Új Magyar Út, 1953 (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1953-01-01 / 1-2. szám
CONTENTS GÉZA SOOS, Publisher of this review, summarizes in his article “What will 1953 bring?” his expectations and those of his readers for the new year. He says that changes connected with the recent turning point in American politics are certain to come. The question is, will Hungarians be ready to use their present opportunities, to develop their internal energies, employ all their talents and faculties in the preparation of plans for life in Hungary after the expected liberation? Or will this opportunity go unused? Moral regeneration must preceed planning of the future. ★ THE POETRY OF ENDRE ADY. “Új Magyar Út” publishes English translations of the poems of Endre Ady, most excellent poet of XX. Century Hungarian lyrics. Further details concerning the poet, his political faith, historic rule, and the person and work of the translator, Mr. Antal Nyerges to be find on page 5. ★ GÉZA CSERENYEY, in his “Energies of the East and West” recapitulates and surveys the data of the “Economic Potential of Europe”, a 1952 publication of the “European Movement”. It compares the economic strength of the USA, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the USSR. The data prove the economic superiority of the USA which is able to help others with her surpluses. Western Europe cannot as yet fully supply its own needs. East Europe and the Soviet have a slight export surplus because of their restricted consumption and exploitation of cheap labor. ★ FERENC KOSZORÚS writes in his “Soldiers’ Spirit, Soldiers’ Honor”: If we wish to live we must work together toward the common ideals held by Western free nations. In the spirit of utmost unselfishness we need the higher spirit of a soldier’s honor, for in the case of crisis and war nothing else will conduct us through them. The greater the struggle the more the soldier’s honor, built on firm ethical standards of civilian life, has to prevail. These extraordinary demands, however, are not for their own sake but as security for the higher ideal of free civil life once attained. Today there is great need for a soldier’s morale because we cannot otherwise master the spiritual and ethical chaos generally created by totalitarian ideologies. ★ ISTVÁN BARANKOVICS, President of the Cultural Committee of the Hungarian National Council, New York, recently published detailed “Proposals for a cultural program for (Hungarian) emigrants.” After reviewing the history of previous Hungarian emigrations he finds the present one is the first to possess a numerous cultured elite who are faithful to their national and Western Christian cultural traditions and which is able to do intellectual, creative work. The author contrasts this with the efforts of the Hungarian Communist regime to create its own elite by destroying cultural, ecclesiastical, educational, etc. institutions. Dr. Barankovics demands that *the Hungarian emigrees develop their cultural life in emigration and with it, the new spirit of liberated Hungary. The devastations of Communist ideology can be replaced only by a wellfounded, new creative work directed by the trained, cultured elite now living in the West for which the author offers practical proposals. ★ GERGELY HAJNÓCZY’s “The Danubian Confederation and Swabian-German Problem.” analyses the question recently launched also by the German press concerning the repatriation of German minorities expulsed from Hungary and other East European states. The German ethnic group recently expatriated from Hungary had been settled there as late as the 18th century in areas liberated from the Turkish occupation. They were used in the germanizing policy of the Habsburgs. Though they were prosperous they joined the National Socialist organization “Volksbund” at the instigation of Hitler’s propaganda. Expulsed after World War II, their organizations in Germany are now negociating for a return to Hungary. Hungarians are, however, disturbed at seeing those who want to return are not willing to share the responsibilities of the Hungarian nation and State but want to remain in the unity of German “Schicksalsgemeinschaft” (political community) “representing Western culture” in Hungary. The author questions their ability to do the latter, being mostly farmers and ámall craftsmen. According to the author, the repatriation of the German ethnic group would endanger the Confederation of the Danubian nations—the only reasonable and healthy solution for the future. ★ ÖDÖN VASVÁRY: “Hitherto unknown pictures of Lajos Kossuth and his surroundings in Turkey, by an American painter.” Walter Gould, an American painter originally from Philadelphia, Pa. visited Louis Kossuth, the exiled leader of the defeated Hungarian revolution of 1848-49 in his Turkish internment in Kutahia, Asia Minor, during the summer of 1851. Gould spent 33 days there, painting a highly satisfactory portrait of then 49 year old Kossuth, and 4 larger and 14 smaller portraits of his entourage. Gould was accompained by a “servant”, who in reality was the former Col. Joseph Makk, who obtained Kossuth’s authorization to organize a new revolution. A tragic series of events was launched which ended in the execution of several people. Gould’s paintings, owned by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, Pa. were discovered by the author of the present article in 1952. They are now loaned to the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America in Washington, D. C., where they will be placed in permanent exhibition in the Federation’s building. ★ IDA BOBULA: “The Great Lady of ancient Hungarian mythology.” Dr. Ida Bobula, former director of Sarolta College Budapest, in her study on “The Great Lady of the Ancient Hungarian Religion” develops the thesis that the names of the Mesopotamian goddess of abundance, Bau and Baba, survived in the Hungarian language, her symbol, the upturned Omega design, in the “tulip” motif of Hungarian ornamentics, and that her cult can be traced in folklore. 34
