Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1990. január-június (44. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1990-01-18 / 3. szám
Thursday, Jan. 18. 1990. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ 11. Amanún huiicariaik Transvlvama TOURISM Is V mom«; Beyond Dracula I would like to make a few minor emendations to your otherwise fine "Transylvania Casts Off Rumanias's Tall Shadow" (news article, Dec. 19.) You state that Transylvania "is known to much of the world as the home of Count Dracula, the vampire of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel." While this is so, it should also be known that the largest ethnic group in Transylvania is made up of the people called Székelys (also known as Szeklers or Siculi), who trace their roots to the imperial Avars (and even to Attila the Hun) and who were regarded without exception under the Hungarian crown as oeing of noble birth. It is mostly the music of the Székelys that was collected by Béla Bartók. It was their parliament (the Transylvanian diet of 1568) that first declared the universal and complete freedom of worship. Servetius, who was burned at the stake in Geneva in 1553 for believing that God exists only in one person, was a Székely, and Francis David, who laid the foundations of the Unitarian Church around 1560, was a Székely. The Sabbatarians, the Christians who retained Jewish religious rules and who were deported by Hitler, were also Székelys. János Bályai, who laid the foundations of the new (non-Euclidean) geometry, was also a Székely. Therefore, Transylvania should be known for more than Bram Stoker's highly imaginative novel. You also state that "as a reward for abandoning the Axis powers before Hungary, Hitler's last ally, Rumania again was awarded the region." While this is correct, it should also be noted that Hungary remained Hitler's last ally only because it was occupied by the Germans, and that the German occupation of March 19, 1944, was a result of Hungary's preparations to abandon the Axis powers, which Rumania did only in August 1944. It is also important to know that until March 19, 1944, Hungary was a haven for Jewish escapees from German-occupied lands, as there were no deportations in Hungary. It was the World Jewish Congress that asked the British Government in 1943 to discourage Hungary from abandoning the Axis powers because that step would result in German occupation and would endanger the lives of the nearly one million Jewish Hungarians and refugees who were then safe in Hungary. Therefore, it was the military occupation by the Germans, and not the will of the people of Hungary, that kept their nation on Hitler's side. Bela Lipták (Stamford, Conn.) The above letter was published in the N.Y. Times on Jan. 10, 1990. 1995 will see the 25th World Expo since 1851, and this will be a special one: the program will be held in the capitals of two countries along the Danube: in Budapest and Vienna. This is the first time after London, Paris, New York, Montreal, Brussels, Vancouver and the others, that a socialist country has undertaken to organize such a large-scale event, although not on its own. Since the 1970s, the tourist industry has been a booming branch of the Hungarian economy. Last year Hungarian tourism earnings equaled 9.1 % of the country's total export income. In 1988 18 million foreigners visited the country, 60 % of them as tourists and spent 6.3 days here on the average. Seventy %, 11.6 million people arrived from socialist, the rest, 6.4 million from hard-currency countries, an increase of 17.4 % as compared to figures a year before. The 1988 incomes of the Hungarian tourist industry amounted to 338.4 million transferable rubles (down 12 96) and $ 667.8 million, a 20 % increase over the 1987 figures. The 11.2 million (up 50 96) Hungarians traveling abroad last year spent 161.8 million transferable rubles, 10.7 96 more than a year before, and $ 628.6 million, a 24 % increase. 1988 and the first months of 1989 witnessed a considerable easing of some Hungarian outbound tourism terms: since last year Hungarian citizens have been traveling with a world passport (valid in all countries) in their pockets and from January they can go abroad with VISA cards. Once granted a world passport, Hungarians rushed into the neighboring Austria and spent several million dollars mainly on consumer durables. In 1988 there was a considerable increase in numbers of Italians ( 22.4 96), British ( 12,8 96), Scandinavians ( 11.3 96) and Russians (29 %). Arrivals from the USA,which is the country's fourth biggest hard currency tourism partner, were up 13.6 96 compared to 1987. After the great success of the 58th ASTA World Congress held here last October, Hungary is expecting over 160.000 US tourists this year which will be an all-time high. Follow-up to ASTA Congress Hungary has launched a campaign to appeal to American tourists. "After the success of the 58th ASTA Congress held in Budapest last year where 6,000 tourism experts participated, we didn't want to lose the favorable image we gained and that's why we have organized an intensive follow-up for the event", said Vera Vadas, head of the Press and Public Relations Commission of the Hungarian Tourism Board. "Our plans include participation in ASTA's regional events and the 59th World Congress in Miami", she continued. "Our New York representation will have a national stand at the Trade Fair with offers from Hungarian agencies. On behalf of the Hungarian host committee, a lecture will be delivered evaluating last year's congress from the Hungarian point of view and the film on the congress 'Meeting point Budapest' will be shown. Additional help to improve our image will be provided by our film 'Beautiful Budapest' to be shown on New York television and Fodor's Video Guide has been Peace Corps to March in The Peace Corps, which has sent more thant 120.000 American volunteers to fight poverty in the developing world since 1961, sent its first mission to Hungary this past autumn, officials said. Corps officials outlined details of the plan unveiled earlier by President Bush in Budapest as part of a package of aid to Hungary by sending 50 or 60 Americans to help train teachers of English. Founded in 1961 by President Kennnedy to help improve living standards and promote peace in poor nations, the Corps' foray into Hungary marks a new era of pragmatism and diplomacy, Corps director Paul Cover- dell said. "Hungary is an Eastern nation in the midst of transition that is inviting us to come," "It shows that our desire for peace knows no political or geographic boundaries." From its helcyon days in the early 1960s, when youthful idealists went abroad to uplift the impoverished, the Corps changed direction in the 80s, when more emphasis was put on practical job skills. About 6 thousand volunteers currently work in some 100 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The program can be continued, and further cooperation can extend to environmental protection. Following preparations, including the learning of Hungarian, the American volunteers will teach English both for beginners and in secondary-level schools. Human relations and understanding between the two countries will strengthen through the realization of the plan. WAITING FOR THE CENSUS The 13th population census in Hungarian history will take place in 1990, continuing a 130-year-old tradition. Hungary is one of the few countries in the world where a decennial census is taken, no matter how hard times are. Hungary thus adheres to international requirements, considering that both the UN and the CMEA have proposed that their members take a census count around every year ending in zero to facilitate global data compilations for demographic and social statistics. Sándor (Alexander) Korda was a Hungarian emigrant of legendary fame. He too remained an enthusiastic Hungarian patriot to the end of his life, though he never visited his homeland since he left it. But he always helped Hungarians whenever he could, and side by side with many talented Hungarians, he gave work to a whole army of untalented good for nothings, whose only merit was that they were Hungarians. At last, Korda got fed up, and wrote the following sign up on the door of his Hollywood office: "IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO BE HUNGARIAN". on sale in the US since last year. "The Hungarian Tourism Board regularly provides ASTA and OAG publishers with news and material and to promote other publications four journalists will be invited to Hungary", Vera Vadas concluded. i
