1987. március (14-32. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

They rather simply call them holidays, because after all it is impossible to work all the time - so out of the eight paid holidays four are called "Bank Holiday", i.e. the day when the bank is closed. They create other holidays too; when last year, after desperate struggles Mrs. Thatcher abolished the GLC, the leftist city council of London, GLC celebrated the sad day of its own demise with a bonfire. And the people went to the River Thames, could hardly move in the crowd, yelled and chided the government and the lovers kissed and cuddled each other. All this despite the fact - I repeat - that Londoners do nőt appear a particularly relaxed race, whereas in New York the festivity goes on all the time, the ball on Washington Square is on day and night and I think that the same goes fór Paris as well.

I am teliing You all this nőt only in order to be able to chatter a bit to You, although it is a very nice feeling, i.e. to be able to feel fór a few minutes as if I were among You. I should mention here that I am very much touched by the proposition that I can give You the gospel.

However...in other words I am teliing You all this, because at the time of these főik festivals - like e.g. on New Year's Eve when boys and girls on Trafalgar Square play throw and catch with helmets, which they have just taken off the heads of policemen - I grow sad and think of the reasons why our holidays are so different. They are nőt relaxed, gay and light bút associated with mourning, anxiety and fear. Among our official State holidays - besides Xmas and Easter - on the 4th of April we must remember nőt only the liberation from under the Nazis, bút alsó the devastation and oecupation of the country, which lasts to this day. Can we gather in joy on May the lst while the workers have no rights,or can we remember gaily on the 20th of August the State construction plán of István the Saint? Should we celebrate on the 7th of November the seizure of power by the rulers of the Russians who straddle our necks?

Our two greatest national holidays are March the 15th and October the 2Jrd. Both are the holiday of the youth, freedom and revolution. In Francé people sing and dance on the streets and public squares fór two days on the anniversary of their revolution. In Hungary? One cannot wear even a ribbon of national colours unless he wants to find himself inside a police station within minutes. However, if one doesn’t wish to celebrate together with the authority, then even on that official working day, March the 15th, one will find himself facing the police armed with pistols and one can feel joy, if he gets through the day without being beaten up. The police starts sniffing, patrolling, war- ning, checking identities, shadow and search homes weeks in advance.- 2 ________{F_____________