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An Outstanding Memoir of Hungary During World War II

History buffs who take an interest in central Europe and Hungary have long been at a disadvantage. The body of good works on Hungarian history remains largely in Hungarian. There are some great exceptions, of course, like Sir Bryan Cartledge’s work. But relatively speaking, really good stuff -- especially about the 20th century -- is difficult to find in English.

That's why I was excited to hear that Antal Ullein-Reviczky's memoir has just been published in English. German War - Russian Peace: The Hungarian Tragedy offers an account by a Hungarian diplomat who opposed the pro-Nazi regime that had been propped up by the Germans in occupied Hungary. He was also deeply wary of the Soviets. I read it not long ago in Hungarian, and it's a fascinating work. Translated from the original French by his daughter, Lovice Mária Ullein-Reviczky, it offers truly unique insight into the history of that era from World War II and early post-War.

You can find it on Amazon here. And here below is a short review by Peter Czink from the book jacket.

Ancient states are tempered through trial and adversity, and among these glorious nations Hungary remains a steadfast, glittering gem. A thousand years of introspection has yielded many heroes, and among them rests one of Hungary’s most forward thinking and sensitive citizens – Dr. Antal Ullein-Reviczky. His uniquely Hungarian story not only paints a poignant picture of his beloved homeland embroiled in 20th century conflict, it eloquently expresses the universal desire to protect and preserve what is most precious to us – liberty and security, for all human kind. Ullein-Reviczky’s influential life was particularly rich and diverse, yet he also represents a broader segment of society, those significant contributors to the betterment of humanity who seem to be overlooked. He was a key figure in Hungary during the Regency Period, and like many others, he is neither universally known, nor are his contributions fully appreciated in the non-Hungarian speaking world. His remarkable career deserves closer study – the man embodied a kind of sensitive heroism that never goes out of fashion, and is so necessary to every generation. The new edition of his memoirs, German War – Russian Peace, will bring to light this remarkable visionary’s ideals to the English speaking world. German War – Russian Peace, meticulously translated by the great man’s daughter Lovice, is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the 20th century.

Peter Czink

#Hungary #History #WorldWarII #GermanWarRussianPeace #Ullein-Reviczky #Featured

IMF and World Bank Reports Show a Hungary “Back on Track”

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank have recently released reports evaluating the Hungarian economy. The World Bank, as widely reported, predicts GDP to grow by 2.4 percent in 2014, while most saw as the key takeaway in the 68-page IMF country report (available here) the recommendation to end interest rate cuts (see an example here).

There’s more to them than that, though. These institutions tend to be reserved in their outlook, and the purpose of these reports means that they tend to point out possible problems or weaknesses in the economy. That’s why it’s difficult not to notice a distinct change in tone in both of them.

For example, here’s how the IMF report opens:

The economy is recovering gradually, helped by supportive macroeconomic policies, favorable external conditions, and improved market confidence. This, together with a welcome reduction in vulnerabilities, supported Hungary’s financial stability during bouts of volatility in emerging markets over the past year. Nevertheless, external and public debts remain high, thus making the economy susceptible to shocks; and the country faces subdued growth prospects. The government’s strategy to address these challenges included sizeable fiscal consolidation and unconventional measures that increased the state’s role in the economy and shifted the burden of adjustment to specific sectors.

As we saw with the European Commission’s forecast, which gradually became more positive about Hungary, the above marks a significant shift. It clearly affirms that Hungary is finally on the track of economic recovery. In all fairness, the IMF report offers up constructive criticism about Hungary’s economic policies – like I said, that is the main goal – but it has not been this positive for a long time. An IMF country report on Hungary will never be as positive as those who call for the country’s credit rating upgrade, but this is a very good sign that even those, whose aim is to provide critical analysis, point to Hungary’s impressive results on the recovery track.

Meanwhile, as the new government takes office, Minister of National Economy Mihály Varga has announced the government’s economic goals for the coming four years (link in Hungarian). As global markets settle and we see more positive indicators in some countries in Europe, Hungary will continue with policies to reduce debt, keep deficits down and stimulate growth.

