Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1978 (6. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)

1978 / 17. szám

ARTICLES and PAPERS

Bangó, J.F. “Some Social-Historical Aspects in the Development of Hungarian Cooperative Farming,” Journal of Rural Cooperation IV: 2(1976) 129-153.

This is a summary statement on post-World War II agricultural collectivization in Hungary. A background history describes the 1945-1948 attempts, implimentation of the Soviet pattern (1948-1953), the change under Imre Nagy, and post-1956 collectivization. Stages and salient features of the process of transformation deal with ideological, economic, political-social aspects, and provide extensive statistical data on the past twenty years of collectivization and reorganization. The “new village" and the “new peasantry” are discussed. The disappearance of the land-owner peasant and the arrival of non-agrarian elements in the village are described together with the changing image of the peasant whose bond with the land has weakened, though he discovered a “domestic microsphere” in the household plot. “After having experienced the stages of resistance and self-defence the peasantry discovered its main social feature at the present time: its adaptability.” The paper is written in the Western frame of reference. The communist view was represented by A. Gyenes in the III: 2 (1975) issue of the same journal. Dr. Bangó is affiliated with the Institute Voor Onderzoek Van Midden-Europa, Leuven, Belgium.

Fryer, Bruce C., “Bälcescu and the National Question in 1849," East European Quarterly XII (Summer 1978) 189-208.

Nicolae Bälcescu, seeing the defeat of the Danubian

Principalities, urged the Romanian revolutionary leaders to break with the Hungarians and to negotiate with the Austrians in 1848. He favored the preservation of nationality over liberty, and sought to raise the Romanians to the level of the three recognized nations (Saxon, Sze'kely, Magyar) of Transylvania. He opposed Russian influence and therefore favored neither independence for Transylvania nor union with Moldavia, but rather remaining within the Hungarian state. He met with the Hungarian generals Perczel and Bern as well as with Kossuth; the latter was unable to comprehend his plans and saw in further autonomy a threat to territorial integrity. Throughout 1849 Bälcescu met with Hungarians, requesting greater autonomy for the Romanians in return for cooperation. The crux of the problem, however, was that “while Kossuth was willing to considermaking all inhabitants of Hungary equal in rights, law, and liberty, he was not willing to consider reorganizing the internal structure of the kingdom,” which would allow for breakaway regions.

Klinger, András, “Fertility and Family Planning in Hungary” Studies in Family Planning 8 (1977) 166-176.

Family planning in Hungary means voluntary spacing of children, primarily through contraceptive methods rather than by abortions. The state encourages families of two or three children to ensure a stable growth rate. Legislation is designed to protect pregnant women and to encourage child rearing. Statistics indicate that the current trend remains at two children per family. In 1962 the reproduction rate was

0.87; current trends indicate a 1.05 to 1.09 rate. (A 1.00 rate

(Continued on page 5)

BOOKS (Continued)

The author is Prof, of History at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, U. of London, and well known for his previous works such as Eastern Europe between the Wars, 1918-1941; The East European Revolution; and Neither War nor Peace.

Vásár, I. THE HUNGARIANS OR MOZARS AND THE ME&CERS/M|£eRS OF THE MIDDLE VOLGA REGION. The

Peter de Ridder Press, distributed by Humanities Press, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716, 1976. 41 pages, map, $4.00 paper. A reprint from Archívum Eurasiae Medii Aevi, I (1975) pp. 237-275.

This booklet holds a meaningful place in the literature of Hungarian ethnogenesis. According to the author, “the historical sources, the place-names, and the linguistic analysis of ethnonyms unanimously demonstrate that Julian’s Hungarians of the Volga region survived the Mongol invasion. After the fall of the Volga Bulgarian Empire, they came under the suzerainty of the Golden Horde, and later on under that of the Khanate of Kazan'. After the conquest of Kazan’ (1552) they became subjects of the Russian State, together with the Tatars and other nations of the Volga region. Although their migration and settling apart cannot be definitely described, owing to lack of data, it can be observed that they gradually moved towards the west of the Volga (as Julian found them ‘iuxta flumen magnum Ethyl’).” Vasar suggests further research in the following areas: (a) dialectics and ethnography of the Russian Meters: and (b) Misers; (c) utilization of the old Russian and European cartography with respect to place-names and ethnonyms; and (4) elaboration of the historical geography of the Oka-Volga region.

Wagner, Francis S. HUNGARIAN CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CIVILIZATION. Alpha Publications, 1079 De Kalb Pike, Center Square, PA 19422, 1977. 289 pages, facsimile, biblio. $15.00 cloth.

This ambitious undertaking tries to enumerate the contributions Hungarians and persons of Hungarian parentage made to the culture of the West and to the world in general. After discussing, all too briefly, the historical setting in which Hungarian arts and sciences developed the author attempts to list names, achievements and successes of persons who excelled in the sciences, humanities, or as individuals in any field. The first of four chapters is on persons in mathematics and the natural sciences; the second on historical and social sciences; the third on the arts; and the fourth on sports. Each subdivision is prefaced by a general statement of the area, and a concluding chapter sums up Hungarian achievements in light of contemporary conditions. The appendix contains facsimile of documents relating to the cultural exchanges between the HAS and the American Philosophical Society (1833); a list of Zoltán Bay’s publications; and a roster of Hungarian competitors in the summer Olympic games, 1896-1968. Though the volume contains a wealth of names and information, another volume could easily be filled with names which were omitted. Hopefully, the author is contemplating a sequel. Else, one feels the volume could have been entitled “Some Hungarian Contributions to World Civilization.”

Dr. Wagner is on the staff of the Library of Congress, and author of numerous articles. His daughter, Christina, who is responsible for sections on theater, cinema, and folk art, received an MLS degree from the U. of Maryland.

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NO. 17, 1978, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER