This public holiday in Hungary is always celebrated on October 23rd.

This day commemorates the anniversary of two key events in the history of modern Hungary that both happened on this day; the 1956 uprising against the Soviet Union and the creation of the Republic of Hungary in 1989.

History

Following the end of the Second World War, Hungary had increasingly come under the control of their liberators from Germany, the Soviet Union.

Following democratic changes in Austria, some Hungarians had hoped for similar concessions in their country, but those hopes were quashed with the establishment of the Warsaw Pact in 1955, placing Hungary behind the so-called ‘Iron Curtain’. Demanding democratic changes and the withdrawal of Soviet forces, Hungarian students held a demonstration in Budapest on October 23rd 1956. The demonstration drew popular support and the crowds grew and similar protests broke out across Hungary. This led to the Soviets deploying tanks on the streets of Budapest in an attempt to take back control. Violent rebellion then erupted in all parts of Hungary, with uprisings removing the local government. A new democratic government ousted the ruling communist party.

On October 28th the Soviets called for a cease-fire, withdrew their troops and pledged to re-establish free elections.

However, on November 3rd 1956, the Soviets changed their minds. The new government was arrested and within a week the Soviet military had crushed the rebels and the short-lived revolution was over.

While the revolution may not have been successful, it was still seen as a significant event that hardened international opinion against the more oppressive aspects of the Soviet Union.

On October 23rd 1989, a date chosen to honour the 1956 revolution, Hungarians proclaimed the Third Republic of Hungary, amending their constitution to permit multi-party politics, public assembly, and creating a separation of power in the government.

In October 1991, the National Assembly declared an official national celebration on October 23rd, as confirmed by the 2012 Basic Law.

How is Hungarian Republic Day Celebrated?

October 23rd is observed as a solemn national holiday in Hungary. The main celebrations begin on October 23rd with the ceremonial hoisting of the Hungarian national flag in front of the Parliament building at 9 a.m. This is followed by various programs in the afternoon.

The iconic sign of this day is the Hungarian flag with a hole in the middle, symbolising the flags revolutionaries carried in 1956, after having cut out the Communist Rákosi coat of arms from the middle.

source: Office Holidays

5 szó magyarázatát olvashatjátok a következő feladatban. Találjátok meg a cikkben ezt az öt szót.

1.an agreement, usually between two armies, to stop fighting in order to allow discussions about peace

2.the police take someone away to ask them about a crime that they might have committed

3.to move soldiers or equipment to a place where they can be used when they are needed

4.an occasion when people show that they disagree with something by standing somewhere, shouting, carrying signs

5.something that is allowed or given up, often in order to end a disagreement, or the act of allowing or giving this

source: Cambridge Dictionary

keys/megoldások:

1.ceasefire; 2.to arrest; 3.to deploy; 4.protest; 5.concession

St Stephen’s Day Celebrations

Hungary is preparing for its St Stephen’s Day weekend, featuring a 34-minute firework show, a huge folk arts festival, and a celebration of Hungarian cuisine. Hundreds of celebratory programs will be held over the course of 3 and a half days at 17 different event locations.

Hungary’s August 20 Birthday Party Filled with Excitement

CEO of the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ), Zoltán Guller invited everyone to come to Budapest for the “gigantic fireworks show” which will be held on Friday (August 20), Hungary’s birthday. Taking place between the Margit and Petőfi bridges in the evening, more than 40 thousand fireworks will be shot up over the course of the 34-minute show.

In the morning following the traditional inauguration ceremony of new officers, the president will hold a speech, which will then be followed by an almost 45-minute airshow at 9 o’clock above the Danube. A parade procession celebrating the emblematic figures of Hungarian history starting at Heroes’ Square will make its way down Andrássy Street.

There will be outdoor youth events all day, as well as performances from Hungarian musicians. The Buda Castle Garden Bazaar will be turned into the Street of Hungarian Tastes, a name which speaks for itself, and even a retro party will be taking place in Tabán.

