William Penn Life, 2019 (54. évfolyam, 2-5. szám)

2019-03-01 / 3. szám

PETŐFI SANI»R SZÜLETÉSÉNEK ISO ÉVFORDULÓJA

Buildings

(sfü

Revolution

A café, a print shop & a museum

MAGYAR POSTA

GÄI F. DSU FÜLE M. sc.

by Judit Ganchuk

March 15,1848 marked the beginning of the Hungarian Revolution against the Austrian Empire, its monarchy and harsh censorship over 170 years ago. Hungarians today remember this Revolution by wearing a cockade pin in the Hungarian flag's colors while attending programs and events around the world.

History tells us Lajos Kossuth, Sándor Petőfi, Mór Jókai and Lajos Batthyány are some of the many famous Hungarians associated with the Revolution, but what locations are associated with the Revolution? As Americans, we have lofty ideas of how leaders in the past operated, but the truth is that this Revolution was sparked in everyday buildings like coffeehouses and print shops. The three principal locations in Budapest associated with the Revolution were the Pilvax Café, the Länderer and Heckenast Print Shop and the National Museum.

The rebels and revolutionaries had been meeting at the Pilvax Café long before the events of March 1848. Artists and intellectuals alike met at this café, one of dozens on that side of the city. At the Pilvax, the revolutionaries worked together to write the "12 Points," a list of demands. Included in this list were the abolition of serfdom, liberation of political prisoners and freedom of the press. The Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi wrote his famous poem here, "Nemzeti Dal (National Song)."

Long after the Revolution was squashed by the Empire, the original building was torn down in 1911. This address now has a memorial tablet that informs passers-by about the history of the location. This new building, near the corner of Petőfi Sándor Street and Pilvax Köz, houses some restaurants and bars. Farther down the street, you will even see the City Hotel Pilvax and the Pilvax grocery store. This area is a five minute walk from the worldfamous shopping district known as Váci Street.

The spark for the revolution was lit inside the Pilvax Café (top) where poet Sándor Petőfi wrote "Nemzeti Dal." The flames were fanned outside the Länderer and Heckenast Print Shop (center), before turning into a raging fire on the steps of the National Museum (bottom).

8 0 March 2019 0 WILLIAM PENN LIFE

Stamp depicting Petőfi at the Pilvax Café © Can Stock Photo Inc./rook