William Penn Life, 2018 (53. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2018-03-01 / 3. szám
Tibor s Take emphasis paid to the period 1859 to 1861. The book was published in 1880 in Budapest and was also translated into English for Americans and the British. A few pages of his memoirs are available on the internet, in which Kossuth explains and reveals his inner thoughts and feelings. The book is a unique look into the mind of an important historical figure. Unfortunately, very few volumes remain of this Kossuth autobiography. I am particularly fascinated by Kossuth's later years; there aren't too many failed revolutionaries who live into old age. I wonder how it must have felt-after the exhilaration of 1848 and the international fame and honors (including by our own U.S. Congress)--to see Hungary move on without him and into the belle époque of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To my recent surprise, an anonymous acquaintance gave me a small collection of printed material pertaining to Kossuth. This acquaintance enjoyed reading in William Penn Life my thoughts on how the upcoming generations must become stewards and caretakers of family history and artifacts of historical significance. With that in mind, and in my quest to learn more about Kossuth, I wanted to share some of these Kossuthrelated items with you. Among the items given to me were copies of the Kossuth memoir and the Komlos book about Kossuth. I also received an obscure book I had never seen before entitled, Kossuth in New England. Printed in Cleveland in 1852, it numbers in excess of 340 pages. This tome gives a detailed portrayal of the many speeches, gatherings, banquets and stops Kossuth made while in that area of the country. It also includes information on presentations and accolades given Kossuth by political types and other dignitaries of the region. There is a great deal of attention paid to historical facts and quotations. The final item was the prize of prizes in relationship to the former Governor-President of the Kingdom of Hungary: a professionally made frame containing a letter written 138 years ago, in English, by Kossuth himself. This letter had a particular effect on me. What thoughts and feelings went into this particular missive? In the spirit of our historical parlor games, I find myself asking: what would it have been like to be in the room, at the height of the revolution? What personal foibles of Kossuth's turned the tide of history? These artifacts provide few answers and raise even more questions. As a custodian of historical records, I imagine that there will be many more questions to come in the future. Éljen a Magyar, Tibor II Tibor Check, Jr. is a member of Branch 28 and an attorney working in Washington, D.C. Let's hear your take If you have any questions or comments about me or my column, please email me at: silverkingl937@ gmail.com, or drop me a letter in care of the William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. WILLIAM PENN LIFE 0 March 2018 0 7