#economy #economicrecovery #gdp #growth

Ukrainian President Poroshenko: “Kyiv Values Hungary’s Support and Solidarity”

With the recent inauguration of the new president and discussion of his plan for peace, Ukraine remains in the focus of European current events. Hungary, working in concert with the Visegrad Group, has been active since the conflict hit our eastern neighbor. The Orbán Government has maintained a firm position in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemned the violence in eastern Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko. Source: BBC

There was some commotion over a remark about ethnic minorities, trying to spin it as if Hungary was not siding with the Ukrainians (read more about that here). Lest there remain any confusion, let’s take a look at how the Ukrainians see Hungary’s position.

Last week, Ukraine’s new president, Petro Poroshenko, met with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Here’s their press release. Interfax, the Ukrainian news agency was a bit more detailed, here’s their report:

Kyiv, June 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko views Hungary as an advocate of Ukraine on the international arena.

"We see Hungary as an advocate of Ukraine in the international community," Poroshenko said during a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Kyiv on Saturday.

According to the Ukrainian president, Hungary is a very important neighbor for Ukraine, and Kyiv values its support and solidarity. Poroshenko also called for regional cooperation between Ukraine and Hungary.

For his part, Orban expressed his confidence that despite the current hardships, the situation in Ukraine would be stabilized. Today, Ukraine has a leader who enjoys extensive international support, the Hungarian prime minister said. He stressed that together they could stabilize the situation in the country.

Speaks for itself. Hungary is an advocate of Ukraine’s stability and freedom. The Government continues to work closely with the Visegrad Group and the European Union and NATO to reinforce stability and peace in Ukraine.

#Ukraine #foreignaffairs

PM Orbán Responds to Congressmen: ‘The Memorial to the Pain of Losing Freedom’

Hungary is planning a new monument on Szabadság Square, as I’m sure you have heard. The sole intent of the monument is to serve as a memorial to the victims of the German occupation of Hungary that began in March 1944. Nothing else. Much of the news coverage, however, has depicted the monument as an attempt to obscure the historical facts, to deny the Hungarian state’s responsibility in the Holocaust and place the blame on Germany. That is more than a little unbalanced, especially when you take into account how the current leadership of Hungary has done far more than all of its predecessors to openly acknowledge and apologize for the Hungarian state’s role in the Shoah. None of the previous leadership comes close.

Recently, 30 Jewish members of the United States Congress wrote a letter to Prime Minister Orbán asking for reconsideration of the memorial. In his response, available on the government’s website and here below, the Prime Minister explains the true intent of the memorial and describes the Government’s efforts to raise awareness of the Holocaust in Hungary, reinforce the historical relationship between Hungary and the Jewish members of the Hungarian nation, and fight with determination against anti-Semitism through constitutional guarantees, laws against hate speech and zero tolerance.

Dear Members of Congress, Dear Senators, Esteemed Friends of Hungary,

We Hungarians are always moved by and grateful for signals received from across the globe that show attention, compassion and sincere friendship. We are proud to have friends around the World, in America as well, who pay attention to the developments of Hungarian life.

#jewishlife #jewishaffairs #HolocaustMemorialYear #Holocaust #Nazi occupation #History #Orbán #featured

Hungary’s Credit Rating Due for an Upgrade

On Monday, one of Hungary’s best performing investment houses, Concorde, released a statement that they expect Hungary’s credit rating to be upgraded as soon as this Friday by Fitch Ratings. Late last month, Daniel Palotai, executive director of Hungary’s Central Bank was a bit more reserved, predicting an upgrade within the year. It’s about time.

It is true not just in the financial world, but elsewhere too that a credibility is easy to lose and hard to get back.

Following years of mismanagement of the economy, which left the country exposed when the financial crisis hit, Hungary tumbled into a downward spiral between 2008 and 2011. Under the Orbán Government, the economy has stabilized and turned to growth, but in the eyes of many credit rating agencies, Hungary remains in a higher risk, speculative category. That’s despite the fact that many indicators – from growing consumer confidence to increasing growth – point to a turnaround, and that has many in the financial sector calling for an upgrade.

An improvement in Hungary’s credit rating means more confidence from the markets and thus easier financing, a general improvement of the level of trust in the Hungarian economy. It’s not as if Hungary has had problems with financing – state bond yields are at an all-time-low and demand for Hungarian bonds is robust – but an upgrade would reinforce this healthy trend.

Hungary’s competitiveness is increasing and unemployment is dropping, reaching a rate lower than it was before the crisis. Investment is riding at a record high, and both retail sales and exports are increasing too. Have a look at these charts showing how investment, unemployment and the level of state debt have been improving since the change of the government in 2010.

