Magyar Hírek, 1985 (38. évfolyam, 2-26. szám)

1985-12-28 / 25-26. szám

In New York as in Budapest

The First Hungarian Reformde Church in New York, the home of the „FÉSZEK"

"Hungarian New York" is still there around 2nd Avenue, although the locals reckon it has passed its prime. Taking a brief look on one’s first visit one finds it hard to accept what the old folk say, that the Hungarians have moved out. It is hard to believe, for one sees a Hungarian church in 82nd Street , one can call at Sándor Püski’s book-shop, where Hungarians gather in search of culture; there is a Hungarian butcher shop and travel agency, Paprikás Weiss the grocer and a Hungarian Restaurant. Crossing ihr Avenue with Mimi Mautner no less than three people greet Mrs Mautner, the Vice-Chairperson of the First Hungarian Literary and Debating Society. As always, she is in a hurry. A rehearsal awaits her. The next production of the Hungarian Theatre Association Inc. is taking shape there.

On the club premises, which are open from midday until one a.m., some people play cards, others read, but mainly we discuss world events which mostly means Hungarian New York and Budapest gossip, for three quarters of ihr company pay regular visits to the old country.

The present generation cherishes as sacred the memory of the founders of the Literary and Debating Society. When they will celebrate the centenary of its foundation in three years’ time, they will evidently list the most significant events, of which several worth remembering took place just recently: they raised funds for a small life-saving operation for Hungarian child in America, they bought, and sent to Budapest, equipment to diagnose heart complaints.

Doctors, and other yraduates

The Semmelweis Scientific Association is another old-established Hungarian institution. Its predecessor — then called American Hungarian Medical Association — was established in 1926 by Hungarian doctors, who migrated to America after the Great War.

I)r Bál Radnay recounts the history of the Hungarian Medical Association. He is well-qualified to do so, as a member, indeed, one of the most active members of this association.

“Our predecessor initially, that is

Hungarian shopwindow on the 2nd Avenue

in the years after nineteen twenty-six, functioned as a limited company. Its actual objective was to give a forum to Hungarian doctors living here, to help them in getting conversant with the English language, and to assist oneanother in finding jobs. Supporting the widows and orphans of deceased members was also an objective. There were twenty odd foundation members, thank God, three of them are still amongst us. More Hungarian doctors got here before the Second World war. It is not generally known that some of them fled from China when the Japanese invaded the country. Like the other Hungarian associations, our membership increased again after the Second World War, then again in 1956 — 57. The International Refugee Organization sent Hungarian doctors to us. We helped them to acquire the necessary qualifications, supplementary studies, and when they began practising medicine here they also joined us. In the meant ime we became a tax-exempt organization, after which we transferred whatever funds we raised to a major medical association in New York.”

“From the early seventies there were hardly any more new applicants for membership, so we decided to accept membership applications not only from doctors of medicine but also from other graduates. Today we represent the most diverse professions — biologists, lawyers, chemists, psychiatrists. Nevertheless, the organization of the Hungarian Doctors’s Ball — traditionally at the Hotel 1’laza is still our business. We can always count on four or five hundred people there.”

1 noticed a hefty volume on one of the book-shelves with a title on the spine: Paul A. Radnay: Anaesthetic Considerations for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

“It is about how patients can be kept alive even in the most critical circumstances” Dr Radnay explained. He has also lectured in Hungary on a number of occasions.

“Yes, I have been back to Szeged as often as on three separate occasions” he said. “My old fellow student, the late Professor Gábor Petri invited me. I graduated from Szeged fortyeight years ago. Albert Szent-Györgyi taught bioclu. .,.;try. He examined

us in a conventional manner, and even played ball with us on the campus. In 1951 he was the first we honoured with the Semmelweis Medal of our Association.

Fun at the Fészek

I was hoping to-meet him at an evening of entertainment arranged by the FÉSZEK Club of New York, where Rózsi Máj and László Dékány recited poems and prose by Petőfi, Attila József, Jenő Heltai and Karinthy. 1 was not disappointed. Gábor Carelli that speaks as Chairman of the FÉSZEK Club with attractive directness.

“We had a minor anniversary, a gala night recently”—he says. “The club was founded fifteen years ago. It was all Dr Zoltán Deck’s idea. At first we imagined a club for artists only, but it was obvious that there were too few of us to make a decent club. So writers and other members of the intelligentsia also joined. In the early years Katalin Katád y and István Barankovics still appeared regularly, and Imre Kövecs also dropped in now and then. Otto Herz, the unforgettable pianist was our chairman for five years.”

“We meet on Wednesdays and have reciting and reading nights on every other occasion. Generally about fifty of our membership of one hundred and forty come to meetings. We now welcome as members everybody who takes a close interest in culture, since we believe that to be a good listener is almost an ait.”

Just what is on offer“' Here are some programmes from the recent past: Miklós Forrai read a paper on Liszt; there was a György Faludy evening; last years’s New Year’s Eve cabaret—Teri Fellegi was the life and soul and organizer is still remembered with pleasure.

When 1 called on the Club they were planning a Eugene Ormándy memorial night, talks given by painter members, a night, when Mihály Hontvári was to reveal the mysteries of the Exchange to the interested and a travel talk by Gábor Carelli on his trip to Sikhim and Bhutan.

ISTVÁN BALÁZS

RADIO HUNGARY IN ENGLISH

The programmes are broadcast in English on Tuesdays and repeated on Fridays.

January 7th to January 13th

%ieen Elizabeth, the spouse of King and Emperor Franz Joseph. The great friend of the Hungarians who gave her name to Elizabeth bridge in Budapest was assassinated on September the 10th 1898.

“Why did the glorious figure, who wore her crown of martyrdom with so majestic a patience, had to die a martyr’s death?” asked Mór Jókai the novelist one day after the assassination. The answer to the question is given by Emil Niederhauser, a resscarcher of the Habsburg House.

January 14th to January 20th

Consolidation in Hungary after the First World War and the key figure of the process: Count István Bethlen.

January 21st to January 27th

Two major Hungarian poets of the early decades of this century: Árpád Tóth, and Gyula Juhász.

Árpád Tóth

Each instalment is broadcast live times during the week. The programme is transmitted first every Tuesday at 19.00 Greenwich Mean Time, it is then repeated four times according to the following sequence:

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