Magyar Hírek, 1985 (38. évfolyam, 2-26. szám)
1985-11-23 / 24. szám
ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE PREVIOUS ONE The autumn session of parliament in October, focused on a debate of the five-year action-programme of the government. György Lázár, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, made reference in his speech describing the programme to the fact that conditions turned out to be worse than expected for Hungary during the current five-year plan period, but in spite of that important steps forward were taken: national income is expected to grow by 9 per cent, the balance of convertible currency accounted trade showed surpluses every year, the country did meet its financial committments and also began the reduction of foreign debts. This was achieved without major shocks, and the economic performance as well as the international credit standing of the country improved. But since 2.5 to It per cent of the lower than envisaged national income had to be used for repayment of debts and debt servicing year after year, there was less left for consumers and investment than planned, technical progress slowed down, and so did the pace of the structural t ransformation of the economy. “In view of this,” — György Lázár continued — “many asked, and we have asked ourselves if we payed too high a price for the restoration of equilibrium? It is our clear convinction that we have chosen the temporarily more difficult, yet, once we look further ahead, the more reasonable course.” Speaking about future tasks György Lázár emphasised that the only feasible course was to increase the capacity of the economy on the basis of more efficient work. “Some Western papers suggested,” György Lázár said, “that there is some uncertainty about the continuation of the economic reform. There is no wavering in this respect, the government has initiated, indeed already introduced measures for the further reform of the system of management which affect planning at the national and enterprise level, the system of enterprise management and organization and the management of local government councils.” After this the Chairman of the Council of Ministem discussed the government programme in detail, stipulating a modest rise in the standard of living based on improved economic performance, more funds to be used for scientific research and ■development, and also the building of three thousand and two hundred class rooms for general and secondary schools respectively within five years. He pointed out then that the government continued to regard the improvement of integrity in public life, law and order and public security as important objectives. After a lively debate parliament accepted the proposed government programme, then debate'] and passed the 1984 finance bill. * The World Federation of Hungarians held a meeting of the presidium chaired by Professor József Bognár to discuss and evaluate work done in 1985. Dr Jenő Kandó, the General secretary underlined the importance of the Fifth Native Language Conference held in Veszprém, attended by 109 participants from twenty-one countries to discuss the activities of Hungarian associations and Churches in the cultivation of the Hungarian language and culture, the role of literature and fine arts in the service of Hungarian studies and the problems of teaching Hungarian in the diaspore. Dr Jenő Rande pointed out that the Fifth Native Language Conference accomplished fruitful work in the field of establishing contacts as well. Later the General Secretary discussed the programmes organized by the Hungarian Forum. He spoke Ilia lily of the meeting in memory of Leo Weiner, the Conference of Agriculturalists and the Second Special Conference of Librarians. The most spectacular of the programmes was the folk-art festival on Margaret’s Island, to which twenty-five groups sent 533 representatives. The conference on The Role of Hungarians in the Progress of the Natural Sciences will be an outstanding event of the year of 1986. As many as 250 foreign and 200 local scientists have already' signified their intention to take part. Animated discussion followed (he report of the General Secretary', after which the presidium thanked Pál Sziits, the Assistant General Secretary for his past services. He is leaving to take up another appointment. László Kerékgyártó was chosen to succeed him on the recommendation of the National Council of the Patriotic People’s Front. * The European Cultural Forum, (lie Budapest discussions of which are attended by' representatives of 33 European countries, as well as those of the United States and Canada, is still in the midst of deliberations at the time when this issue is going to press. It opened on 15th October and is scheduled to discuss questions of the exchange of cultural values, the flow of intellectual products and the cultivation of the common European cultural heritage. György Lázár, Chairman of the Council of Ministers said in his opening address that Hungary, true to the spirit of her cultural policy, was open to all of the humanist inspired cultural values of Europe and the whole world. She is interested that the European Cultural Forum should fruitfuly fulfill its mission in the Helsinki process, that it should contribute to the strengthening of the awareness of common values, and to the further extension of links among the countries—the prime minister said. * There was an item in the Hungarian section of the previous issue about Imre Cserépfalvi, the Grand Old Man of Hungarian book publishing, in honour of his recent eighty-fifth birthday. Imre Cserépfalvi’s is a household name among friends of Hungarian literature. He was publisher of Attila József’s poems between the t wo world wars, and also the man who set the literary journal Szép Szó on its way'. His firm, Cserépfalvi Könyvküldő, had an important role in the history of Hungarian intellectual life between the two world wars. 1 became more closely' acquainted with Imre Cserépfalvi, when Corvina Press was established with Cserépfalvi as manager in 1955, and I was a member of the team he gathered around himself. The idea was to publish the best Hungarian works in foreign languages. Working as an associate of Cserépfalvi was an unforgettable experience. The years of neglect (which he spent in his garden among his bees) trickled off him without a trace, he was again a fullblood publisher, full of vitality, one who selected works that could count on interest even in the flood of books that engulfed the world. Jenő Barcsay’s Anatomy' for Artists and the Atlas of Anatomy', by' Professor Szent agothai proved themselves not only' fast, but also lasting best-sellers over the past quarter of a century. Modern and classical Hungarian literary works followed each other, in quick succession. In my mind’s eye I can still see him squatting on the rug of his room, picking and choosing photographs — together with us— for a book by' István Homoki-Nagy. When I heard in 1967 that he retired from the Information Centre of Book Publishers — of which he hatl been president for four years—I could in no way' imagine Imre Cserépfalvi living in retirement. Then it became known that he had been w'orking evei' since. The first volume of his memoirs was published in 1982 under the title of “Notes of a Publisher”, and was such a critical success as well as a best seller that he immediately set to work again and has worked on the sequel. “I feel I will be able to preserve the memory of my friends and authors this way” he say's “1 do not like to fight at forums, and in polemic articles, no, not that. But I do claim the right to recall objectively how things were, and I will do that again in my second volume.” 1 wish good health and a long working life to Imre Cserépfalvi and I recommend his memoirs to every reader interested in the past fifty years of Hungarian literature. ZOLTÁN HALÁSZ István, in his proper place The performance ended at quarter past nine. Frenetic applause went on beyond half past nine. The playwright and the composer, the director, indeed even the stage technicians were called to the stage, and then a woman ran up from somewhere. Right before the boards that mean a world, she fished out eggs from her bag, threw them at those on stage, turned round and ran away. The applause went on for a further ten minutes. All of these things happened at the first night of the season of the National Theatre, at the premiere of the musical István, a király (Stephen, the King) in a real theatre. The slory of the play Miklós Boldizsár, a y'oung play wright, wrote his Ezredforduló (Millennium) (with the sub-title: an opera in prose) in the early seventies. Although the work was published in the supplement of a theatrical journal, than in book form, no theatre undertook to stage it. it seemed more than likely' that the character Koppány' would never die on stage. Then a film version of the Illés Group’s farewell performance, The Concert, directed by Gábor Koltay was shown with great success. The head of the film studio, István Nemeskiirty, however, was not satisfied with just that work. He thought that the talents of the composer-writer duo Levente Szörényi and János Bródy, should be able to produce much more, something more important. He urged them to try' their hand at some work that could really' be of public interest, that really' could move the youth of the country'. For instance, the István play Gábor Koltay' and the authors decided that they would shoot the film at live performances. For a venue they' first considered the People’s Stadium, then the Roman amphitheatre at Aquincum (the latter idea was vetoed by' the Historic Monuments Office), and finally the King’s Hillock, a small rise in the City Park which children 28