An upgrade on Friday may be just a rumor. But it is becoming increasingly difficult for the credit rating agencies to ignore the brightening fundamentals of Hungary’s economy. It is time to upgrade the rating.

#economy #economicrecovery #creditrating #debt #fdi #gdpgrowth #featured

Hungary: Firm No to Horthy Relativism

From time to time, we come across the charge in international circles that the Hungarian government is supporting some sort of relativism or nostalgia for the country’s World War II-era leader, Admiral Miklós Horthy. Some may even lead you to believe that public places are being renamed for the former regent and new statues of the leader are now popping up all over the country. As I’ve written before, the government cannot ban statues erected on private property, no matter how disrespectful they might be to some, and therefore, unfortunately there are cases that the government has no control over, but the reality stands far from the picture often depicted by many of these sources.

The most recent news comes from a small town called Gyömrő, near the capital, that renamed its main square after Horthy a few years ago and now changed it to “Main Square.” Horthy’s role is really up to the historians to judge and is definitely not something the government should do. Today’s Hungarian leadership has conveyed clearly a respect for the victims of the Second World War and have acknowledged explicitly on numerous occasions and apologized for the state’s role in the Holocaust. Yet, some still doubt it.

Visualization: Google News

“The Hungarian state’s role in the Holocaust is unquestionable, and that’s the official government point of view,” said Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog in a February interview. László L. Simon, a prominent Fidesz politician active in cultural affairs, made similarly direct comments (available here in Hungarian) at a conference on Horthy’s role and the accusation of the government’s Horthy-relativism.

“[The Fidesz government] does not want to associate with that period in any way,” said L. Simon, adding that “for his role after the German occupation he [Horthy] cannot have a statue in this country, even despite the fact that he showed some virtue in stopping the deportations.” Straightforward and clear words.

Yet, upon the occasion of a municipal government in Gyömrő renaming “Horthy Square” to “Main Square,” Forward.com talks about “The [Hungarian] state’s distortion of its Holocaust history, including the role of the Horthy regime.” That’s a little unfair.

#horthy #history #worldwarII #WWII #antisemitism #jewishaffairs #jewishlife #minorityissues #holocaustremembrance #holocaust #Featured

PM Orbán Names Members of New Government

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has proposed the members of his new government. The list is available here. The nominees will testify before the relevant parliamentary committees before being formally appointed by the president of the republic, based on the prime minister’s nomination, and being sworn in in the Parliament.

Inauguration ceremony, source:Government.hu

Few surprises here as most members of the cabinet remain. Ministers Sándor Pintér, Zoltán Balog, Sándor Fazekas, Csaba Hende and Mihály Varga will keep their responsibilities, and Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén will become a minister without portfolio. János Lázár, currently a state secretary, will continue to lead the Prime Minister’s Office but has been named minister and will hold additional public administration and rural development responsibilities.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Public Administration Tibor Navracsics is replacing the retiring Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi in a ministry expanded with foreign economic responsibilities. It will become the Ministry of Foreign and External Economic Affairs, as Minister Navracsics explained in recent interview in the Hungarian weekly, Heti Válasz, and external economic affairs and trade issues will be supervised by Péter Szijjártó, who undertook a similar responsibility in the Prime Minister’s Office over the past two years.

There are two newcomers: László Trócsányi, former justice of the Constitutional Court (2007-2010) and former Ambassador of Hungary to Paris (2010-2014) has been nominated to the post of Minister of Justice (succeeding Navracsics) and Miklós Seszták, jurist and political figure specializing in economic affairs, has been named the new Minister of National Development.

The new government is expected to take office mid-June.

#NewGovernment #Hungary #ViktorOrban #Featured

Understanding the Juncker Story

Following Sunday’s European Parliamentary elections, the big question dominating EU-related news is who will be the next president of the European Commission. The new president will be elected by the new parliament and the member states, represented by heads of state or government in the European Council, have the right to approve the candidate or choose another.

There’s an important distinction here between political parties represented in the European Parliament and the member states represented in the Council. Fidesz MEPs are part of the parliamentary group of the European People’s Party (or, EPP), which has nominated Jean-Claude Juncker as its candidate for Commission President. However, a party vote in the European Parliament does not bind the position of a head of government. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, concerning his government’s vote in the Council, has indicated that he does not support Juncker’s candidacy.

