‘There are always fashions, there are always ideologies, there have always been, and always will be. Art managers and artists tend to ride the waves of fashion on a surfboard. But no matter how colourful a part of it is, the majority of society always wants to be somewhere in the middle.’
Today, on the Day of Hungarian Science, we not only celebrate the achievements of individual Hungarian scientists, but also the accomplishments of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences that was founded in 1825 at Count Széchenyi’s initiative.
Antal Horger famously vowed to never let Attila József, one of the most influential Hungarian poets of the 20th century, get his teaching certificate while teaching at the University of Szeged. For this decision, József went on to immortalize him as the cold-hearted, vindictive ‘overlord’ of the university in his 1937 poem Születésnapomra (For My Birthday), published just months before his suicide.
Although it must be acknowledged that King Rudolf of Germany owed his victory primarily to his perseverance and strategic talent, there is no doubt that the Hungarian auxiliaries compensated for the small size of his army and seriously confused the Bohemian King Ottokar II. It is highly probable that without the thousands of Hungarian auxiliaries, the German King would not have undertaken the clash at the time and place he did.
‘Hungarians who are looking for a way through this civilizational crisis should turn for wisdom and inspiration to a medieval poet who also lived through a period of tumultuous change, and who found a way out of the ‘dark wood’ of confusion by rediscovering faith in God, and in the things of eternity. Dante was not a Magyar, but like Magyars, he was European—one of the greatest Europeans who ever lived. He speaks to us today, across a sea of time, soaring above the heads of the bustling crowd of aggressive dwarves, and what his booming voice says is: Return.’
Although no Hungarian films have been selected for the competition, there will still be Hungarian connections. According to the festival programme, Slovak–Czech co-production Emma and the Death’s-Head Hawkmoth directed by Bratislava-based Iveta Grófová, will compete for the main prize. One of the lead roles is played by Hungarian actress Alexandra Borbély, who was born in Nyitra (Nitra), Slovakia.
‘Before the term “liberal” became ideological, it referred to much more general, non-political characteristics: open-mindedness, generosity, and the like…Liberalism, however, marked the triumphant beginnings of modernity, which aimed to create a political morality called “the conception of rational choice as the generator of political order”.’
‘Although the seemingly insurmountable challenge of these rapid changes may make us justifiably depressed, we need to think about the future of our children. Although they didn’t choose these changes, it is their lives that will be shaped by the processes that are starting now. It is up to us to make our voices heard—and the EP and Hungarian municipal elections will be a good opportunity to do so.’
With 170 exhibitors, 150 stands, and over a thousand book signings, as well as panel discussions, book launches, and concerts, the 95th Book Week will welcome the public from 13 to 16 June at Vörösmarty and Vigadó Squares, and along the Danube Promenade in Budapest.
This year, the event will feature over fifty programmes across four stages. In the afternoons discussions introducing prominent authors and their new works will be held, while evenings will offer musical literary productions envisioned for Margó. The festival will include performances by Tudósok, Miklós Vecsei and Gergely Balla with their Mondjad Atikám József Attila evening, while slam poets Pion x Krizsó will play from their Népi lira album.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
