Új Magyar Út, 1953 (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1953-04-01 / 4. szám
CONTENTS Reverend GEORGE BORSHY-KEREKES. Executive Secretary of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, stated in his memorial speech, held at the first public festival of the Hungarian-American Club of Washington, D. C. commemorating March 15, 1848, that the Hungarian emigrants will follow the right way if they are faithful to the legacy of Louis Kossuth. Refusing the distortions of the Moscovite Communists, we must rediscover the true meaning of the democratic ideals of Kossuth. He foresaw in America, which at that time had a population of not more than 20 million, the coming power for world .freedom, formulated the spiritual alliance between America and Hungary in several hundred speeches held during his sojourn in the USA in 1851-52, and also in his remarkable speeches before the joint houses of Congress Rev. Borshy-Kerekes also read the message of President Eisenhower written for the occasion of March 15, 1953 and addressed to all American Hungarians through the American Hungarian Federation. The President said among others: “I am confident that Hungarians have not forgotten the ideals and principles proclaimed by Kossuth and inspiringly expressed by his contemporary, the great poet Alexander Petőfi. Too, they are undoubtedly aware of the unique parallel in both form and spirit between the Hungarian Proclamation of Independence issued in 1848 and our American Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Magyars cannot be dispossessed of their heritage which, supported by the understanding and sympathy of the American people and other free peoples, inspires the hope and justifies the conviction that the sun of human liberty will once again shine upon them.” ★ BÉLA KOVR1G: “HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION: PHANTOM OR REALITY?” The author, well-known Hungarian sociologist (Milwaukee University), gives a sociological evaluation of the events occuring in Hungary between 1945-1947 of which he was an eyewitness. In the first part of his study Professor Kovrig analyses the different groups of Hungarian emigrants who hotly debate the significance of thi^ period. He points out that the correct evaluation of these events is often biassed by the subjective points of view of the individual according to his personal relation to the events. He answers the questions: Was the transformation of 1945/47 a revolution, was it true democracy in pratice, and what was the responsibility df those in high office at that time? To the first, he replies there had been a revolution in Hungary which had, however, developed through the two previous decades. Its purpose was a constructive, new system of human and democratic ideals for which many Hungarian associations, intellectual movements and organizations were active between the two world wors in Hungary. 1945-47, however, was not a Hungarian revolution, not even a coup d’état. Hungarian society struggled for its mere existence under the inhuman and terroristic Russian occupation. All strata of the population, including workers, showed complete distrust toward the Communists and refused to participate in their “reforms”. Peasants held themselves aloof from violent agrarian revolution. At the beginning, even the Russian masters avoided the semblance of revolution. The anniversary of the 1919 Soviet dictatorship was not celebrated; they were silent about its dictator, Béla Kun, and made especially liberal gestures toward the bourgeois middle parties. In this way, they wanted to deceive the Western powers and induce them to accept the Russian pattern of peace treaties and wanted America to demobilize her armed forces. (To be continued in the second part.' ★ MIHÁLY FERDINANDY, Hungarian historian, professor at the University of Porto Rico, Cuba, has written an article about “The Hungarian Acropolis" which is the hill of Buda, overlooking the capital of Hungary, on which the Royal castle stood surrounded by historical monuments built in preceding periods. At the foot of the hill, the oldest Hungarian Danubian bridge, the Chain Bridge, was built where historic roads from all parts of the Carpathian basin met in order to connect this part of the Danubian area with Western Europe, Gaul (France). The eastern end of this highroad was somewhere near Lake Aral, the great gateway of ancient migrations. The author presents a vivid picture of the historical evolution of the Hungarian Acropolis. It reached its climax of culture under Mátyás Hunyadi (15th century) when the Rennaissance Court with its powerful diplomacy and beautiful library dominated the scene. After the long Turkish occupation, this hill was heroically defended by its last Turkish commander, the Pasha Abdurrhaman till the last moment. Here started the first Hungarian Parliament and responsible Ministry in 1848. After the fight for freedom was suppressed by the Czar and the Austrian emperor, Buda, which was the core of the later capital town of Budapest, became also the cradle of the Danubian Dual Monarchy. The city built on a hill, the Hungarian Acropolis, was a creative power in history and will contribute to the future with the dynamism of its historical traditions. ★ JÁNOS CSONKA, former Hungarian manufacturer, now in Australia, presents us with a survey of Hungarian immigrants living in Australia. Following the war boom, signs of unemployment are now visible which affect immigrants including the newly arrived Hungarians who number about 14,000 and are mostly intellectuals. After the expiration of the two-year pact of compulsory physical work, many of them are now struggling under difficult conditions. ★ KÁROLY FODOR, analyses in his column “Behind the Iron Curtain” the causes of the last Communist purge in Hungary regarded in the West as anti- Semitic persecution; reports about the activity of the Communist Parliament in Budapest during March. He points out that more and more cultural representatives of the previous era being presented with Communist honors which may indicate a new trend in the Communist cultural policy. ★ KRISZTA ARNÓTHY, young and talented writer among Hungarian emigrants, now in Belgium, was 15 years old when Budapest was besieged in Nov.-Dec., 1944. In her “Dying Budapest” she presents us with dramatic pictures of the siege of Buda. Her book is a remarkable and historic document of literary value.
