Amerikai Magyar Hírlap, 2016 (28. évfolyam, 14-50. szám)
2016-11-11 / 44. szám
AMFRTPAN n.lf JLX^XVJLX^XjLJL 1 Hungarian Journal San Francisco Marked The 60th Anniversary Of The Revolution Of 1956 With A Series Of Successful Events Around The Bay The official Commemoration Ceremony by the Honorary Consulate General of Hungary took place on October 23. Close to 300 members of government officials, diplomatic, business, academic representatives, civic groups, members of the Walnut Creek & Siófok, Sonoma & Tokaj Sister Cities, members of the Commonwealth Club, World Affairs Council and the Hungarian-American communities of Northern California were present. A special guest was Anna Lacey Smith, the director of the Hungary Initiative Foundation, from WDC. The program took place in the magnificent Green Room of the historic San Francisco War Memorial Opera and Performing Arts Center, where the UN Charter was signed in 1945 and where the Consulate of Hungary was opened in 1993. MC Janos Horvath, from Kodály Center, Holy Name University introduced the 45 member San Francisco Boys Chorus, led by Ildikó Salgado. They sang the anthem and all other selections in Hungarian and were joined by the Corvinus Chorus, led by Daniella Urban. Prayers for the victims of the revolution were said by an interfaith group of clergy, such as Michael G. Pappas, San Francisco Interfaith Council, Maurusz, Nemeth, OSB., Hungarian Catholic Mission, Gabor Magyari-Kope, Free Magyar Reformed Church San Francisco, Rabbi Jonathan Singer, Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco and John Buehrens, First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco. Dr. Éva E. Voisin, Honorary Consul General of Hungary, reminded the audience of the details of Hungary’s heroic revolt and the historic role Hungary played in 1956 and in 1989 in hastening the fall of the Iron Curtain and the restoration of freedom and democracy in Central & Eastern Europe. She was presented by the Office of Senator Jerry Hill with a Joint Resolution of both houses of the California State Legislature. She also received a Proclamation from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, and a letter from US Congresswoman Jackie Speier, all praising Hungary’s attempt to be free and independent 60 years ago. Guests sampled selected wines from Tokaj, Buena Vista Winery, Baker Family & Treasure Island Wines at a reception. Another ceremony took place at the “Gloria Victis-Glory to the Vanquished”, Memorial Statue, located in the courtyard of the California State Building, in San Francisco, originally erected for the 30th anniversary in 1986 and recast and the re-dedication on the 60th. The speakers included Col. Zsolt Szentkirályi, U.S. Army, retired, Ernie Könnyű, former the member of U.S. Congress, Eva Voisin, Honorary Consul General in San Francisco and Ilona Orly Magyary-Kope. The program ended with a wreath-laying by the Szabó Jackovics families, who made substantial financial contribution 30 years ago, as well as the recent recasting of the statue. On October 22, the Hungarian Catholic Mission, the Free Magyar Reformed Church of San Francisco and the Hungarian Scout Troops of San Francisco hosted the Honorable Janos Halasz, Member of the Hungarian Parliament at the Woodside Priory. His remarks were followed by a presentation of the Order of Merit (Magyar Érdemrend Tisztikeresztje) to Tamas Jackovics by Consul General Tamas Szeles. After performances by well known pianist Peter Toth, the Eszterlanc Hungarian Folk Ensemble and the Hungarian Scouts, in a reenactment of the events of October 23, 1956, a Gala Dinner followed. In Walnut Creek, four community members, Dr. Zsigmond Csicsery, István Deness, István Borocz, MD., and Andrew Rekay recounted their personal role and experience as young men in 1956. It was followed by video excerpts from the Memory Project, Hungarian-American History Archive and the 1958 Walter Cronkite-CBS documentary, “Revolt in Hungary”. The City of San Jose and City Council member Johnny Khamis, in the presence of the Hungarian scouts and Hungarian Huszar regiment, headed by Ferenc Bakonyi, raised the Hungarian Flag to show solidarity, celebrate diversity and the growing Hungarian community in the San Jose. Dr. Eva Voisin, Honorary Consul General in San Francisco summed up the significance of 1956, listed the famous Hungarian émigrés who built and contributed to the great success of Silicon Valley and presented a flag with a hole, the most iconic symbol of the revolution, to city officials. Following a performance by the Eszterlanc Hungarian Folk Ensemble, Hungarian refreshments were served, all organized by the Hungarian Heritage Foundation and Reka