Magyar Egyház, 1983 (62. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1983-01-01 / 1. szám
MAGYAR CGYflAZ DR. KALMAN JANICS CZECHOSLOVAK POLICY AND THE HUNGARIAN MINORITY------------------------------------ 1945-1948 ----------------------------------After World War II, Czechoslovakia joined the Soviet Union in attempting to establish a homogeneous Slavic state. This once great democratic government set out ruthlessly to eliminate the country’s non- Slavic minorities, among them the Hungarians, who had been living in the area for centuries and considered Czechoslovakia their homeland. Backed by Moscow, the government planned to deport all 600,000 Hungarians, but were prevented from doing so by the American and British members of the postwar Allied Commission. Undeterred in their obsession with creating a pure Pan-Slavic world, the government stripped the Hungarians of their Czechoslovak citizenship and denied them the right to vote; closed all, except primary Hungarian schools in the predominantly Hungarian areas; fired the Hungarian teachers and all government employees of Hungarian background, not exempting even railroad clerks. By various means the Czechoslovak government tried to coerce all Hungarians to voluntarily emigrate, leaving their property behind without compensation. When it failed, the government put into effect its “internal dispersion” plan, drafting all Hungarians capable of work, including women and children, into labor service. Their property was confiscated and given to Czechoslovaks; they were packed off with their families in cattle cars and transported to various parts of the country. Economic advencement and many benefits are still denied to Hungarians who refuse to take Slovak names. Young Hungarian intellectuals are assigned to work far away from their communities in the belief that without their intellectual support, the communities will disintegrate. It is this cruel government policy and the sufferings of the Hungarian minority that Dr. Kalman Janies details in his book, the first ever on the subject. Dr. Janies reveals the facts and historical background of the persecution, often quoting official documents and publications on the subject. His writing is unemotional and scientific, although he, along with the Hungarians, is still persecuted. Dr. Kalman Janies was born in 1912 and still lives in his native Czechoslovakia. He is a physician and a sociologist. Undaunted by many years of degredation and humiliation, he refuses to give up his fight for minority rights. As a well known writer on the subject of minority problems, Dr. Janies has been the target of denunciation and harrassment. Since 1970, he has been unable to publish in his homeland or in Hungary and has been prevented from practicing medicine from 1978 — 1981. His case has been noted by the Commission People asked me what I was doing in my retirement from the active,, full-time ministry? I told them that since I retired from our Elyria Magyar United Church October 31, 1975, after 40 years in the bi-lingual (Magyar-English) ministry, 22 years of which in our Elyria Church (14 years in Fairport Harbor, O., 4 years in Gary, Ind.) I was serving as “Interim Pastor” in the 6th Church. Hearing this response, both Bishop Abraham and Rev. Kantor asked me to write about these interim pastorates for the “Magyar Egyház” * “Magyar Church”. When I retired from Magyar United Church of Christ, Elyria, Ohio, my wife Ida and Idecided to stay in Elyria in our own home. The Elyria Church honored me with “Pastor Emeritus” title, and asked me to continue serving as their Interim Pastor until a new pastor will be elected and called. I con-11. oldal on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and it has been reported to the United States Congress by members of that Commission. Dr. Janies’ book, Czechoslovak Policy and the Hungarian Minority 1945—1948 was published by a religious organization in Switzerland. It is banned in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Despite the ban, a moving introductory essay was written for the book by Gyula Illyés, an internationally known Hungarian writer. Illyés, the grand old man of Hungarian literature lives in Budapest, and although the recipient of several official prizes, is often in trouble with the government because of his outspoken views on Hungarian minorities. Dr. Janies’ book was translated into English by Stephen Borsody, an historian and publicist. The book was published by Brooklyn College Studies on Society in Change, and distributed by Columbia University Press. The book is available for $25.00 per copy from Columbia University Press, 1365 Brodway, Irvington, N.Y. 10533. sented to their request and served as interim pastor on a full-time schedule of services until June 6, 1976, when I retired again from this full-time interim ministry. During the following ten months I preached in a number of English churches in the area where they needed pastoral services. When the Columbus Hungarian Reformed United Church of Christ became vacant in 1977, the Church Consistory asked me to conduct the Hungarian Worship Services every other Sunday. We drove to Columbus Sunday mornings and returned home in the afternoon or evening. This service continued from March to November 1977. We enjoyed the warm Christian friendship of the Columbus people and their devotion and faithfulness to their Church. Following this period, my retirement lasted six months, preaching occasionally in area English churches. PASTOR IN RETIREMENT Rev. Béla P. Bacsó
