Magyar Hírek, 1987 (40. évfolyam, 1-23. szám)

1987-01-10 / 1. szám

The previous issue of our journal published an interview with Márton Kovács who teaches at Regina university in Canada. He discussed his life, activities, and the work done in studying the past of Hungarians in Canada with György Halász. Márton Kovács studied at the Lutheran Highschool in the Fasor, Budapest, like so many distinguished Hungarian intellectuals — from György Lukács to John von Neumann and subsequently graduated in Arts from the Pázmány Péter University in Budapest. After the Second World War he first migrated to Australia with his wife, going on to Canada where he eventually obtained a university chair. Besides his teaching he devotes much time to the exploration of the history of Hungarians in Canada. His first book on that subject was published in 1074 under the title of Esterházy and Early Hungarian Immigration to Canada. He is now working on the history of Nagy-Békevár. He there discusses the process in which autonomous, inwardlooking ethnic and cultural groups gradually transformed themselves into Canadians. He also explored the roots of the Békevár Hungarians in their native land, visiting County Szabolcs and numerous towns in other counties, meticulously going through archives and the books in the Széchényi Library. “They welcomed me with open arms. I found many friends” — says Professor Kovács, “going back home almost became regular pastime for me in recent years. I always wanted to do something that would be useful to Hungarians. I think my present work fits this bill.”

The previous issue recalled not only t lie Lutheran High school of the Fasor, but also another well-known Budapest gimnázium, the Model Secondary School of Trefort utca. István Balázs reported on a meeting of former pupils to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary

Gids in the „Matyó" folk costumes

of their leaving school in 1926. Seventeen of the forty-four gathered in one of the banquethalls of the Budapest Hotel Hilton. The eminent economist, Nicholas Káldor — Lord Káldor—was also there, having just attended an international conference held in Pécs. He died a few weeks later. Another distinguished graduate at the meeting was Miklós Kürti, that is Nicholas Kürti the eminent Oxford physicist. Another one of the old “class-mates” Miklós Greiner, now lives in Australia, where he founded, and until his recent retirement managed, one of the biggest timber merchants in Sydney, the White River Corporation. His young son is leader of the Liberal Party of New South Wales, with a great future ahead of him.

Their first five-year-reunion was held in 1931. Much water has flowed down the Danube since then but the Old Boys spirit marches on. “Real mateship has its roots on one’s youth, — said one of the Old Boys, Géza Tolnay, in his toast. “May the good Lord keep the organizers of these meetings busy for many years yet.”

In an article on the Bury Castle Klára Zika sketches an interesting picture of a peculiar castle and a dynasty of Hungarian artists. The castle was built in the 20th century and not in the Middle Ages, and it was never meant to be a fortress. It is a feature of Székesfehérvár, on the slopes of the Öreghegy. It was designed and built by Jenő Bory, architect and sculptor, with the help of his wife and children, and day labour from the vineyards of neighbouring hills. It took a fair time to build. Jenő Bory began the building of the turreted, embrasured knightly castle in 1923, and the building proceeded through four decarles, until the death of the architect.

The castle is surrounded by modern

The Bory Castle, built in this century

dwellings. Once you enter the gates you find yourself in a completely different world, in the courtyard resplendent with statues and ornamental urns. The terraces of the main building dominating the hill-side are crammed with busts of Hungarian artists and historic personages. There is a vast hall of knights in the building, passages decorated with wall paint ings, arcades, further halls, and a courtyard of one hundred columns at the rear with a gallery of historic statues. In the halls of the castle and in the colonnades statues by Jenő Bory, and models of some of his well-known statues in various parts of Hungary, are exhibited. The children and grandchildren of the founder look after this unique monument now, which attracts great numbers of visitors with penchant for romance in our age in a rush.

“The Land of the Mátyás - a Living Heritage” is the title of Eva Arokszállási’s report on a visit to the handicraft cooperative of Matyó women in the Northern region of the country, and on a discussion she had with Mrs István Kertész, — Erzsiké — the leader of the cooperative. The noted folk-artist recalled that thecolour of the Matyó embroidery was originally red, but. in time other colours entered also, first blue, then yellow and green, and rose. The embroideries blossomed into full colour in the early twenties: by then as many as nine colours were used. Nowadays — unfortunately — Matyó women no longer wear their folk-costume, but they do their best to perpetuate the traditional motives on modern garments. They embroider blouses and dresses with the well-known designs, using them also to embellish table-cloths and wallhangings. While they maintain the conventions of folkart they also add something new when they feel like it. But the famous embroidery workers of the past did likewise, according to Erzsiké.

Some of the women draw the designs on the material, while others follow the outlines of these drawings with their embroidery work. Only the most talented folk-artists combine the two kinds of work, such as the late Bori Kis Jankó, the most famous of the old folk-artists of Matyó Land, who enriched local folk-art with several new designs. As soon as she saw a new bloom in the garden she made a stylized sketch of it, then set to embroider the pattern. All she needed was to draw rough outlines on the white linen, and the colours came to her naturally as she worked. Aunty Bori died in 1957, but the designs and patterns she created live on.

The present issue includes an article on yet another folk-art: the lace of Halas, which gives ample proof of the good taste and nimble fingers of the women of Kiskunhalas. The origin of Matyó embroidery goes back to leather work of yore, but the lace of Halas is the fruit of the ideas of a noted Hungarian designer, Árpád Dékáni (1861 —1931), and of his organizing work in the early years of this century. Dékáni first experimented with coloured art nouveau lace then switched to white, sewn lace, using ancient Hungarian patterns. His aim was to provide work, and the opportunity to make some pin money to the poor peasant women of the Plains. He therefore set up his lace workshop at Kiskunhalas. The response was favourable, and women young and old of Halas soon took to making lace, indeed, before long they themselves began to devise their own designs. Since then the fame of the feather-light, white, beautiful lace of Halas, the product of painstaking work spread beyond the borders of the country, and now justly claims a place amongst the best of the folksy crafts of Hungary .

ZOLTÁN HALÁSZ

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