Festival of Folk Arts to be Bigger than Ever

As is appropriate for the celebratory traditions, the Festival of Folk Arts will also be held from August 20 to 22, turning Buda Castle into a time machine of Hungarian heritage.

This will be the 35th Festival of Folk Arts, the largest festival of folklore in Hungary. This year entry will be free, and the main theme of the festival, spanning from Kapisztrán Square to Holy Trinity Square, will be fishing and hunting.

There will be around a thousand masters of folk arts showing their work and hundreds of different performances, including craft demonstrations, visual workshops, fashion shows, folk dances, and folk taverns.

The guests of honour this year are the Turkic nations, who will be representing themselves with Azerbaijani carpet makers, Kazakh traditional costume makers and felters, Uzbek batik artists and Tatar leatherworkers, as well as craftsmen from Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.

Castle Garden Bazaar to be turned into a foodie’s paradise

The Castle Garden Bazaar will not be short of excitement either, featuring confectioners, bakers, and restaurateurs waiting for visitors on the Street of Hungarian Flavours. The goal of the event is to showcase the rich cuisine of the Carpathian Basin.

The theme of the event means that there will be visitors from, among others, Transcarpathia, Felvidék, and Őrség. The slogan of “In the grass and in the trees,” places the festival’s focus on naturally healing herbs, plants, foods, spices, and drinks.

This festival will also be where the winners of the Cake of Hungary Competition and the Bread of Hungary Competition will be featured. The Cake of Hungary this year is Sándor Fodor’s “Sunflower,” the Sugar-Free Cake of Hungary is Krisztián Füredi’s “Rose of Beszterce,” and the Bread of the Year is Zsolt Varró’s “Gem of Solymár.”

The competition had an exclusive “One with Nature” competition as well, which fits the environmental theme of the festival. This year’s winner is Krisztián Füredi’s “Nimród.”

With so much going on this weekend, it would be a big mistake to stay at home, and those who find themselves by the quayside will not want to leave until the celebrations are over.

source: Hungary Today

If you’re planning to visit the capital of Hungary, the most memorable time for your holiday here would definitely be in August. Every country has at least one date, one national holiday that is significant for its people and spectacular for its visitors. If you happen to be in Budapest on August 20^th, you can witness such an event and see how Hungarians celebrate one of their most important public holidays, Constitution Day. However, this day is not only about showing honour and respect to the constitution of the country, but it is also St Stephen’s Day,when Hungarians commemorate their first king. It was King Saint Stephen who laid the foundations and who brought Christianity to the region and to the pagan Magyar tribes, and united them under a strong Hungarian state and Catholicism.

St Stephen himself was born a pagan by the name of Vajk. His father was Grand Prince Géza of Hungary and his mother Sarolt was the daughter of a Transylvanian Hungarian nobleman. When he was baptized a Christian, he was given the name of Stephen (István). If it is true that the meaning of names can predetermine someone’s destiny, this second chosen name surely had some influence on the life of the later King of Hungary. Stephen was not only the name of the original early Christian saint; it also means ‘crown’ and ‘standard, norm’ as well. The later saint King of Hungary dedicated the Holy Crown to the Holy Virgin at his coronation and thus tied the standards of Christian doctrines to his rule, kingdom and future Hungary.

When Vajk alias Stephen reached adolescence, an assembly was called together by his father and they decided he would be his father’s successor as the Hungarians’ next monarch. This was perhaps the first sign that Vajk was going to bring a change in the lives and ways of the Magyar tribes. Until then, according to the tribal customs, the right of succession went to the eldest close relative of the ruler. So not too surprisingly, following the death of Stephen’s father in 997, conflict burst out concerning the rightful succession. Stephen and his uncle Koppány, a pagan chieftain, battled for the status and power of Grand Prince of the Hungarians. The battle was won by Stephen, but it wasn’t solely his own Magyar supporters who helped him to this victory. Stephen had married Giselle of Bavaria, daughter of Henry II The Wrangler just a few years before his father’s death and the German in-laws helped the future king to his pedestal.

