Magyar Hírek, 1985 (38. évfolyam, 2-26. szám)
1985-07-27 / 15-16. szám
ABOUT THIS ISSUE The previous issue our journal carried an account of an important event in the life of the World Federation of Hungarians. At a special meeting of the Board, the President, Professor József Bognár paid homage to the memory of Dr János Gosztonyi, the recently deceased General Secretary of the Federation, then pointed out that it was the duty of the board to find a worthy successor who would carry on the good work. Imre Pozsgay, General Secretary of the Patriotic People’s Front rose to speak then to put forward in the name of his organization Dr Jenő Randé, journalist, diplomatist, formerly ambassador of Hungary to Austria. Dr József Bényí, Deputy Minister of External Affairs seconded the nomination stating that he considered Dr Jenő Randé, a talented member of the Hungarian diplomatic corps. When József Bognár also expressed his support, the board unanimously chose Dr Jenő Randé. The new general secretary thanked those present for the confidence expressed in him and promised to use his experience and knowledge to the full in carrying out his duties in this responsible post. Dr Jenő Randé was born in 1922, read law at the University of Budapest, then worked as a journalist and subsequently foreign correspondent of the Hungarian Radio, later as editor-in-chief of political broadcasts of the Hungarian Television. He began his diplomatic career in 1968. Initially he headed the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then he was appointed ambassador to Cairo in 1970, and ambassador to Vienna in 1978. (See also the interview with dr. Jenő Randé on p. 4 of this issue.) * The great progress achieved by Hungarian agriculture over the last quarter of a century is a well-known success story. We have already published articles on this subject a number of times, but in the Hungarian section of the present issue some background information is added from a completely different angle: two of the articles there are centred on the human factor that made possible the achievements of Hungarian agriculture. One of them was written about the people who laid the foundations of Hungarian agricultural professional expertese with their research work, organizing and educational activities, while the other introduces some typical members of the younger generation of Hungarian agronomists. Klára Perjés presents Sámuel Tessedik, a Lutheran parson, farmer and educator first among the outstanding agrarian scientists of the past. Sámuel Tessedik born in 1742, established a special agricultural college at Szarvas, where young peasant lads were given theoretical and practical training in the latest farming methods. János Nováthy, a contemporary of Tessedik, was an outstanding author of agricultural works in Hungarian. His recommendations inspired Count György Festetics to establish the agrarian academy of Keszthely. Ferenc Pethe was the father of the professional agricultural press, while Károly Wagner introduced the modern practice of forestry. The name of József Mathiász, the noted viticulturist, is widely known. Some of the varieties he established are still cultivated. I personally knew József Marek, a professor at the Veterinary Academy of Budapest. He was already living in retirement on Orbánhegyi út opposite our home, but people still flocked to him. Veterinary surgeons came to visit the old scientist, honorary doctor of English, French and American universities, corresponding member of several academies from all parts of the world. The world-famous wheat-improvers, László Baross, Elemér Székács and Rudolf Fleischmann, about whom Klára Perjés also writes, still dominated the fields of wheat of my youth. More recent sorts are of course cultivated now. It is an interesting exercise to become acquainted with some young present day Hungarian agriculturalists after familiarising oneself with the portraits of past giants. The event that inspired István Pokorny was the most recent annual meeting of young agronomists. This is an event convened by the Ministry of Agriculture to survey how these young people get on in their chosen profession. This time those met who graduated in 1981. After an address by the minister, Jenő Váncsa, on the situation of agriculture, the young agronomists themselves gave an account of their work. Pokorny draws the portraits of two of the participants. One of them, Mária Gyuris from Pusztamérges, a small village went to study at the Gödöllő University of Agrarian Sciences. Now she is a manager of stock breading at the co-operative of Pusztamérges. Dr. Jenő Randé The other young agronomist is Ferenc Takács, whose professional first job was at a co-operative of the Balaton wine district. He subsequently applied for an American scholarship, and went to the US with eighteen other young Hungarian agriculturists to study at a wine agrobusiness at Manteca in the San Francisco district. After eleven months there, he returned to the Balaton district to make the most of the knowledge he gained. * The situation and role of the national minorities is one of the problems at the centre of interest all over the world. This sphere of problems emerged recently also at the international conference on human rights held in Ottawa. Dr László Demus, the deputy leader of the Hungarian delegation to the conference, described the situation of the national minorities living in Hungary in his address as well as the political principles professed and practical measures implemented by the Hungarian government in this field. In the Hungarian section of our paper an interview is published with Dr László Demus about his address given to representatives of 35 countries, signatories to the final act of the European Conference on Security and Co-operation. Dr Demus emphasises that he tried to demonstrate the importance of national groups at this important international forum first of all by way of the situation of national minorities in Hungary. These ethnic groups and Hungarian ethnic minorities in the neighbouring countries are potentially bridges between the country and its neighbours. They must have a role in the development of cooperation among the peoples of the Danube basin, in using the heritage left to us from the common past for the benefit and prosperity of all. Continuing, Dr. Demus told the conference that 300,000 citizens of Hungary were members of south Slav, German, Rumanian and Slovak national minority groups. The Hungarian government guarantees them education in their vernacular and other special culture opportunities. This applies also to children of mixed-marriages and those, who only have a poor knowledge of the language of their forefathers. “One of the fundamental features of our national minority policy is” said Dr László Demus “that nations that form the majority must show consideration for the national minorities, and guarantee more rights to them in order to balance the disadvantages due to their smaller numbers, and to stimulate cultural, linguistic and other wants. This coincides with the obligations undertaken by signing the Helsinki Final Act. Dr László Demus also told the conference that Hungary provided kindergartens, elementary schools or special group-teaching facilities in teaching the vernacular of national minority groups everywhere where parents of 15 children required this. In practice teaching in the vernacular is organized and maintained even for groups of 4-5 children. Young people of national minorities have an equal chance to enrol in university and other academic courses. They are given an opportunity to study in the neighbouring countries in order to secure replacements for the professions of national minorities. The national minority policy of the Hungarian administration desires that members of the national minorities should feel Hungary to be their own country, yet their integration should not prevent, but rather assist them, in the preservation of their native language, culture and identity. Dr László Demus also pointed out that the Hungarian practice proved that only progress based on wide social equality and the full flowering of democratic rights could lead to a just and lasting solution of the national minority problem. “But we are also aware” he said “that a progressive social environment can only facilitate and not render automatic, irrevocable the just settlement of the grievances of national minorities. Declaration of ever-so-right principles is not sufficient for the transplantation of the rights of national minorities into practice. These principles must find expression in practical politics, and the institutional and material conditions of their assertion must be established ... Our desire and endeavour is that the national minorities in Hungary as well as people of Hungarian ethnicity in neighbouring countries and elsewhere in the world should fill the role of establishing closer links between Hungary and their countries. We reject nationalism in all its manifestations and present a united front against the fomentation of nationalist feelings, and any form of forced assimilation” he concluded. ZOLTÁN HALÁSZ FOTÓ: ISTVÁN SOMFAI 60