Visualization: Google News

PM Orbán is not alone. Sweden’s Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeldt, also from an EPP member party, has taken the same position, as has Prime Minister David Cameron, whose Conservatives are members of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group. Reports indicate that Juncker’s support is eroding among other heads of government as well and that now even Chancellor Merkel appears lukewarm about his candidacy. Though the EPP won the elections, it became clear after Tuesday’s summit in Brussels that Juncker had “no momentum” and that EU leaders were leaving options open.

So what’s the problem with Juncker? Some media outlets attempted to paint this as yet another example of a combative PM Orbán tilting at windmills. But clearly this debate is bigger than that. It touches on core questions about the future direction of the European Union. Juncker’s position is straightforward: he wants to lead the EU into a more federalist direction. Leaders like Cameron and Orbán and Reinfeldt, but also leaders from Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands, would like to maintain space for a Europe of nations, where the member states retain certain authorities over EU institutions, maybe even expanded authority on some issues.

That’s what the Juncker story is really about. Hungary – along with many others – thinks the EU’s success lays in a different agenda that what the EPP’s candidate proposes and that’s the number one reason for not supporting Juncker despite similar party affiliations.

#euaffairs #diplomacy #foreignaffairs #featured #EuropeanUnion

Hungarian Innovation for a Cleaner Danube

It now seems like ages ago, but once upon a time, believe it or not, it was safe to go for a swim in the Danube in downtown Budapest. But the river fell victim to poor communist urban planning, and the “Blue Danube” pre-1990 became nothing more than a terribly polluted north-south highway.

A Hungarian innovation called the “Green Island” looks to change all that. Its part of an initiative of the city to “give the river back to the citizens,” mostly with reconstructions and redesigning public sites on the river.

Source:TankerPort

But it’s more than just renovation. The idea, which has drawn international attention, is simple: a solar energy-based station is established on the Buda bank of the river and provides green services to ships. It takes hazardous waste, like used engine or cooking oil, chemically polluted or waste water, and replaces it with fuel and clean water. It’s already an improvement that ships don’t just dump their waste into the river, but the real innovation lies in the technology, which meets the highest standards in waste management in Europe. The service center was awarded the “Budapest Márka” (Budapest Brand) title, an award given by the Metropolitan Government of Budapest. Hopefully, we’ll soon see the results and Budapest citizens and visitors will be awarded a cleaner Danube.

#greenPolitics #innovation #Danube

PM Orbán: ‘We’ve Won Big’

The governing parties, Fidesz-KDNP, captured another sweeping victory Sunday in the European Parliamentary elections.

I’ve posted the results below, but here are a few notes on the significance of this win.

Across Europe, the story of this EP election is about the huge gains of the far-right, but in Hungary, we saw a different story. The headline, as reported by Reuters, was “Jobbik stalls”.

In France, the National Front won the election outright, capturing 24.85 percent and 24 seats, a gain of 21 mandates compared to 2009. In the United Kingdom, the Independence Party finished first with 26.5 percent and 23 seats, an increase of 10 mandates. But in Hungary, Jobbik’s support in fact declined slightly, and the party will have only three seats in the European Parliament – the same as before.

Source: valasztas.hu

Fidesz-KDNP was the only member of the European People’s Party in all 28 countries to win an outright majority. In fact, proportionally, Fidesz-KDNP’s win makes the biggest contribution to the new EPP parliamentary group.

Regarding turnout, voter participation in Hungary reached 28.92 percent, the highest in the six central European member states.

According to Prime Minister Orbán, priorities for the MEPs will include the protection of Hungarian land, equitable taxation and the reduction of public utility prices.

#EuropeanParliamentaryElections #EuropeVotes2014 #Hungary #Fidesz-KDNP #Jobbik #FarRight #Featured

Hungary Boasts Biggest GDP Growth in Eight Years

In the first quarter of 2014, Hungary’s economy grew at the highest rate we have seen in eight years, 3.5 percent, drubbing analyst forecasts predicting 2.7 percent. Industrial output is at a three-year high.

That robust first-quarter performance took many by surprise, outpacing Germany, which saw a year-on-year growth of 2.5 percent, and even Poland, which grew at 3.3 percent. Even the Financial Times expressed uncharacteristic exuberance, reporting on its beyondbrics blog that “Hungary’s growth roars back.”

