The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1985 (12. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)

1985-09-01 / 9. szám

To our readers:

This article was compiled from the Hungarian Digest, 1985/4, printed in Hungary. Since many of us American born Hungarians, are not acquainted with the history, past or present status, of Budapest, we found this article interesting for the benefit of our readers. It is informative, without any political references.

Budapest, The Capital of Hungary

A CHRONICLE OF CENTURIES

Three thousand years ago some people who have yet to be identified, settled along a section of the right bank of the Danube where the former royal palace, now a cultural center, towers over the Hungarian capital.

In the ensuing centuries a succession of peoples including Celts, Romans, Goths, Longobards, Huns, Avars, and Slavs settled here, at the junction of the great waterway, plain and mountains. In the 9th century A.D. these ceded their place to the conquering Magyars. Modern-day excavations have unearthed many valuable relics from the past of the Hungarian capital.

Withered documents reveal that from the 12th century on there existed a settlement known as Buda on the northern section of the right bank of the River Danube and a settlement known as Peat on the left bank. The word “bud”, of Slavic origin, means water, dampness (some linguists claim it comes from the old Hungarian surname “Buda”), while the word “pesta”, also of Slavic origin, signifies oven or stove.

The chronicles of the twin cities have preserved the memories of numerous glorious and tragic epochs. For example, we know from them that following the Mongol Invasion in 1241, Buda’s surviving population settled south of its previous place of residence — after which this settlement came to be known as Buda. Former Buda then became Óbuda (Old Buda). The three independent cities — Buda, Pest and Óbuda — were united in 1873 under the name Budapest. This event marked the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the Hungarian capital. Embarking upon the path of development and industrialization, the old town walls that had embraced the inner city and separated it from the other sections, were tom down. New residential districts emerged on the left bank. The splendid Grand Boulevard was constructed, together with avenues perpendicular to it. A business center came into being in the inner city, while an industrial belt sprung up on the outskirts. Prominent buildings in the city center include the building of Parliament, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Opera House. Moreover, the first underground in all of continental Europe is also located here.

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The Compromise of 1867, signed with Franz Joseph of the Hapsburgs, was meant to put an end to the revolutionary aspirations and dreams of independence for a nation withdrawn into a long passive resistance. Afterwards, a modern capitalist country came into being in a matter of a few decades. Between 1867 and 1896 the capital went through its adolescence, growing out of its clothes tailored for it by feudal idleness and a yearning for the good old days.

Suddenly it became clearly evident that this allegedly so fiery nation was capable — if presented with an opportunity — of organizing, inventing and constructing, of adopting the latest scientific and technical inventions of its age and of reaching the top in fields so far apart as medicine; Semmelweis discovered the cause of puerperal fever and introduced antiseptic methods into medical practice; physics, Lorand Eötvös discovered the torsion peradulum; and telecommunications Tivadar Puskas invented the telephone exchange.

Hungary’s “Belle Epoque” helped {dong grand endeavors in many walks of life. The country sprinted at top speed to catch up with the developed countries. Budapest’s telephone network was inaugurated in 1881; at that time the city already had 500 kilometers of gas pipes, an electric train and the second subway in Europe (1896). Large factories turned out machines, engines and ships. It came as no surprise, therefore, that the loud voice of the unfolding labor movement shook the window panes of the elegant villas of high society. Banks, insurance companies and the offices of savings banks sprang up one after the other in rapid succession and by 1905 there was even a stock exchange. The townplanners did not hesitate to look to foreign models (the covered market hall, certain bridges and railway stations immortalize French design-engineers). The Metropolitan Public Works Council recruited tens of thousands of construction workers from Hungarian villages and other regions of the monarchy to clear away the debris that hindered the construction of a modern metropolis meant to wipe out all the outdated traits of a declining empire. Between 1880 and 1900 the number of the Hungarian capital’s inhabitants rose from 400,000 to one million, and this continued on page 4

multi-racial, multilingual, teeming multitude needed housing, food and entertainment. The Western style of public buildings was in sharp contrast with the prevailing Mediterranean atmosphere. People strolled about on the promenade along the bank of the Danube, or the City Park, they enjoyed themselves at the fun fairs, read the penny press and watched motion pictures. They filled the terraces of 500 cafes, went wild about keeping fit (the first athletic club in Europe, the MAC was founded in 1875); three European figure-skating championships were held in Budapest in 15 years, football was gaining ground, etc.

W.W. I AND II AND AFTER

Budapest’s spectacular development ground to a halt dining World War I, and things were made even worse by the depression of the 1930’s. According to the 1941 census, 37,000 people were homeless in the capital; they lived in warehouses, workshops and on other non-residential premises or temporary shelters, or simply slept in parks. Tens of thousands lived in barracks built to serve as temporary military hospitals for the wounded and crippled victims of World War I.

World War II dealt a fatal blow to Budapest. When hostilities ceased in February 1945, people coming out of bomb shelters found their city in a state of utter ruin: the bodies of unburied soldiers and civilians lay in the streets, the Danube bridges lay in ruins, the roads were torn up and public utilities were totally out of service. Some 27% of Budapest’s residential buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged.

For the residents of the Hungarian capital, February 13, 1945 marked the end of World War II. Soon after hostilities ceased the population of the devastated city took to the tasks of reconstruction. It was imperative that the war-weary citizens of Budapest get a roof over their heads; later, when life returned to its normal course, reconstruction could be started.

Architects received their first commissions from the administrators of the capital city, the ministries and political organizations. The institutions built at that time are still regarded as attractive and up to date.

Eighth Hungarian Tribe