William Penn Life, 2012 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2012-01-01 / 1. szám

Crowning Glory (Continue from Page 13)

ceremony nor be seen. That would downplay the Communist element. Secondly, the crown would go to the Hungarian people, not the government. The receiving delegation would be made up mostly of religious groups. Thirdly, the crown and regalia must be put on permanent and public display at the National Museum.

In the five years before 1978, there had been 25 resolutions introduced in Congress requesting that the crown not be returned. But the more prevalent feeling of the Carter administration was that the crown's return was symbolic. Trade agreements and tax treaties were signed. "In 1990," King stated, "Hungary had left the Soviet fold and had warmer relations with the U.S."

A replica of the crown was made and taken to Atlanta, Ga., where it is on public display in the Jimmy Carter Museum and Library. That alone makes such a visit to the Carter Museum worthwhile. I can personally vouch that seeing the crown in such a place made my trip to the Carter Museum worthwhile.

Many feel that Cyrus Vance influenced President Carter's decision to return the crown, which was a pivotal

moment in the fall of Communism in Hungary. Ferenc Nagy, the former Prime Minister of Hungary, said, "Outside the country, it's only a relic, but at home, it unifies the nation to live."

So what does the crown now mean to Hungarians? Perhaps Professor August Molnár, founder and former president of the American-Hungarian Foundation in New Brunswick, NJ, said it best;

"The first time I saw it was an awesome experience I'll never forget. One sees the history of the country compressed in that crown. I went to Hungary soon after its arrival at the National Museum. It was as if you entered a church because it was such a spiritual experience. Then, I saw it a second time after it was housed in Parliament, and I had a totally different experience. In Parliament, it didn't have the same feeling to me that it had in the Museum. In Parliament, it was part of government and the administration, so it was different. But still, it's more than just as object—it's the symbol of a country, my homeland nation."

That seems to sum up the experience of all Hungarians who view the crown back in its homeland, and thus should be part of every Hungarian's trip to Budapest. □

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14 0 January 2012 0 William Penn Life