The Day of Hungarian Poetry, celebrated annually on 11 April since 1964, honours the nation’s rich literary heritage and the enduring contributions of its poets, both past and present. From public transport recitations to literary gatherings, this vibrant celebration unites Hungarians in a shared appreciation for the power of language and the timeless themes of human experience captured in poetry.
Celebrate the Day of Hungarian Poetry by reading the English translation of poems written by some of the greatest Hungarian poets, Attila József, Miklós Radnóti, Mihály Vörösmarty, Endre Ady, and Dániel Berzsenyi!
Hungarians celebrate the National Poetry Day on 11 April; the birthday of the notable poet, Attila József.
‘I walked into the Garfield Scout House and enthusiastically presented my plans—singing, reciting poetry, reading, and analyzing short stories and poems. I was surprised at how excited the second- and third-generation youth became…They were genuinely interested because they had grown up hearing these stories.’
New York will host a Hungarian contemporary arts festival from 3–7 September, featuring exhibitions, theatre and dance performances, concerts, and workshops, offering American audiences a diverse introduction to today’s Hungarian art scene.
‘The fleshy vernacular of this new version of the Inferno forces us to slow down and see, feel, taste, smell, and almost touch the reality of our sin—as Christ did in the Incarnation. Perfect sight awaits us in paradise, but to attain it, our vision needs to be healed, one line at a time.’
‘In Hungary, unique master narratives have emerged over the centuries that live with us to this day. We can run into them everywhere in the most diverse segments of life: in culture, in education, even in politics. What exactly does the term master narrative mean and why is it so crucial to our lives and identities? What are the defining Hungarian master narratives?’
Across the country and beyond Hungary’s borders, the day is observed through a wide variety of cultural programmes. In Budapest, the National Archives opens its doors to visitors today, showcasing treasures such as the first edition of Kölcsey’s poetry collection, which includes the ‘Himnusz’.
George Szirtes, a Hungarian-born British poet, has been awarded the King’s Gold Medal for Poetry by King Charles III. The prestigious honour, established in 1933, recognizes his profound contributions to contemporary poetry and his exploration of global themes.
‘For István Käfer, one of the elements that has historically united both Slovakia and Hungary is, surprisingly, the language. Bálint Balassi, for instance, a crucial figure in Hungarian renaissance poetry, wrote his works in Hungarian, but he knew Slovak very well, which greatly influenced his thinking and language use. Cardinal Péter Pázmány also had a significant influence on the development of the Slovak language, by not only allowing, but encouraging its use in Catholic prayers.’