His coronation as King of Hungary was in 1000 and his reign lasted for 38 years. During his reign he largely expanded the Hungarian Kingdom and spread Christianity in the Carpathian Basin. In one of his first decrees, for example, he ordered that every ten village had to build a church and he invited foreign priests to Hungary. He also established counties in his kingdom to organize the administration of the country.

He was canonized on the 20^th of August 1083, becoming one of the most favoured saints in Hungary.

As a sign of his holiness, St Stephen’s right hand is still intact and it is known as the Holy Right. Today it is displayed as a relic in St Stephen’s Basilica.

On August the 20^th you can experience a widespread and varied series of programs in Budapest. The state programs take place in front of the Parliament at Kossuth Square and at Heroes Square. The Hungarian flag is hoisted, marching bands play, there are archery shows, dances, traditional Hungarian crafts workshops, ox and poultry roasted on open fires, etc.

Other festivals take place along and above the Danube. One of the most spectacular ones is the water and air parade. While the fireworks light the summer night skies, various dances tell the story of how Hungary was founded.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

The Crown of St Stephen was recovered after missing for decades by US soldiers at the end of World War II. It was hidden in an oil drum. It was kept safe at a Ft. Knox vault for 32 years before being returned to Hungary in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. Today it can be seen in the Hungarian parliament in Budapest.

memorable[ˈmemərəbl̩] – emlékezetes
significant [sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt] – jelentős
spectacular [spekˈtækjʊlə] – látványos
to witness [tu ˈwɪtnəs] – tanúskodik, bizonyosságot teszt
public holiday [ˈpʌblɪk ˈhɒlədeɪ] – nemzeti ünnep
honour [ˈɒnə] – méltóság
respect [rɪˈspekt] – tisztelet
constitution [ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃn̩] – alkotmány
to commemorate [tu kəˈmeməreɪt] – megemlékezni valamiről
Christianity [ˌkrɪstɪˈænɪti] – kereszténység
pagan [ˈpeɪɡən] – pogány
tribe [traɪb] – törzs
united [juːˈnaɪtɪd] – egyesült
nobleman [ˈnəʊblmən] – nemesember
to be baptized [tu bi bæpˈtaɪzd] – megkeresztelve lenni
to predetermine [tu ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪn] – előre elrendel, meghatároz
destiny [ˈdestɪni] – sors, végzet
influence (on) [ˈɪnflʊəns ɒn] – hatás (valamire)
to be dedicated to [tu bi ˈdedɪkeɪtɪd tuː] – valaminek szentelt
Holy Crown [ˈhəʊli kraʊn] – Szent Korona
thus [ðʌs]  – így
doctrine [ˈdɒktrɪn] – doktrina, tan
adolescence [ˌædəˈlesns] – serdülőkor
assembly [əˈsembli] – gyűlés,közgyűlés
successor [səkˈsesə] – jogutód, örökös
tribal custom [ˈtraɪbl̩ ˈkʌstəm] – törzsi szokás
rightful[ˈraɪtfəl]  – igazságos, jogos
chieftain [ˈtʃiːftən] – törzsfőnök
to battle for [tu ˈbætl̩ fɔː] – harc valamiért
pedestal [ˈpedɪstl̩] – talapzat
reign [reɪn] – uralom
decree [dɪˈkriː] – dekrétum, rendelet
to be established [tu bi ɪˈstæblɪʃt] – létesít, létrehoz
to be canonized [tu bi ˈkænənaɪzd] – szentté avat
holiness [ˈhəʊlɪnəs] – szentség
intact [ɪnˈtækt] – érintetlen
to be displayed [tu bi dɪˈspleɪd] – kiállítva lenni
relic [ˈrelɪk] – relikvia
widespread [ˈwaɪdspred] – széleskörű
hoisted [ˈhoɪstɪd] – felvont (zászló)
archery [ˈɑːtʃəri] – íjászat
ox/oxen [ɒks ˈɒksn̩] – ökör/ökrök
fireworks [ˈfaɪəwɜːks] – tűzijáték

