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

1987-05-03 / 9. szám

ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE PREVIOUS ONE

The previous issue contained a piece of Margit Kovács, a potter who enjoys great popularity. A visit to Szentendre is a must for all tourists and while in that enchanting resort on the Danube, young and old throng her personal museum. All that can be seen there, and in a similar museum in the city of Győr, close to a hundred miles upstream was a gift by Margit Kovács to the nation made a few years prior to her death. Thousands of her works were sold and are now scattered all over the world, but the most important pieces stayed together thanks to her generosity, facilitating the judgement of future generations. An ancient folk naivité, the colours, figures, smells of age-old Hungarian peasant life emanate from her works.

Margit Kovács had to travel a long way to eventual success. She left her native city Győr for Budapest, to study draughtmanship with Almos Jaschik and then on to Vienna, Munich, Copenhagen and Paris to study modeling and pottery.

Once when I went to see her at her studio flat in Pozsonyi út, Budapest, she talked at length about the time she spent at Sévres, the Mecca of porcelain-making, where she learnt all the tricks of the trade. It was there, in the Pozsonyi út studio flat, that I first clapped eyes on her bronze statue of the eighty-old years old mother. A piece almost without any frills, moving in its simplicity, that speaks of the profound love which linked them all their lives. After her mother’s death, the statue — together with the pottery — found its way to the Szentendre museum. Not much later Margit Kovács also died.

The previous issue also told the story of the restoration of the splended calvinist church in Szilágyi Dezső tér, on the right bank of the Danube. It was built around the year 1900 and the style chosen was red brick neogothic. A slender spire faces the Danube. An ornamental bronze waterspout beside the church reminds of Samu Petz who built it. Between 1922 and 1928 Béla Bartók made his home at Szilágyi Dezső tér 4 overlooking the church. Passers-by are informed of this fact by a plague.

Péter Bod's 'Hungarian Athenas'

“My father had no training in science, lacking all education he often complained about his unfortunate life and upbringing. Therefore he wanted me even more passionately to acquire familiarity with the refinements of science.” This is from the autobiography of Péter Bod, about whom an article was published in the previous issue of our paper remembering the 275th anniversary of his birth. He was the author of the first Hungarian language work on history of the literature, and as such important to the history of Hungarian culture. It is a honour to remember his life and work here too.

Péter Bod was born in 1712 at Felsőesernáton in Transylvania, into a Székely family of the lesser nobility. He was an ambitious youth and did as his father bid. First he studied at Nagyenyed, then — sponsored by Countess Kata Bethlen — he went to Leyden university.

He wanted to become a Calvinist minister, and studied theology in the first place, but also read history, rethorics, indeed even anatomy, astronomy and chemistry. He returned home as a learned young man and first became chaplain to Countess Bethlen, then was invited by the congregation of Magyarigen, where he served as minister right to his death in 1769. It was there, that he wrote his works on church history and literary history: the “Hungarian Encyclopaedia Guiding to Holy Writ”, the “History of the Holy Bible” and the “Hungarian

Athenas”. The latter was published in 1766, in Nagyszeben and is in fact a dictionary of biography of five hundred Hungarian writers. What made it particularly valuable was that it contained not only names and titles of works but also Péter Bod’s comments. He became heated when he argued against the enemies of Protestantism.

The Hungarian Athenas is an important book of reference to this day. It tells of many writers whose works were lost, whose names even are almost forgotten. It is also a good read, for Peter Bod wrote this first history of literature in search of Hungarian national identity in a beautiful and savoury Hungarian language.

Hungarian Film Review

In the Hungarian material of the current issue there is a report about the Hungarian feature film review held in February. The film review held for the nineteenth time provides a good opportunity for Hungarian and foreign cinemasts to see the latest Hungarian films. Twenty-seven films were screened to full houses in six days though the auditorium holds 1700. At the same time five foreign films made with the participation of Hungarian directors and actors were shown in a number of Budapest cinemas.

Bélé Köpeczi, the Minister of Culture mentioned in his opening address that there had been much pessimism about Hungarian films last year from the aspect of quantity as well as of quality. The current lot, however, proves that it is unwise to jump at conclusions on the basis of the crop of a single year. Undoubtedly, the Hungarian cinema laboured, and is still labouring under many difficulties, but it still managed to chalk up important results. Instead of faltering, the Hungarian film production even progressed to a certain extent in 1986. The characteristic feature of the Hungarian cinema since the sixties has been that it delved into the great problems of man and society. The historic flashbacks are not as frequent now, although the representation of the world of the fifties and sixties still creates interest. What is most characteristic is the effort to seize the problems of the reform in Hungary — Béla Köpeczi said.

Of the 19 feature films presented at the review 15 were independent works by Hungarian film studios, while two were produced in cooperation with the Hungarian Television, and another two with foreign partners. In addition four documentaries were shown, a film compiled of scenes from the most important roles played by Pál Jávor, and two others made by the Béla Balázs studio of young.

The panel of judges awarded the Grand Prix to János Rózsa, as director, Elemér Ragályi, the cameraman and Miklós Vámos, script-writer for the profound and artistic presentation of a social problem in the feature film Csók, anyu (Love, mother). Sándor Sára’s documentary, “Keresztúton” (At the Cross Roads) was also awarded a Grand Prix. Reserve prize was given to Ferenc Kósa’s work, Az utolsó szó jógiin (The Last Plea) for the outstanding presentation of troubles surrounding innovations. Miklós Jancsó was awarded a director’s prize for his film A szörnyek évadja (Season of Monsters), while Péter Bacsó’s film Banánhéjkeringó (Banana Skin Waltz) was awarded the Budapest prize of the capital city for a satirical representation of life in the city. The best cameraman prize was awarded to Elemér Ragályi for his work in Hoi volt, hol nem volt (A Hungarian Fairy Tale), and the prize for the best actress to Dorottya Udvaros for her performance in Csók, anyu. Dezső Garas was awarded the prize for the best male actor for his performances in Malom, a pokolban (Mills in Hell) and Szamárköhögés (Whooping cough).

Márta Mészáros’s film, Napló szerelmeimnek (Diary for my loves) was screened outside of the competition to considerable success. The noted director was awarded a reserve prize for the high artistic standard and gripping power of her film.

ZOLTÁN HALASZ

The Kovács Margit exhibition in Szentendre