Hungarian Heritage Review, 1991 (20. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1991-03-01 / 3. szám
Hungary's cost, of course, was that the word "Czech", was similar to the Hungarian pronunciation of the word "Csak", thus proving that Lord Csak was a Czech and that, consequently, the area once ruled by him just had to be Czech territory. The story on the other side of this phoney coin, however, is that March 20th is the Feast Day of a little-known, Hungarian Saint - the Blessed Mate Csak. This Dominican Monk, who died in 1336, was the nephew of a feudal lord who ruled Upper Hungary in the 14th Century and was actually the Palatine, or First Minister, of Hungary. Lord Csak was a descendent of the Magyar Chieftain in the 10th Century - Elod. No way, can "Csak" be "Czech". No way can it be proved that Upper Hungary was the land of and belonged to the "Czechs". Yet, they got it and may yet lose half of it to the "Slovaks"! On March 19th, 1637, 354 years ago this month, Cardinal Archbishop Peter Pázmány, one of the greatest among the Primates of Hungary, passed away leaving behind an enduring reputation as an effective writer and speaker. A patriot, whose only weapons were the written and spoken words, he once wrote, as if envisioning the advent of the Atomic Age: "Men build slowly, but they are quick to destroy their beautiful buildings. Not so almighty God. For he builds quickly. In six days he created Heaven and Earth in all their fairness and splendour, but he took seven days to destroy a single city, Jericho . . .Nor will He hasten to bring this world to dust and ashes. He waits with great patience, as He does now ...." Another "Dark Episode" in the long series of such occurrences in the history of Hungary happened on March 19th, 1944, 47 years ago this month, when Adolf Hitler lowered-the-boom on her for secretly trying to extricate herself from the "Axis" and pulling out of the war. When Hungarian Prime Minister, Miklós Kallay, with the prior knowledge and approval of the Regent, Admiral Miklós Horthy, made contact with the Allies for an armistice, word of this move leaked back to Berlin. Hitler then invited Horthy to Germany and, during their meeting, laid down an ultimatum: either Horthy would appoint a new government favorable to the German cause, or else. Meanwhile, German troops occupied Hungary and the rest is history. Hungary had again lost her freedom! Last but not least, March 28th is the Feast Day of Saint John Capistrano, the Italian Monk who served as "recruiter" for John Hunyadi, the "Turk Beater" of the 15th Century who, at the Battle of Nandorfehervar (Belgrade) smashed the Turkish invasion of Europe. Saint John Capistrano not only fought for Hungary, but also died for her! MARCH 1991 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW 15
