Magyar News, 1995. szeptember-1996. augusztus (6. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1996-02-01 / 6. szám
Hungarians from the border of the Viennese basin actually marks the completion of the conquest of the Carpathian basin by the Hungarians. Now the Hungarians were in uncontested control of the land from the borders of the Frankish Kingdom (Carinthia, Styria, the Small Carpathians) in the west to the Eastern Carpathians (including Transylvania) in the East, and from the Northern Carpathians to the Danube lowland, the Bulgarian border in the South. It is the bitter irony of fate that Arpad did not live to see the completion of his great achievement; leading out his people from a disaster or nearly annihilation in the Etelköz into a new homeland, abundant with natural riches, well defensible by natural borders and in a propitious moment since the land, the basin of the Carpathians was in a state of virtual power vacuum. The Avars who possessed it over two centuries, were driven out by Charlemagne. After his death, the German rulers of the Eastern Frankish Empire were disunited rivaling for the imperial title; the King of Bavaria. Amulf was occupied with the independence movement of the Czechs and Moravians, especially that of the Moravian leader Svatopluk. At the time of appearance of the Hungarians in the Great Plain between the Danube and the Tisza, the area was virtually empty. It is beyond any question that preparation and execution of the conquest of the Carpathian basin in the years 895-900 was the personal achievement and merit of Árpád. He imposed centralist leadership on the rather loose tribal confederation. In fact, the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI considered him an autocrat. He decided in all major military and political operations with cautious foresight and astute diplomacy. Though this strong leadership was missing under his successors, Árpád's 13 year old son, Solt (or Zsolt), and his son Taksony; but it returned in Arpád's great-grandson, Géza, father of the first Hungarian Christian King, St. Stephen. Árpád was buried in 907 not far from the present Óbuda, in the vicinity of the ruins of Aquincum, the one-time important military post of Roman Legions above a small spring. In the subsequent centuries, a church was built on the place, but it was destroyed during the storms of the middle a®CS' Andor UrbánszJcy The maps in this article were selected by the editor. The Tower of Babel .. mm way * * * In Babylon people came together to build a tower with its top in the heavens. This seemed to be a bit to much self confidence, so their language was confused and the people were scattered all over the earth. The building was named the Tower of Babel. Our efforts today are channeled into a different direction. Ä very nice and interesting example happened not long ago. At the Olivet Congregational Church in Bridgeport people of many religions came together for a Thanksgiving ecumenical service. Though everybody spoke English, some with a lighter or heavier accent, the most important part of it was that they spoke an other language also. It was an honor to be among those who represented a diversity of religions and a diversity of tongues. The service was conducted in an exceptional way. Every part of it was outstanding. The youth choir included little children with beautiful voices. The preachers were warm and dynamic in delivering their message, and for me the highlight was the multilingual presentation of the bible reading. A minister read a section in English and the same section was repeated in an other language. My part, naturally, was for the Hungarian reading. Since I wasn’t the first in line, I had time to pick up some pointers from the learned and well practiced ministers and priests. So when my turn came, I tried to do my best based on my knowledge and the many minute, but more the less, details that added to the flavor of the presentatioa After the service I thought about Babel. There people were given different languages and then scattered around the world. Here people from around the world with different languages came together with the same spiritual purpose. These people did not build a tower with bricks, they built a tower much stronger with spirit and faith. We Hungarians were part of it. Thanks. Joseph F. Balogh Experienced in all phases of TAX and ACCOUNTING Allan Chomortany, CPA FAIRFIELD LOCATION Phone:(203)335-1935 PfiPMKftS WOSS Traveling to an other country, what one is used to, and accepts things the way it is established in this new country. After leaving Hungary I bummed through Vienna, Paris and London to mention only the big ones. Searching for Hungarian looking things was practically in vaia Only when I arrived to New York have I seen a favorable change. Walking down on Second Avenue I saw Hungarian store signs, heard people talking like I was still in Budapest, also seeing merchandise that looked exactly like in the old country. Sure, that is where they were imported from. I learned about two stores that were established to serve the Hungarian community and satisfy the ethnic needs. One was Paprikas Roth.After a few years I was surprised to see it close because I bought Hungarian merchandise there. Not just Paprika and lekvár, but a large array of other things including artifacts. I had more luck with Paprikas Weiss. They kept their store open eve after Roth closed. I used to browse around in this store too. Not that I had need for volumes of groceries or equipment, but just because everything was so Hungarian. The years to come produced a constant change. It became less and less Hungarian and when I last spent a few minutes there it felt like being in any other store in whatever neighborhood. Then, recently on the front page of the Magyar Szo, a simple headline put the final touch on my memories; Paprikas Weiss is closing. After a hundred years of serving the Hungarian community, you could find me among the many people who accepts the fact with a saddened heart. J.F.B. THINKING ABOUT BUYING OR SELUNG? LET JIM MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! LET ME ASSIST YOU! CALL TODAY! JIM BALLAS Office phone: 374-0295 Voice mail: 394-5172 4942 Main St, Bridgeport, CT Each office is independently owned and operated