After all the debates about why the Orbán Government was re-elected in 2014, one of the key factors was that voters felt more confident about Hungary’s economic prospects. GKI, a prominent research institute often critical of the government, said its economic sentiment index had reached a 12-year high just before the elections. Twelve years. That means that confidence in the economy had not been so high since 2002, the end of the first Orbán Government.

The first quarter growth figures show that the confidence was not unwarranted. Hungary, like much of the region, is still recovering from the financial crisis, but even the Financial Times now seems to agree that the “Hungarian economic comeback really is underway.” Now, there is another important order of business: it is time to upgrade Hungary’s credit rating.

#economicrecovery #Hungary #featured

Jobbik’s Béla Kovács and His Alleged Russian Ties

Media have been all over the Béla Kovács story over the last few days. Hungarian press and even some international have reported the story about the member of the European Parliament from Hungary’s far-right Jobbik who faces allegations of using his mandate in the service of Russia’s interests vis-à-vis EU institutions. He has even earned a nickname in the Hungarian media: “K.G. Béla,” a play on the acronym for the old Soviet spy agency, KGB.

Hungary’s state prosecutor had turned to the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, to ask that Kovács’s immunity be lifted. That would require a vote and such a vote would, according to Schulz’s office, take place only after the European Parliamentary elections this Sunday and if Kovács is elected to the European Parliament again, as the Wall Street Journal reported. His prospects are decent as he is number three on Jobbik’s EP list. The party currently has three seats in the European Parliament.

Béla Kovács. Source: EuroNews (click here for video)

The WSJ story has other details about the case including comments from some Hungarian MPs who participated in the classified hearing on the case in the National Security Committee of the Hungarian Parliament. Apart from Kovács’s own party, Jobbik, the MPs called the evidence convincing. “It has become evident that Béla Kovács held relations with the Russian secret services in an organized and conspirative way,” said Fidesz MP Szilárd Németh.

Mr. Kovács’s good business and political relations in Russia do not come as news to those who watch Hungarian politics closely. Rumors of Jobbik’s close association with Russia have been out there for years. Kovács, who was an obscure figure before entering politics in 2006 as a financial donor to Jobbik and then enjoyed a rapid rise in the party, replacing a senior politician on the party’s EP list. He is frequently referred to as the “mysterious businessman” with Russian ties by Origo, one of Hungary’s leading news portals.

Many details are still coming out, but reports suggest that the request of the Hungarian prosecutor’s office is a result of cooperation between the Hungarian secret service and other European secret services, who have been investigating Kovács for some time. At the time of writing, Jobbik has not pulled Kovacs’s name from the ballot list and the party’s spokesperson has reported that Kovács has fallen ill and is now in hospital, adding that the reason for the charges is that half of the Fidesz parliamentary group is working for the CIA or Mossad.

#russianaffairs #foreignrelations #foreignaffairs #nationalinterest #spying #Jobbik #featured

Getting It Straight On Minority Rights and Autonomy for Hungarians

Prime Minister Orbán has made several references recently to ethnic Hungarian communities living outside Hungary. Some of the coverage, particularly related to Ukraine, has been a bit sensational (here’s a less hysterical, but still misleading report). Let’s take a look at the message, unfiltered.

The prime minister – in a speech, which by the way, did not focus on this topic as the main message – said that dual citizenship, community rights and autonomy are rights that every Hungarian community should enjoy simply because it is the right of every ethnic minority in the European Union.

LTR: Prime Ministers Tusk (Poland) and Orbán (Hungary) at GLOBSEC forum. Source: government.hu/Barna Burger

It was one part of a speech on his vision for the next four years of government, delivered on the occasion of his swearing-in ceremony, after being formally re-elected prime minister by the Hungarian parliament. He spoke about fighting unemployment, improving Hungary’s competitiveness, lowering energy prices and a number of other details central to the country’s renewal. Here’s what Prime Minister Orbán said about Hungarian communities outside Hungary.

It should be, the prime minister explained later at the GLOBSEC forum in Bratislava, up to the community itself to decide what kind of autonomy they need – related to education and culture, language or other. Prime Minister Orbán simply said that ethnic, historic Hungarian communities should be able to decide on their own fate.

Prime Minister Orbán has made it clear that it is in Hungary's interest to have a stable and democratic Ukraine, which cannot be realised without providing the minorities who live there, including the Hungarian community, what they are entitled to, namely: dual citizenship, community rights and autonomy. Europe has a number of examples where the legal institution of autonomy exists. As the prime minister has said, since the new Ukraine is being established now, this is the time to voice expectations. However, he also made it clear that with regard to Russian action that violates the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine, "we must support Ukraine."

