Új Magyar Út, 1954 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1954-05-01 / 5-6. szám
CONTENTS BÉLA BÁCHKAI is executive secretary of the American Hungarian Federation. His article “In The Footsteps of The Brigadier” is devoted to the memory of the Hungarian Colonel Michael Kovats who sacrificed his life in General Washington’s army for the liberty of the American nation. Colonel Kovats came in contact with the cause of American Liberty through the person of Benjamin Franklin. His Latin letter requesting admission into the colonial army, ends with this phrase: Fidelissimus ad mortem” — Faithful unto Death. This characteristic loyalty of the colonel, who eventually became the deputy commander of the Pulaski Legion and drillmaster of the A- merican cavalry, caused a tragic end of his life. On May 11, 1779 he died a heroic death in the battle of Charleston, S. C. There are today approximately 1.5 million Americans of Hungarian origin. The 175th anniversary of Colonel Kovats’ death will be celebrated by a large number of these people. The Americans of Hungarian origin renew an old pledge in 1954 toward their new country, and the eternal ideas of humanity, taken as a heritage from thousand-yearsold Hungary: they shall remain faithful unto death. ISTVÁN FOLTINY, Ph. D., of New York City, is an archeologist and historian. His article presents a critical survey of the alleged Hungarian-Sumir historical connections. He believes to be premature to claim any relationship just on the basis of research done heretofore. According to Dr. Foltiny, the available philological material is not convincing enough. There is no proof of historical connections, and the mythological and ethnological parallels are too general to prove a relationship. He recommends very strongly for the researchers of Hungarian-Sumir connections to be more moderate before jumping to distant conclusions. The author also warns the various social clubs to restrain themselves from sponsoring lectures in this field before some conclusive evidence can be presented. Until that cannot be done, there should be given no forum to challenge the historically proven fact of the Finno-Ugrian origin of the Hungarians. PROFESSOR SÁNDOR KIBÉDI VARGA of the University of Munich, Germany, presents a paper on “The Basic Principles of The Hungarian Self-knowledge.” He compiles the most important facts concerning the Finno-Ugrian origin of the Hungarian language, the specific composition of the Hungarian race, and the Hungarian culture which, in some aspects, such as the music in Béla Bartók’s and Zoltán Kodály’s interpretation, achieved a world-wide fame. History shows that every time when East and West clashed, Hungary — 246 —
