William Penn Life, 2003 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2003-12-01 / 12. szám
Magyar Matters Exhibit reflects Hungarian artists’ connection to and distance from Europe NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - Secreted away in what once was a Guggenheim mansion in Long Island, N.Y., is former Ambassador Nicholas Salgo's incredible collection of Hungarian art. For a limited time, the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation is whisking to its New Brunswick galleries that collection's best examples of 19th century Hungarian paintings and works on paper. This dynamic part of the Salgo assemblage is on exhibit through April 24,2004. Titled "Everywhere a Foreigner and yet Nowhere a Stranger: 19th Century Hungarian Art from the Salgo Trust for Education," the exhibition celebrates Hungary's accession to the European Union scheduled for May 2004. The title comes from a line in the diary of painter Baron László Mednyánszky dated Aug. 4,1887. "That thought expresses the theme of the show," said Oliver A. Botár, curator for the exhibit. "Nineteenth century Hungarian art and artists are both distinct from and yet very much a part of the larger European tradition." Botár is an associate professor of art history at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, and curates the collection of Hungarian fine arts in the Salgo Trust. The exhibit is comprised of 70 paintings and works on paper, depicting a variety of themes and representing several styles by internationally famous artists such as Mihály Munkácsy, József Rippl- Rónai, Béla Kádár and Pál Szinyei- Merse. The museum is located at 300 Somerset St., New Brunswick and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. A donation of $5 per person is suggested. Guided tours are available for groups. For more information, call 732-846-5777. Homestead, Pa., church celebrates 100 years of service to Hungarians MUNHALL, PA - The Hungarian Reformed Church of Homestead, Pa„ celebrated its 100th anniversary Oct. 19 with a special service followed by a luncheon and program at the Westwood Golf Club in West Mifflin. The congregation was organized in May 1903, but did not have its own building in which to worship until Oct. 1904 when a newly constructed church was dedicated. The church acquired property for a cemetery in 1921. Five years after that, the congregation had paid off the mortgage. The church attracted members from throughout the Pittsburgh area, the vast majority of whom were of Hungarian descent. At its peak, church membership was over 500. In addition to offering services in the Hungarian language, the church conducted kolbász and pork dinners, nut roll sales, grape festivals, dances, a vacation Bible school and a Hungarian language school. It also sponsored choirs, girl and boy scout troops, a credit union and sports teams for youth and adults. The church began offering bilingual services in an effort to attract non- Hungarian speaking members. Gradually, however, church membership and activities dwindled as families moved to the suburbs. The decline of the local steel industry in the 1980s cut the size of the congregation in half. Today, the church has 85 members, and services are said mostly in English save for one hymn and one prayer which are said in Hungarian. Still, the church remains a vital part of its members lives. It continues to conduct socials, dinners, picnics and other activities. Its annual kolbász and hurka sale is its largest fund raiser. In Brief Budapest makes Wallenberg 'citizen from The Budapest Sun BUDAPEST - Sweden’s holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg has been made an honorary citizen of Budapest. Mayor Gábor Demszky awarded the honor at a ceremony Nov. 15. Wallenberg’s half-sister, Nina Lagergren, handed the mayor a replica bronze statue as token of the Wallenberg family’s gratitude to the City of Budapest. Demszky said, “Raoul Wallenberg has done so much for this city, I believe that the honorary citizenship is the least we can do.” Study says crime affects 1 in 10 from The Budapest Sun BUDAPEST — Crime in Hungary may be four times higher than official police figures, according to the independent National Institute of Criminology (OKRI). OKRI found that more than 1.2 million citizens were victims of crime in Hungary last year; the police record for the same period was 243,582. The discrepancy highlights the fact that reported and actual crime rates may be quite different. Criminological experts say actual crime rates may be two to three times higher than recorded crime, but the 400% difference seems to contradict international experience. If you have news concerning the American Hungarian community, please write to: John E. Lovász, William Penn Life, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. You may also call us at 1-800-848-7366, ext 135, or send an email to: jlovasz@williampennassociation.org William Pen Life, December 2003 15
