Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1977 (5. évfolyam, 13-15. szám)
1977 / 15. szám
Hugo’s and Madách’s well known poems on human destiny show remarkable similarities. Lotze mentions some of these but does not belabor them, considering these to be relatively minor results of a common philosophical outlook. While both poets were religious, both rejected or mistrusted organized religion. While both dwell on the “darker aspects of the struggle of mankind,” both see the possibilities of progress through man’s urge for liberty. There are important formal, thematic and philosophical differences also. Madach'swork is more unified and dramatic. The clever useof acentral hero and the emphasis on great historical personages helps the unity and the coherence of the play, in contrast to Hugo’s more lyrical and diffuse approach. The most significant difference lies in Hugos’ basic optimism vs. Madách’s rather desperate attempt *o hope in spite of appearances. Dr. Lotze is Prof, of Modern languages at Allegheny Coll., Pennyslvania. Vardy, Steven Bela, “The Social and Ideological Make-up of Hungarian Historiography in the Age of Dualism, (1867- 1918),’’ in Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas, 24 (1976) 208-217. Vardy examines Hungarian historiography of the period in an effort to determine whether it can be truly called ideologically “liberal" and historiographically “positivist.” He concludes that in the era of Dualism Hungarian historiography was both liberal and positivist, and this general direction was altered after 1918 by Gyula Szekfü’s “Dilthey-inspired Geistesgeschichte view of history." Dr. Vardy is Prof, of History at Duquesne U. Vardy, Steven Bela, “The Birth of the Hungarian ‘Kulturgeschichte’ School: A Study in the History of Hungarian Historical Studies,” in Tractata Altaica: Denis Sinor Sexagenario Optime de Rebus AI Taicis Merito Dedicata, by eds. W. Heissig, J.R. Lruger, F.J. Oninas, and E. Schultz. Wiesbaden: O. Harrassowitz, 1976, pp. 675-693. Kulturgeschichte, narrowly translated as“cultural history,” actually encompasses the study of “human civilization in its entirety — with perhaps a slightly greater emphasis on material than on spiritual culture.” In Hungary, this school became important after the turn of the century. R. Bekefi can be regarded as the founder. Through his work and that of his students new areas and aspects of the past were revealed, L. Erdélyi, first at Kolozsvár and later at Szeged was another important representative of the school. While the impact of Bekefi's writings was hindered by a lack of unifying purpose, Erdélyi’s personality prevented his being accepted. His theory on the structure of medieval Hungarian society led to a long controversy with K. Tagányi. Vardy, Steven Bela, “The Hungarian Economic History School: Its Birth and Development, "The Journal of European Economic History IV (Spring 1975) 121-136. The Hungarian Economic History School emerged in the 1890s, although M. Be'l and M. Horvath can be considered its forerunners. The introduction of the term “gazdaságtörténet" (economic history) in 1878, and the publication of The History of Hungarian Agriculture by G. Wenzel in 1877 were other precursors. It was the establishment of the Magyar Gazdaságtörténelmi Szemle (Hungarian Economic History Review) in 1894 that firmly established the school. The first editor of the journal, K. Tagányi “broke a path” by clarifying the communal land ownership question of medieval Hungary, and by engaging L. Erdélyi in a debate over the nature of early Hungarian society. The journal discontinued publication in 1906, but the supporters of the school continued. S. Takátz, wrote on the period of Turkish occupation. I. Acsády, who is remembered for his History of Hungarian Serfdom, and his contributions to the economic encyclopedia of Hungary. One other publication in the field of economic history was a short-lived journal published in Transylvania. The contributions of the school go beyond these publications: they created an awareness of the significance of economic history, and set the stage for its eventual acceptance. □ I.H. Halasz De Beky has published three more bibliographies; two in the Bibliotheca Hungarica Torontonensis series (see HSN no. 14 on previous publications). No. 4 of the series contains works written by and about Louis Kossuth (72 entries), and no. 5 is on writings by and about Endre Ady (57 entries). A bibliography of similar appearance but not in the series is on publications related to The Hungarians in Canada. It has 127 entries divided into sections on bibliographies, directories, various phases of history, integration, refugees of 1956, statistics, and travelogues. For copies write to Dr. I.L. Halasz de Beky, J.P. Robarts Research Library, U. of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. Canada M5S 1A1. □ Széplaki, Joseph comp. BIBLIOGRAPHY ON CARDINAL MINDSZENTY (1892-1975). Catholic Hungarian Sunday, 1739 Mahoning Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44509, 1977. 31 pages, illustr. $1.50 plus 25<C postage (pamphlet.) This is the first bibliography on publications by and about Cardinal Mindszenty. The author considers it a “pilot project” which may be followed by a more comprehensive bibliography. This brief booklet contains 347 entries of which 64 refer to books, 329 to articles, 4 to newsletters, 7 to films, slides and records. A picture and a chronology of the Cardinal’s life are included. □ Széplaki, Joseph. HUNGARIAN NEWSPAPERS IN MICROFORM AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. Youngstown, Ohio: Catholic Hungarians’ Sunday, 1739 Mahoning Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44509, 19 pages. $1.50 plus 25<P postage (pamphlet). The bibliography lists 112 Hungarian language papers available in U.S. and Canadian libraries, and/or at the British Museum and the Association pour la Conservation et la Reproduction Photographique de la Presse (Paris). The entries are arranged in alphabetical order of the place of publication. The compiler of the handy pamphlet requests information in regard to newspapers on microform not listed. His address is 19 Pertrand Island Road, Mt. Arlington, NJ 07856. RESEARCH IN PROGRESS F.T. Zsuppan (Dept, of Modern History, U. of St. Andrews, St Andrews, Great Britain) is working on the electoral system as an important weapon in the hands of successive Budapest governments between 1867 and 1919. NO. 15, 1977-78, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER 5