This position on Hungarians abroad has been a feature of Hungarian foreign policy for years and, though it went unreported, is supported by other leading figures in Hungarian politics. András Schiffer, leader of the left-green LMP, has also expressed support for this position.

When Prime Minister talks of “autonomy,” he’s referring to the right of communities to decide what they want – completely in line with the EU principles of subsidiarity and the Copenhagen criteria of ethnic minority rights.

#foreignaffairs #foreignpolicy #minorityissues #hungarianminorities

Here’s What One Hungarian Media Executive Has to Say About Independence and Government Pressure

Featured on the cover of this week’s Kreativ Magazin is an interview with Dirk Gergens, the chief executive of RTL Magyarország. RTL Klub is a popular television channel in Hungary. It’s news programs regularly capture the largest audience share, and it has a reputation for being critical of the current government.

Source: Google/Wikipedia

At one point, the interviewer asked him about government pressure. Here’s the interviewer’s lead-in and Mr. Gergens’ response:

Q: Several have said about you that after the change of government [in 2010] you had to confront a completely different situation. Until then RTL Klub was like a “state within a state.” But now it has numerous debates with politicians on the right. They say that [adviser to the prime minister] Árpád Habony once called you because he was not pleased about certain news coverage critical of the government that appeared on RTL II.

A: Árpád Habony has never called me. Our news programs are independent. I heard the same thing back when the Socialists and Free Democrats were in government. Then a Socialist prime minister called me because he did not like RTL’s attitude. A Fidesz politician has never called me.

#media #mediafreedom #medialaw #nmhh #mediapressure

PM Orbán: ‘We Are Heading Toward the Centre’

Hungary’s new parliament, the first one with 199 members, convened last Saturday to re-elect Viktor Orbán as prime minister, his third term as head of government following the landslide victory on April 6th.

After taking the oath of office, Prime Minister Orbán gave two speeches. In a longer address, speaking to the members of parliament and others gathered in the chamber, he offered his vision for the coming term in office. Later, he addressed a crowd of thousands of supporters gathered outside on Kossuth Square to celebrate his victory and ask for support in the upcoming European Parliamentary elections.

Source: Károly Árvai/Government.hu

In this second speech, Orbán described the differences he sees between the governing alliance of parties, Fidesz-KDNP, and two of the opposition parties, the Socialists and the far-right Jobbik: the first group votes against the interests of and spreads misinformation about Hungary in Brussels, while the latter “hit the wall with their head,” going to the opposite extreme by calling for Hungary to leave the European community. This message of centrism was also a focal point in the longer address, outlining his vision and mission for the coming four years.

The prime minister emphasized that although the governing alliance has two thirds of the seats in parliament, it intends to represent the interest of three thirds of the country, every Hungarian.

The voters affirmed, according to the prime minister, their support for renewal. “The Fundamental Law, social structure building on human dignity, politics bridging liberty and responsibility are not subject of debate, nor are policies espousing a work-based economy and the unification of the nation…The key issues have been decided, with the voters ending the debates.”

Embracing dialogue, Orbán said that the government would need to hear the people’s opinion. In 1998, “I was Hungary’s youngest elected prime minister. Believe me. I’m not so young anymore to know the answer to everything.”

Orbán said individuals – inventors, sportsmen, and businessmen – could find success, but it was lacking the feeling of mutual success as a community. “We are heading toward the centre” and not to the extremes, he explained. Hungary is heading to the centre of Europe, and we “are building a new Central Europe,” a message he also conveyed during his recent visit to Germany, meaning that Hungary has to play a role in strengthening the European Union’s economy. This path, as Orbán explained, leads to wealth, but most importantly, leads to security. “We can reach far and high” in the next four years, he said.

“There is only one more question that needs to be answered, and that is: what is a good prime minister like?” The answer: one must know well the country. “If the government, with the prime minister at its helm, members of parliament and individuals affiliated with the world of politics understand the spirit, soul and will of the nation,” said the prime minister, “they will be able to serve those that elected them well. I would like to serve well.”

“I ask the Lord, that if he has allowed me to reach this point,” Prime Minister Orbán concluded, “I now ask him to give me more strength so that I can live up to the responsibility that bears down on me and awaits me in the future. I ask for my acts to always be guided by loyalty and reason. Soli Deo gloria! Glory to God alone!”

