‘When you move abroad, either of necessity or at your own initiative, the inevitable clash between the host and home cultures raises questions about the future of your mother tongue, culture of origin, and national identity. In a foreign language environment, the use of the mother tongue is not obvious, nor is the development and preservation of the original identity.’
Refugee groups started trickling in after the catastrophic defeat of the Austro–Hungarian empire in the First World War and the dismembering of the historical Hungarian Kingdom, resulting in the loss of many ethnically Hungarian territories for Hungary. The destruction of the war and the discriminative policies of the new states prompted many Hungarians to seek a better life beyond the sea. Latin America soon became an important emigration target, as the United States started to severely restrict immigration from Eastern Europe in the 1920s.
Denisa Bott-Varga has been an active member of the 110-year-old Hungarian American Athletic Club in New Brunswick and leader of the local Csűrdöngölő Folk Dance Ensemble since the early 2000s, when she arrived to the US from Slovakia. In 2023, she received an Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic for her work in Hungarian diaspora culture and folk dance. In the interview she talks about her passion for folk dance and her efforts to build and preserve the Hungarian community in New Brunswick.
‘I agree with those who think that historical authenticity should not be scrutinized in a historical adventure movie, because it should primarily work with exciting characters and a story that simply draws from historical events but does not aspire to document them. I still wonder where the vision of the course of history and its essential moments, mentioned by the producer, are to be found in the movie?’
The 95-year-old 56er Tibor Weinzierl (Várnay) talks about his adventurous life in Hungary, Canada and the US: his experiences as a prisoner of war, his musical career, his emigration, and his work ethic. Still very fit and active, Tibor Weinzierl worked until he was 87, then started compiling his book at the age of 90.
‘What ‘‘zestful life’’ means and how it can be achieved are answered in the book, starting from the premise that it requires ‘‘no special effort, skills, education or money’’. All it takes is following ten principles that are based on his family history, his respect for Hungarian music and culture as well as his practical life and working principles drawn from his private life and legal experience.’
‘There is a lot of interest from universities, professors, and students in studying in Europe, because we can offer an affordable degree and high-quality education in a world-class city. After half a year of training or education, students and teachers develop a commitment to Hungary that is a huge asset for the future.’
‘As a PhD student, I was very shocked to see that Harvard has had chairs of all sorts of relatively small nationalities (Slovak, Greek, Ukrainian, and so on), except Hungarian. These departments and chairs can only be created through international cooperation and the involvement of the business world, that is would need advocacy and money. We would need Hungarian academic departments and Hungarian professors in North America again.’
Hungarian American Tisza Fizli was born and raised in Los Angeles but currently studies economics in Hungary, at Corvinus University as a Diaspora Higher Education Scholar. In the interview, she talks about her Hungarian roots, her upbringing, and her love for the city of Budapest.
Diaspora Higher Education Scholar Oliver Zrínyi, who is currently studying in Pécs, Hungary, talks about his Hungarian roots, his passion for music, and his future plan of living and working in Hungary.
The Széchenyi István Hungarian School and Kindergarten in New Brunswick (New Jersey) celebrated its 50th anniversary. The welcoming speeches were followed by an award ceremony, where former school principal Gyula Varga was awarded; then, former principals shared their experience and thoughts on preserving our language and culture.
Andrea Mészáros has been an active member of the Hungarian community in Cleveland since her childhood. In the interview she talks about her family, her strong attachment and dedication to the Hungarian community, her different roles in its service, and her belief in the power of community.
The autobiography of Tibor Weinzierl titled From Hungary with Love. The Immigrant is not only a written record of a tumultuous life journey of a Hungarian Canadian, then Hungarian American singer and violinist in an extremely readable form, but also a historical documentary.
On 23 October 1956, István Üsztöke participated in the production of the famous sixteen points demanding democracy as a printer, for which he had to flee from Hungary. He emigrated to the US, where he worked as a printer until his retirement, then as a real estate agent, a candy man, and finally as a TV producer, for which he was personally honoured by former Hungarian President János Áder.
