The Eighth Tribe, 1976 (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1976-11-01 / 11. szám
Page 10 THE EIGHTH TRIBE November, 1976 and geographer he has tried his hands at writing poetry, creative prose, geography, biography, history, as well as literary history. Most of his non-creative works deal with the history and culture of the Magyars in America. Having been produced in a field where the author was treading mostly on virgin territory, a number of these works carry the signs of pioneering studies. But this is precisely their worth and primary significance: They are pathbreakers in the field, and are destined to give guidance to those who follow in the author’s wake. Like all works, this too has a number of shortcomings, including several factual errors. But what bothers us most is the total absence of all diacritical marks from Hungarian names and Magyar language texts, for which there is no need. Such criticisms, however, cannot diminish the value of a pioneering work, nor the merit of the author in the field of Hungarian-American studies. o o o o While Könnyű concentrated on the Hungarians in the Mississippi Valley, Joseph Széplaki — a librarian and bibliographer who is known to us for a number of his earlier works in the field — has turned to the idealized figure of the great nineteenth-century Hungarian national leader, Louis Kossuth. Kossuth’s visit to the United States after the fall of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-1849 has captured the attention of many Americans, both during his visit in the early 1850’s, as well as for the next few generations. In fact, outside the Revolution of 1956, no other event in Hungarian history has caught the American mind as much as Kossuth’s struggle for freedom. The result was the birth of scores of books and perhaps thousands of articles and other lemembrances about this Hungarian national hero, a process which is still continuing some 125 years later. Some of the book-size examples of Kossuth’s continued popularity in the United States include John Komlos’s recent book, Kossuth in America (1973), and Joseph Széplaki’s two relevant works: Louis Kossuth: “The Nation’s Guest” (Bethlen Press, 1976) which is the work under review, and his forthcoming The Champion of Liberty (Bethlen Press, 1976). Széplaki’s Louis Kossuth is quite different from Könnyű’s Acacias in that it is not a collection of essays, but rather a bibliography of Kossuth’s popular visit to the United States in 1851-1852, with particular attention to contemporary and subsequent American publications. It is an unusually useful work not only to Kossuth scholars, but also to those who deal with any aspect of the Hungarian-American past. Széplaki actually gives more than he promises for, in addition to works relating specifically to Kossuth’s visit, his bibliography also includes works in general Hungarian and general Hungarian-American history. It is a reference work that was produced after much painstaking effort. Researchers will be particularly grateful for the author’s inclusion of separate sections on books, published documents, manuscript collections, newspaper articles, as well as a number of other useful material, including a map and a day-by-day account of Kossuth’s trip through the United States. At the same time they may also be puzzled why some significant works on Hungarian-Americans were omitted. Perhaps the most glaring of these omissions are some of the relevant studies of Dr. Iván Nagy of the Minority Institute of the University of Pécs published during the 1930’s and early 1940’s (e.g. Az amerikai magyarság, 1939; Hungarians in Canada, 1938; Öt világrész magyarsága, 1935; A magyarság világstatisztikája, 1931; etc.). But a few shortcomings cannot destroy the basic value of a work that fills a major void in the area of Hungarian-American historical studies. o o o o Both Széplaki’s and Könnyü’s books are useful works that will serve as additional milestones on the road toward a major and definitive work on the history and cultural achievements of Hungarians in America. We can only urge them to continue their research and writing and to encourage others to do likewise. * * * The three books were printed by Bethlen Press, Inc. Order slips can be found on last page ☆ ☆ MGT NEWS MGT, Magyar Gazdasági Társaság MGT is a profit making corporation network (plan), aimed at utilizing the talent, diligence and contacts of dispersed Hungarians, for their own benefit; within the framework of the corporation system of their new homeland. At first the only common bond between local corporations is the three letters MGT, such as: “MGT Pittsburgh Inc.” or “MGT Manufacturing Corporation”, etc. (Both of these are existing already.) Connection between the MGT corporations is either direct or through HBA, which includes cooperation also with the non-MGT businesses of Hungarian ownership. As the network develops, through a unique scheme of mutual investment in each other, utilizing regional, national and international MGT corporations, a conglomerate of large proportions is possible. The MGT network could contribute the efficiency and local control of each unit and the advantages of size, world-wide recognition, and information exchange. The Eighth Tribe is regularly carrying the news on MGT. 7129 Saltsburg Road Pittsburgh, Pa. 15235