Read the English translation of the entire text of Prime Minister Orbán’s speech below.

Prime Minister’s Speech after taking the oath of office

Budapest, 10 May 2014

#ViktorOrbán #PMOrbán #government #orbangovernment

Will the Guttmann Football Curse be Broken?

That’s what fans of the Portuguese football club Benfica are wondering these days. CNN has the detailed background, but here’s the story in a nutshell: Béla Guttmann was a star player and coach back in the glory days of Hungarian football. He started his professional career at MTK, the legendary Budapest club renowned for its sharp offense and winning seasons in the first half of the 20th Century. Many of the club’s members were of Jewish origin, so the club suffered from the anti-Semitic politics of the 20th century. Its great membership dissolved over time and former players and coaches ended up at other European clubs and had a great influence on European football.

The statue. Source:BeyondTheLastMan

After leaving Hungary, Guttmann himself coached many teams in Europe and the United States with success. Under his leadership, Benfica won the national league in 1960 and 1961 and the European Cup in 1961 and 1962. With those titles, according to the legend, Guttmann asked for a pay rise and got into a serious dispute with the club’s management. He was forced to leave, but, notorious for his hot temper, he cursed the club on his way out the door. He swore that if he were forced to leave, Benfica would not win a European Championship for 100 years. True or not, it’s a fact that Benfica has not won a European Cup since then.

But Béla Guttmann has returned: the Portuguese club -- in collaboration with Hungarian Ambassador to Portugal Norbert Konkoly -- erected a statue of Guttmann in February for the club’s 110th birthday. It was done by a Hungarian artist, László Szatmari Juhos, and depicts the legendary coach holding his two European Cups.

That adds some additional drama to today’s match. Benfica is playing in the European Finals. Will the curse be broken? In any case, it promises to be a great match and regardless of the result, at the 18th gate of Benfica’s home stadium, Estádio da Luz, stands a fine statue of a great Hungarian sportsman who had a huge impact on European football.

#sports #guttmann #benfica #portugal #history #20thcentury #jewishlife #mtk #featured

A Letter that the Los Angeles Times Refused to Publish

Andrew Friedman, leader of the Hungarian Orthodox Jewish Congregation Bais Naftoli in Los Angeles, is not easily deterred.

Reacting to an article that the Los Angeles Times had published that painted, according to Mr. Friedman, a bleak picture of Hungary and the popularity of the far right, he sent a letter to the Times editors, highlighting some of the oft-overlooked efforts of Hungary to counter extremism, including promoting Holocaust education and making Holocaust denial a crime.

The L.A. Times declined to run it. So, Friedman decided to do something else.

Moved by Hungarian President János Áder’s touching speech at the March of the Living memorial event at the former concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Mr. Friedman decided to have the speech published as a paid advertisement in the Times. It’s about admitting responsibility, writes Mr. Friedman. Hungary, just like the rest of the world has its vandals and hooligans, but the country “has taken explicit responsibility for collaboration in the Holocaust and it is not attempting to distort its responsibility in the Holocaust.”

Commemorating the Hungarian victims of Holocaust at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum. Source: Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum

The speech, available at the President’s website speaks for itself. President Áder refers to the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp as “Hungary’s largest cemetery,” where the devil triumphed as nearly “half a million of my compatriots died” there. “It is a constant source of pain to realize that the Hungarian State did not oppose this plan,” said President Áder, “but in fact became an accomplice to it.”

In 2009, he Socialist-led government of Hungary discontinued sponsorship of the memorial site and museum, but the Orbán Government in 2013 renewed sponsorship of what is a memorial to the greatest loss of Hungarian lives. During this government, Hungary has explicitly acknowledged the Hungarian state’s responsibility in the Holocaust. Never before have such high-ranking officials made such frank admissions of Hungary’s role in the Shoah. President Áder has taken the lead in the process of accepting guilt, a taboo topic that had been swept under the carpet for many decades after World War II.

It is heartening to see that there are members of the Hungarian Jewish community in Hungary and all over the world, people like Andrew Friedman, who take a broader view and recognize this effort.

#Holocaust #HolocaustRemeberanceDay #HolocaustMemorialYear #jewishaffairs #antisemitism #presidentader

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Ferenc Kumin