Who was this girl? The photo that became well-known all around the world was taken by Danish journalists. Paul Raae and his photographer, Vagn Hansen arrived in Hungary in the autumn of 1956. They didn’t have permission to enter the country but with some luck they still managed to. They joined a Red Cross convoy with their small Volkswagen, so they were among the first to get to Budapest. The Danish were shocked and stunned by what they saw. Paul Raae reported on how the crowd rushed at the State Defence Authority with bare fists. There was a girl for example, who jumped in front of a Russian tank to stop it. They took photos of victims, revolutionaries, youngsters and the elderly. They were at Üllői Road, near the Kilián barrack, and at Köztársaság Square. They met Erika somewhere on the way. The Danish photographer remembered the moment precisely, even decades later. “I accidentally managed to take a photo, which circulated the world and became the symbol of the revolution. I saw a beautiful, armed girl in a blouse with a serious look on her face, and I convinced her to pose for a few photos.”

This serious looking, beautiful girl was born in the 13th district of Budapest. Erika was three years old when she lost her father due to the war. She was brought up by her mother. She studied cookery and worked in Béke Hotel in the autumn of 1956. She often visited her uncle’s literature club. Endre Bondi was known as a conductor, composer and writer.

“The 15-year-old girl joined our arguments with surprising maturity. She had an opinion about the debates in the Petőfi Club, and she had fire in her eyes and she hoped for a democratic revival.” wrote journalist Tamás Földes about the girl. When the revolution broke out, she joined the rebels on the side of her friend, who was 3-4 years older than her. Erika probably spoke some Danish, because she spent a few months in Denmark at the end of the 1940s. This fact probably made it easier to take her photo. She got to Denmark with the help of a society called Red Barnet, which helped poor kids after the war.

A few days after the photo had been taken, Erika changed her rifle to a white gown and a Red Cross armband, to help the injured in the streets. She was in the process of helping the injured when a Soviet soldier attacked her. He shot a series of shots from a rifle that killed the girl immediately. According to her death certificate issued by Péterfy Sándor Street hospital, the cause of her death was a neck shot.

Henning Schultz was also 15 years old when Erika’s photo was published on the cover of Billed Bladet. He was deeply affected by it and sometimes wondered how great it would be to visit Hungary and find the girl, whose name he didn’t even know back then. People simply called Erika “the cover girl”. 50 years passed and the retired geographer embarked on a quest to locate the girl. He planned to find the heroic girl and give her three copies of the Danish Billed Bladet which he set aside for her in 1956. He first started looking for information on Internet forums but he barely found anything. So he travelled to Hungary and enlisted help from the Hungarian National Museum’s Historic Picture Gallery. He talked enthusiastically about the girl who he and his friends once admired so much.

“We all came to love her and thought that she was very strong, brave and pretty” said Schultz.

But his trip wasn’t successful. He contacted several Hungarian magazines in an effort to publish the photo so that someone might recognize Erika. Finally, Magyar Nemzet published it, but it didn’t bring about a breakthrough. So Schultz gave the newspapers to the Hungarian National Museum as a gift in 2008. He also arranged for the museum to receive the signed copies of photographer Vagn Hansen’s twelve 1956 photos, which were exhibited in the museum later. However, the quest wasn’t completely unsuccessful. Schultz found a Danish article from 1981, in which a ’56 refugee, József Árki said that he went to the same cookery school as the 15-year-old girl.

Hírszerző, the news portal investigated the story of the famous photo and eventually one of the journalists of the portal, Adél Tossenberger, came upon Erika’s surname based on Henning Schultz’ and Tamás Földes’s recollection. She then found the grave of the girl, who died a hero’s death at the age of 15, in the Kerepesi cemetery.

Her epitaph lovingly commemorates her as: “My dear little girl, my Erika, never to be forgotten, 1941. I. 6. – 1956. XI. 7.”

source: Daily News Hungary, Szeretlek Magyarország