Magyar Hírek, 1988 (41. évfolyam, 1-22. szám)
1988-10-07 / 19. szám
SOME DOCUMENTS ON THE HISTORY OF T Participants of the First Worldcongress of Hungarians in Budapest, in 1929 After the defeat of the 1848/49 Revolution thousands fled from the country to escape the consequence. Many of them returned home later, but the number of those, who settled in an other country was also considerable. The next wave of massemigration of mostly peasant people at the end of that decade was not motivated by political reasons but by the desire to improve their lot. Following the loss of some Hungarian-populated areas and the three massive waves of emigration that took place in this century as many as a third of Hungarians hve beyond the borders of the country. The First World Congress of Hungarians Following defeat in the Great War political and economic consolidation of the Horthy regime and the country was completed by the mid-twenties. The international isolation of the country, however, still continued, and threatened its very survival. In order to break out of this isolation Count István Bethlen the Prime Minister started a diplomatic offensive, centred on the U. S., where many migrant Hungarians lived. Most certainly enlisting their support was the most important motive behind the convention of the First World Congress of Hungarians in Budapest, held between August 22nd-24th 1929. The press at the time gave much space to the preparations and the arrival of delegates. Pesti Napló, August 20th “The detailed and final programme of the World Congress of The first president (1938-1946) of the World Federation of Hungarians: baron Zsigmond Perényi Hungarians is now complete. More than 300 delegates have already arrived in Budapest. A special office was set up in the vestibule of the Vigadó to handle the massive number of registrations.” “Count Albert Apponyi is the President Emeritus of the World Congress of Hungarians, Baron Zsigmond Perényi and Ferenc Ripka are chairman. In addition leading public figures have accepted office as chairman and vice-chairman of sections and the lecturers of the sections are eminent authorities on their subjects.” On the 22nd of August, the opening day of the Congress, the programmes started with acts of worship. Catholics heard mass at the Bazilika, Lutherans gathered at the Deák tér church, Jews at the Dohány utca synagogue and Calvinists at the Kálvin tér church. After the acts of worship the opening ceremony of the Congress was performed in the gardens of the National Museum. Baron Zsigmond Perényi, member of parliament, chaired the meeting and greeted the delegates saying: “I am well aware that many of you are already citizens of other states and owe allegiance to those, who accepted you, and gave you the chance of a good living... If you ask me how you can then serve the interests of the Hungarian home in far-away lands, then I shall answer: by prospering in your new home with honest work, knowing that will comfort us, your brothers, in our misery. You must be good and appreciated citizens of your new country for Hungarian work, Hungarian stamina and Hungarian talent bring glory to the name of Hungarians, and fill our heart with happiness and pride.” The participants of the Congress laid a wreath on the monument of the Heroes in a silent ceremony. Archdeacon Géza Takaró (USA) offered up a prayer there. A wreath was also placed at the Washington statue. Delegates came to the World Congress of Hungarians from Austria, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, England, Finland, Sweden, the Bukovina, Turkey, the United States of America, Canada, the Argentine, Chile, Mexico, Cuba, Australia, Egypt, India and Persia, thus from 26 countries. The total of Hungarian participants from abroad was 477, of whom 362 represented 177 Hungarian organizations in their adopted country, and the others took part at the Congress as private people. Many Hungarian visitors brought foreign guests with them. The total of the latter was 269, thus the total number of visitors from foreign countries to the Congress was 716. At the closing session held in the Great Hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences a resolution was passed: “The World Congress of Hungarians declares that it does not regard its work finished with the present conference, since all of the great and important grals it set itself serve the vital interests of Hungarians and constantly engange the attention of Hungarians in every part of the world. In the interest of the successful realization of these great issues, we not only have to maintain but also strengthen the closest brotherly relations, thus we must establish adequate organizations everywhere, where Hungarian live.” Formation of the World Federation of Hungarians The Second world Congress of Hungarians opened on Sunday, the 14th of August 1938. Representatives of Hungarians abroad laid wreaths at the Monument of Heroes, the Washington statue and the Kossuth mausoleum. The following was part of the opening address by Baron Zsigmond Perényi: “We called you together in this jubilee year of Saint Stephen to celebrate together the magnificent feast of the spiritual unity of Hungarians, since the idea of Saint Stephen stand above party politics and bridges over all disaccord or distinctions amongst Hungarians... ... There are only few of us, Hungarians, so we must stick together. No honest Hungarian should be excluded from this family. This family must only be increased, not mutilated.” Then Count Pál Teleki, Minister of Denominations and Education, rose to speak: “There are people amongst us, who were not bom on Hungarian soil, who learnt to speak Hungarian only from their mother. There are also some of us, whose children no longer speak Hungarian, who do not even understand Hungarian speach. And yet being Hungarian binds all of us together. We are not bound together by words, slogans, emblems or artifial and empty definitions of our essence but by the consciuos-Séndor Püski from New York, establisher of the bestknown Hungarian publishing house and book-store in North America. He addresses the 3rd Native Language Congress in Budapest
