Magyar News, 1996. szeptember-1997. augusztus (7. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1997-02-01 / 6. szám

Volume VII, Issue 6

Bridgeport, February 1997

iiiii your mim amirican-hungarians

At the later part of last year the Hungarian H.E. Ambassador Dr. György Bánlaki started a movement relating to the 1100th Anniversary of Hungary. He asked that in the middle of November Hungarians should get together for a drink or better festivities with American friends and show a twelve minute video about American Hungarians who made outstanding contribution to this country, and most of them to the whole world. The office of the Ambassador would provide the video, “The Hungarian Spark in America”, a booklet on the 1100th Anniversary and a list of those shown in the video.

Not only did it sound good, but it was a nice way to let people around us learn that we have many things to be proud of. In this movement many of us participated and may I say with astonishing result.

First let me say that the material we received was of the highest professional quality, both in content and in appearance. The video was put together at the American Hungarian Foundation in New Brunswick by its president Professor August Molnár, Katherine Záhony Livingston, writer and Michael Szarvasy, historian.

The list in this video is long, as much as could be squeezed into 12 minutes. Naturally many deserving persons have to wait for a longer presentation at an other time. In these few minutes we learn about leaders in the Civil War, the Pulitzer Prize and the first steps made by a Hungarian to establish the Californian wine industry. People in sports and on stage and in films, writers, authors, musicians just keep going on-and-on. The Magyar News and previously the Hungarian Mosaic on the radio presented many of them. (It would be time to update those who were left out and also the newcomers.) We are looking forward to find out about some who’s name is in the front line these days. I am sure that the ladies will think differently finding out the Hungarian background about Estee Lauder, the queen of cosmetics, who’s first face cream came from her uncle in Hungary. Judith Leiber produces such expensive products that one hardly dares to touch them, then Adrienne Vittadini designs the beautiful sportswear, glasses, perfume and home furnishings. Now the ladies could see what they would miss if it not had been for Hungarians.

The men will also need help to lift their chins, though not with cosmetics but with pride. Their grandfather probably drove a Model “T” Ford that was designed and produced by József Galamb. Today, with technology going out of this world, they might be itching to get behind the wheel of a Moon Vehicle developed by Ferenc Pavlics for an extraterrestrial ride. Probably this was the result of of an experience gained in the Puszta. And to accelerate the speed of travel, get a ride on Theodore von Karman’s B-52 Bomber or a Titan or Minuteman missile. To make sure you stay on track you could receive some help from Zoltán Bay who, already in 1946, back in Hungary bounced the radar signal of the Moon. If you can’t keep up with the space of change, you might reach out to John von Neumann to speed up the thinking process with his invention, the computer. In his time this took a bit of time and the equipment needed more space then a desk. If you would like faster results using a smaller space, then you have to call on a present computer scientist, Dr. Andrew Grove who’s company became a household word, it is the Intel Corporation. This is the future, but give him time he will do even better.

As you see we don’t have to bring up things and people from the past. Bear in mind the facts about the nuclear energy. Hungarians in this field were known during the Second World War and they still make headlines. We remember the father of the Hydrogen Bomb, Edward Teller and Leo Szilard who worked with Einstein on the Atom Bomb. Szilard later became a peace activist. Then there was the Nobel Prize winner for for Theoiy of Atomic Nucleus, Eugene Wigner. The world is far behind them in the dust trying to catch up with them.

Wigner wasn’t the only Nobel Prize winner. The list is quite long. George Olah received it for his research on Hydrocarbon, and at the same time recently, John Harsanyi added new dimensions to the Game Theory, which is not exactly about the Nintendo, but deals with the problems that big corporations have in the market. The image that you see on your credit card and looks three dimensional, is a Holograph. You see it in many other places. This too, with the science behind it was awarded a Nobel Prize and went to Dennis Gabor.

The medical and health field also had its share of Prize winning scientists. George von Bekesy cleared up the different forms of deafness, and Bela Schick was named Father of Modem Pediatrics and was also decorated with a Nobel Prize. Every day concerned parents you try not to forget to remind their children about taking their vitamin. Specially the Vitamin C. For this you could say thanks to a research scientist from Szeged who spent endless time in Chicago to produce the vitamin, and his whole life to study its effects. As a result of these studies we receive added joy when consuming pepper and our beloved Hungarian Paprika.

In our neighborhood, in Stamford, Peter Goldmark as head of the CBS Laboratory developed our one time favorite, the long playing record. To boost our love of entertainment and information he also developed the Color TV. Quite a handful.

To make notes of all these and what I didn’t get to, you might as well pick up your ball point pen and say thanks to Ladislao Biro.

One day we might get to list the many artists, sport personalities, not forgetting the rich people like George Soros who is capable to make two million dollars a day and live with the headache of what to do with it. I myself would have a few ideas.

I am sure that some of our readers would like to see the video that the Hungarian Ambassador sent to us. I would be worth to make the extra effort to obtain it. You could see it for your self, or show it to your friends. If you belong to an organization, then let them see it too. And for keepsake you could make copies of it. It will come handy at occasions.

The best way to handle it is to give me a call at (203)377-0569. Since we don’t have a staff to deliver it, you have to do the legwork. You could pick it up at my place or meet halfway, or have other convenient ideas.

We only have a couple of cassettes so we give it out on a first come first serve base. Also the time for borrowing it is limited, you could have it for a week or probably two and you have to take the responsibility to bring it back or pass it on to somebody else who we will get in touch with you.

Do not miss out on this.

Joseph F. Balogh Page 1