‘Archbishop Béla Witz visited me and asked me to bring the Holy Right Hand back to Hungary when we travelled to Salzburg. At first, fulfilling this request seemed impossible. But since I am well aware of what St Stephen’s Day means to Hungary, and how closely the presence of the holy relic is tied to its intimacy, I decided to help.’
‘Historians believe that the find indicates the important role of the region in Central European trade in the Middle Ages, and that the treasure could have been the savings of a merchant who buried it during a time of crisis.’
In its ‘Beyond the Óperencia’ series, Magyar Krónika is looking at the meeting points of America and Hungary, and at Hungarians in America, from penniless peasants to political emigrants and soldiers of fortune. In this part, let us continue the story of Joseph Pulitzer, who, as a Democratic representative from New York, could even serve in Congress, but eventually chose the ‘fourth branch of government’ instead.
The city has been working continuously on the restoration of Fülek Castle since 2003. In addition to restoring the castle’s historical buildings, the municipality has also built completely new infrastructure for tourists, including a parking lot and public toilets.
‘The main theme of the competition was to create a fitting representation of the Hungarian national anthem, one of the deepest sources of Hungarian national unity, in the place where its lyrics were written.’
The Zsolnay Light Festival will be held in Pécs between 3 and 6 July this year. Attracting more than 100,000 visitors every year, it has earned its place among Europe’s most prestigious light festivals as the largest light-themed event in Hungary.
‘The idea first became a plan, then a highly acclaimed, successful advertising campaign…for which they needed to find a cow…The photographer accepted the assignment and travelled all over the Alps until he found the ideal model in the Simmental Valley. The animal was painted purple under strict veterinary supervision and then photographed. It has been Milka’s advertising cow ever since.’
‘The communist leadership made several attempts to reclaim [the coronation jewels], but the US side was not open to this until 1977. In December of that year, a Hungarian delegation was allowed to travel to the United States to identify the treasures, and in January 1978, the Holy Crown and other insignia finally returned home.’