William Penn Life, 2009 (44. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2009-04-01 / 4. szám
Branching Out with Endre Csornán WPA schedule of events for 2009 Join Hands Day May 2, 2009 This day of service offers members a chance to make a difference in their communities through helpful projects that connect youths and adults. William Penn Association Annual Golf Tournament July 17 and 18, 2009 The Quicksilver Golf Club in Midway, Pa., will play host to the WPA’s annual golf outing. Accommodations will be at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott, which will also be the site of the pre-tournament reception Friday. Hungarian Heritage Experience August 2 to 8, 2009 The Experience will return to Penn Scenic View in Rockwood, Pa. Students will receive 25 hours of instruction, focusing on practical usage of the Hungarian language. William Penn Association Trip to Hungary August 12 to 26, 2009 The WPA will offer its members and friends another chance to explore the Land of the Magyars. Based on reports from our recent tour, this trip should be an unforgettable experience. William Penn Association Picnic-A Great Fraternal-Fest September 12, 2009 The ninth edition of the WPA’s most popular fraternal event will be held on the lovely grounds of Penn Scenic View. Preparations for this picnic are already under way. To learn more about these events, call 1-800-848-7366, ext. 136. Ferenc Rákóczi II A true Hungarian patriot from birth to death in exile ON APRIL 8, 274 years ago, one of the greatest heroes of Hungary, Ferenc Rákóczi II, gave back his earthly life to his Creator in Rodesto, Turkey, while in exile. Prince Ferenc Rákóczi, the son of Ferenc Rákóczi I and Ilona Zrinyi, was born March 27,1676, in Borsi, Zemplén County. He came from an ancient Transylvanian family and was renowned for his leadership and love of country. He lost his father while an infant and was raised and educated under the guardianship of his mother in an ultra-patriotic environment. In 1682, his mother married Imre Thököly. At the age of 11, Rákóczi witnessed the heroic defense by his mother of his ancestral castle of Munkács against Count Antonio Caraffa. On its surrender, the young boy was sent to Vienna to isolate him from the Magyar nation, that he might be brought up as an Austrian magnate. Cardinal Kollonics, the sworn enemy of the Magyar independence movement, became his governor and sent him to the Jesuit college in Bohemia. On June 15,1703, Rákóczi openly took up arms against the emperor of Austria who was also the king of Hungary. Rákóczi led his kuruc (crusaders) in an eightyear-long struggle to free Hungary from Austrian oppression. Prince Rákóczi won the battle but lost the war. He became the "ruling prince" of Hungary, but due to monetary difficulties and unfavorable international developments, and mostly due to the fact that his army commanders surrendered to the Austrians, Prince Rákóczi fled to Poland, then to France, and finally to Turkey, where he died. Later, his remains were returned to Hungary and buried in Kassa, which in now part of Slovakia. The founders of the Rákóczi Aid Association in Bridgeport, Conn., loved and respected the memory of the great hero so much that they named their fraternal association after the fighting Prince Rákóczi, [wpl] 4 William Penn Life, April 2009
