ethos, so we must fight today in our adopted homeland for the same reason. Our struggle is more hidden and on a smaller scale, of course, but I do not think it is hyperbolic to say that it is no less important.

Perhaps some of the older members of the audience will resent being urged by a 37-year-old to engage in yet one more battle, “Haven’t we done enough?”, they might say. My response is that it is just because you have done so much, and know so much, that the members of my generation need you.

In the spirit of 1848, which you are celebrating today, let us work together to achieve the desired goal.

Éljen a Magyar Szív! Éljen a Magyar lelek!

AGAIN ON TV!

Dear Editor:

I am happy to inform you that, by popular demand, NBC will re-broadcast our 1980 documentary, THE JEWS OF HUNGARY, on June 21st, 1981 from 1-2 PM. New York time, to all of our affiliated stations throughout the country.

WNBC—TV in New York has already committed itself to air the program at the same time:

June 21st, 1981 from 1-2 PM, New York time. We, however, have not yet heard from other NBC affiliated stations, but I am writing to you now, because I felt vou would want to receive the good news as soon as possible. Also, if you decide to inform your readers about this noteworthy event, I would like to ask you to suggest to your readers that they inquire from their local NBC station as to the date and time of the program.

T.G. Madarasz Producer

“The Jews of Hungary”

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MAGYAR SZO

USPS 023-980 ISSN 9194-7990

Published weekly, exc. last 2 weeks in July and 1st week in August by Hungarian Word,

Inc. 130 E 16 St. New York, N.Y. 10003.

Ent. as 2nd Class Matter, Dec. 31. 1952 under the Act of March. 21.1879, at the P.O. of New York, N.Y.

Szerkeszti a Szerkesztő Bizottság ‘

Előfizetési árak New Yorkban, az Egyesült Államokban egy evre S 15.- félévre $ 8.- Kanadaban es minden más külföldi országban egy évre S 18.- felevre $ 10.- Postnjastert Send address changes to Hungarian Word, Inc. 130 E 16 St.

New York, N.Y. 10003.

ADAM WUDTZ> Romeo andeJutict

A show of paintings and etchings by Hungarian artist Adam Wurtz will be presented at the newly opened Premrou Gallery, 831 Madison Avenue (69—70 Street), New York, N.Y. 10021. This event will be sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera Guild to benefit its educational programs. The opening reception will be held Tuesday, March 31 from 5:30 — 9:30 p.m. and the closing reception will take place on Sunday, April 12 from 1:30 — 7:30 p.m. for a $ 15 contribution. The exhibition is open to the public March 26 — April 11, 1981.

Gebrauchsgraphik, a Munich art magazine, published an eight page article on “Romeo and Juliet Suite” and recently, the work received critical acclaim in the New York Arts Journal. The work is also part of collections in major museums, including: the Hermitage, the Pushkin Museum, the Gutenberg Museum and more recently, the New York Public Library and several prominent American universities.

In conjunction with the Bela Bartók centennial, three of the new works to be presented are based on the composer’s compositions: “Bluebeard’s Castle”, “Miraculous Mandarin” and “The Wooden Prince.” Mr. Wurtz’ style is ^characterized by wit, whimsy and a sense of the fantastic.

Let us learn Hungarian

TRAVELING

Transport

UTAZAS

Közlekedés

1. Transport in General 1. Utazás általában

When are you leaving?

I’m leaving tomorrow.

When are you coming back?

I'm leaving for Paris Monday week.

He’s on a business (rip in New York.

He’s gone to Prague [Moscow].

Do you like travelling?

Have you had a pleasant journey?

Are you going by train or by air?

Where is there a travel agency?

How can I get to (he (railway) station [airport, landing-place] ?

Mikor utazik?

Holnap utazom.

Mikor jön vissza?

Hétfőhöz egy hétre utazom Párizsba.

Üzleti ügyben New Yorkl)a utazott.

Elutazott Prágába [Moszkvába].

Szeret utazni?

Kellemes útja (úllya) volt3

Vonattal vagy repülőgéppel utazik?

Hol van egy utazási iroda?

Hogy jutok el a (vasút)- állomásra (pályaudvarra) [repülőtérre, hajóállomásra]?