Kiss. The last event on November 12, by the Sonoma-Tokaj Sister Cities Committee, features a panel discussion of speakers who experienced the revolution and escaped the Soviet occupation of their homeland: Nicholas Molnár, founder of Poseidon Vineyards and Poseidon and Obsidian Ridge Winery, Alex Varga, member of the Hungarian National Gymnastics Team, Eva Voisin, Honorary Consul General of Hungary, San Francisco and Northern California, and Zsolt Takacs who experienced the aftermath of the Revolution and then escaped in 1968. Tokaj furmint, Buena Vista Winery, Baker Family Wines, Poseidon Vineyard, and Treasure Island Wines are sponsoring the wine tasting to follow. The commemorations were a marathon of solemn and beautiful events, a great tribute to 1956, on this historic occasion, and served as a reminder and testimony to the new generation that the message of 1956 shall stay in our collective memory forever. All events were underwritten by the Hungary Initiative Foundation, except the Honorary Consulate General’s program, and the Sonoma Tokaj Sister City event. £va Egoism November 11,2016 SUBSCRIBE TO THE HÍRLAP - amhir.com 60 years ago in Hungary - 60 years later in Géorgia There is a small but enthusiastic group of Hungarians living in and around Atlanta, Georgia. They are members of the Hungarian Community Church of Georgia. Their aim is to keep the spirit alive of their Hungarian heritage. Once a month they gather on a Sunday afternoon to hold Hungarian lessons for their kids, have a church service, and socialize. From time to time they celebrate memorable events of their homeland, such as the foundation of Hungary in 895 AD, the freedom fight against the Habsburg Monarchy in 1848, and a more recent event, the historical fight against the Communist regime imposed by the Soviet Union after WWII. This Revolution took place 60 years ago, on October 23, 1956! There is a small group of people living here in the Atlanta area that were part of that Revolution! To honor these members of the Hungarian Community, a Commemorative Service was held on the 60th Anniversary of the Revolution, on Sunday, October 23, 2016. The service began with the singing of the Hungarian National Anthem. An Anthem that was frowned upon by the communists in Hungary, thus seldom, if ever used. Tears rolled down on the wrinkled, old faces as the majestic notes were played. One of the participants had her granddaughter with her who couldn’t quite figure out why her beloved grandma had tears in her eyes. She just hugged her grandma and put her little hand on her grandma’s shoulder. 60 years is a very long time! It’s hard to imagine that it was such a long time ago when we heard the Russian tanks rolling down on the main boulevards of Budapest, destroying the once magnificent buildings in their quest to squash the uprising that shook the Soviet Empire in its foundations! The Hungarian nation had enough of the more than a decade long tyranny of the Communist Regime imposed on them by the Russians. They wanted their freedom back. They wanted the Russian Army to leave Hungary; they wanted to be in charge of their own country, of their destiny. Of course, this was diametrically opposite to the Russian desire to control Eastern Europe and use the satellite nations as part of the Soviet Union. Any crack in this “solidarity” was unacceptable to the Russians. They crushed the Hungarian revolution brutally, leaving no stones unturned in their wake. The retaliation after the crushing of the revolution was merciless. Lengthy jail terms, and in many cases death sentences were handed down, and fear spread throughout the nation. During these chaotic times, after the Russians crushed the revolution, the Austrian Hungarian border was unguarded. The Hungarian border patrol abounded their posts and the Russians could not establish an efficient military command to replace the Hungarian border patrol. Taking advantage of this, over 200,000 Hungarians fled to the west, mostly through Austria. Most of these were young, high school and college students. The western nations welcomed these refugees with open arms. Over 35,000 of these refugees immigrated to the United States. The US Congress provided legal immigrant status to these people. A few of us who attend the Hungarian celebrations in Georgia are part of this group of immigrants. We melded into American society and became active participants of the everyday life in the United States. We are grateful for the opportunity to become US citizens and be productive members of society. Gabriel U. Hill, Roswell, GA Ernie Könnyű, speaker Dr. Éva E. Voisin & San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee AMERIKAI Ufagyar Hírlap
