William Penn Life, 2013 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2013-07-01 / 7. szám

by Tibor Check, Jr.

10 0 July 2013 0 William Penn Life

Hungarian Cultural Garden of Cleveland prepares to celebrate 75 years

Magyars love their gardens. It is embedded into our very souls to plant, nurture, harvest and enjoy the fruits of our agrarian labors. By listening to songs such as "Gyöngyvirágos Kis Kertedben," as sung by the late, great Borisz Feri, or "Szeretem a Kertet" with Lendvay Kalman performing on violin, you can envision just how we as a people savor the thought of working our hands into the dark rich soil of a garden.

Nearly 80 years ago, the American-Magyars of Northeast Ohio started with an idea to establish a beautiful common space that could enable the region's Hungarians to enjoy nature and Hungarian art, music, history and culture. By choosing a spot along what would become Martin Luther King Boulevard in Cleveland, the Hungarians of generations past sought to develop a unique green space for the enjoyment of all people.

On July 10,1938, the Hungarian Cultural Garden was officially dedicated. The dedication program and celebration drew a crowd of

15,000 people. The great Hungarian composer Franz Liszt was remembered in this extensive ceremony.

Despite the trials of World War II and the Magyar Revolution of 1956, the garden continued to grow and expand. Unfortunately, interest in the garden waned from the late 1970's until the mid-1990's.