Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1988. január-június (42. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1988-06-30 / 26. szám
Thursday, June 30. 1988. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO 11. ÁmiBUfth HÚncflBiftÍK Equal among Equals Bela Kopeczi, Hungary's Minister of Education and Culture, may be the leading figure in his field, but he's not omnipotent. He has no fairy godmother to grant him three wishes. He enjoys wide authority and his activities are wide - ranging, but he doesn't possess the philosopher's stone. And, of course, he's only human. A man of outstanding abilities, he agreed to perform the difficult duties that accompany his official rank. Why? It's puzzle, since Bela Kopeczi is an internationally-known historian and the author of numerous books. He is also an academician, and he holds honorary doctorates from the Sorbonne and from the University of Rome.- One critic said that your last volume was a handbook of Hungarian culture. He was referring to my little book entitled "The Path of Hungarian Culture." This really is a handbook in the full meaning of the term. That is to say that it presents data and documents, and is primarily intended to be of an informative character. In addition, however, the book also contains standpoints. Neither the earlier, first edition, nor the revised second edition excelled in the endorsement of some kind of glorifying tendency in the judgement of Hungarian intellectual life, or in the judgement of cultural policy. But at the time of the appearance of the first version, in 1975, I freely confess, I was much more optimistic than I was ten years later... In the years between, economic, social and cultural transformation has occured which has not justified . the optimism of the 1970s.- Nowadays, it is not appealing to be an intellectual. Do you know why? A social atmosphere has developed in which the acquisition of material goods has come to the fore. This has been caused by the fact that, previously, we lived in some poverty. And because there was an opportunity for it, people wanted to live better. I can't blame them for this. On the other hand, less time is devoted to culture and education. It's unsurprising that when secondary jobs take up people's time, the social positions of the intelligentsia weaken. And its social standing has also diminished because the place it occupies in the economic hierarchy is lower than it was before.- The other day I was talking to a mathematician, who spends every third semester at Princeton University in the United States. He explained that while he is paid much better in the States, in Hungary a university teacher and researcher enjoys far more prestige. Isn't there some contradiction here? There is. This is a conflict which Hungarian society, I believe, has not yet faced up to. In Hungary, and in other countries of Eastern Europe, too, the intelligentsia used to play an oustanding role, the reasons for which are primarily historical. A special prestige surrounded the intelligentsia. The influence of the humanities on the molding of the political, ideological and moral attitudes of people was very great. This prestige was almost the same as that enjoyed by the Church. However, the composition of the intelligentsia has changed in recent times. In essence, this means that the natural sciences and those involved in them have acquired greater value.- How much is a Hungarian degree worth? Graduates today, if they manage to find their way to Western European or American universities, need not feel inferior. And some of them are outstandingly able. At home the picture is different. To begin with, the researcher, and the practical man don't understand each other. The technological base and the economic infrastructure are outdated in Hungary; to job of the researcher is more difficult. Expensive equipment and well-equipped institutes are fewer. But when one reads in "Der Spiegel" of how highly West German students at Budapest Medical School speak about the educational standard prevailing there, one's heart immediately swells with pride.- Are Hungarians today better educated than they were 20 or 25 years ago? As regards schooling, the numbers prove it beyond doubt. And there is the hierarchy: university graduates take more interest in intellectual life than those with a high school degree, and so on. If you ask how much more cultured we are, it is more difficult to answer unambiguously. Lately a transformation of the value system has been taking place, together with a certain crisis in society. It is therefore very difficult to say what I consider cultured behavior to be. But I do feel that in Hungary the source of many conflicts is the lack of culture in human relations. Gyula Juhász Work I praise her only, the mother of life, Who bears our future child, I sing of work, which takes us On the road of freedom over mourning and ruins. The factory chinney heralds her victory and the train clacking on ringing rails. For she is peace, progress, justice, which conquers the lightning. In great cities and endless fielcfe Her song resounds and will resound eternally until all idols fall down to dust here. I praise her only, the mother of life, Whose sister is beauty and freedom and whose world is just now dawning. (Translated by Katalin Kiss) MORE MOORINGS The facilities at the 22 Balaton jetties and marinas for small craft are being repaired and expanded to cope with the growing interest in sailing holidays. Siofok will soon boast a new boatyard for repairs. If you prefer others to man the • helm, there are 26 passenger;:1 vessels and 4 car ferries. The three oldest in the fleet have been restored as period pieces. mm eetaita/mtis ür That's quite a popular motto nowadays. More and more people of either sex and all ages pad around Budapest in the mornings in their jogging suits. I live on the Danube embankment, near the Chain Bridge and not far from the Forum and Atrium Hyatt hotels, so there are plenty of routes for my morning runs. The simplest takes me along the Danube Corso, across Elizabeth Bridge to Buda, upstream to Margaret Bridge and back towards Pest. In the middle of Margaret Bridge I make up my mind whether to run up Margaret Island (traffic-free) for a bit of relaxation among the trees, or to jog straight across and return along the Pest embankment to the Chain Bridge. The bridges are important to joggers, as Buda is perfect jogging terrain. Crossing the Chain Bridge and continuing up the slope, I soon reach Buda Castle, where the promenades, trees, and parks are delightful in the early morning. Guests arriving at the Budapest Hilton, which is in the Castle District, find a small map on the desk with jogging routes specially marked. If I still feel strong enough after the Danube Corso and Elizabeth Bridge, I run up Gellert Hill, past the underground reservoir. Reaching the Citadella (the 19*^ century fortress on top), I glance proudly over the city. The view's worth the tough run up, and I need a breather. Downhill again is extremely pleasant. Then it's back across Elizabeth Bridge and along the Corso. So the Corso's the beginning and the end of my run. I don't need to say I feel a lot brighter when I get back. My daily 30-40 minutes' exercise sets me up for the day. p M CRAFT SETTING The Open-Air Ethnographical Museum at Szentendre, with original peasant architecture of the 18^ and 19^ cc, makes the perfect setting for demonstrations of old handicrafts. Open from April 1 to October 31, it has craftsmen at work on the first Sunday of every month from 9 am to 5 pm. Their skills include milling, scone baking, candlestick making and honeycake preparation. The products can be tasted too. Other events: seasonal and festival folk customs, and concerts in the Reformed Church.