Gabriella Vajtay, an active member of the Hungarian community in New Brunswick, New Jersey, is the director of Reconnect Hungary. The interview with her revolves around the Reconnect Hungary Birthright Trip, a programme of the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation (HHRF), which enables North American young adults of Hungarian descent to visit Hungary.
At an online conference titled Cooperation under the Palm Trees held on 9 February the invited panellists represented various Florida-based Hungarian organizations. Participants from eight countries all over the world were able to gain insight into the exemplary cooperation of Hungarians in Florida.
An interview with Hungarian American political scientist András Ludányi on his family background, scouting, his teaching career, his political preferences, and the representation of Hungarian interests in the US.
A grand celebration was held at the Hungarian American Athletic Club in New Brunswick to mark the 70th anniversary of the Bornemissza Gergely Boy Scout Troop no. 5 of New Brunswick.
The book is extremely valuable in many aspects, for instance because it sheds light on the complex structure of the Hungarian immigrant society as well as of those of the Hungarian minorities in Transylvania and Vojvodina, and historical episodes less known to readers in the Hungarian homeland, thus providing valuable insights for those involved in diaspora studies, not only for interested non-professional readers.
In June 1952, a three-member girl scout troop was formed in Passaic, near Garfield. Less than two years later, on January 2, 1954, after many others had joined, the Executive Committee of the Hungarian Scout Association approved the operation of the girl troop by admitting it to the association, under number 38 and named Cicelle Rozgonyi.
The Hungarian dramedy set in Budapest was screened to a full house at the Walter Reade Theater in New York City as part of the New York Jewish Film Festival.
‘The resilience and admirable community involvement of the Hungarian Americans showcased in this publication—by which they essentially became the guarantee of the persistence of the Hungarian-American community—can serve as an example, inspiration, and reassurance for us all,’ Ildikó Antal-Ferencz wrote in the author’s note for her book.
‘People in Hungary should learn from those in the diaspora to cultivate their culture with a pure heart and love’, argues Kálmán Magyar Jr in an interview originally published on Magyar Nemzet.
‘My whole life has always been guided by a sense of duty to my family. Now we might as well go home, but we wouldn’t be any happier there…Here we are part of our family and can help if needed. We live in a Hungarian community; we are happy here. If only we didn’t miss Hungary so much…’
Hungarian dog breeds are among the most special dog breeds in the world with their outstanding intelligence, strength, rich spirituality and work ethic. Large, international events offer a great opportunity to shed light and distinguished attention on them. Their growing popularity on the American continent can greatly contribute to the increase in their numbers and recognition throughout the world.
The Cleveland Regös Group, founded in 1973 by Magdi Keresztes Temesváry and her husband András, has had more than 400 members in 50 years. It is made up of local scout leaders above 14 years of age who lead their 6–14 year old scouts every Friday, while on Tuesdays learn and practice Hungarian folk dances and folk traditions including an Easter fertility ritual, setting up a maypole in May, and singing carols at Christmas. They also carry out regular ethnographic research and collections, organize camps every summer and once in every five years complete a three-week long trip to Hungary and the Carpathian Basin.
An interview about rich family legacies, a sense of duty to serve the Hungarian diaspora in North America, and support for the institutions of the Reformed Church in Transylvania.
Editor-in-chief of the Toronto Independent Hungarian Radio, co-founder of the Paraméter Club and owner of the Toronto Pannonia bookstore Zsolt Bede-Fazekas spoke with Hungarian Conservative about the challenges of reviving the cultural life of the Hungarian community in Canada, and the efforts he makes to turn the tide and build bridges between diaspora Hungarians and the motherland.
Réka Sundem is a young Hungarian American proud of her mixed heritage. Brought up in a household where Hungarian was spoken on a daily basis, she decided to apply for a Balassi Scholarship and spent a whole year in Hungary, learning about Hungarian culture and improving her language skills.
The 62nd annual congress for the Hungarian Association took place on 24–25 November in Middleburg Heights, Ohio near the city of Cleveland in the United States. A whole slew of distinguished speakers, from the world of psychology, charity, clergy, and even NASA, spoke at the illustrious event meant to raise awareness of and celebrate the great work of Hungarian artists and scientists living in the diaspora.