Revisiting the Holy Crusades

Islamic scholars and activists who insist that Islam is a religion of peace go so far as to compare the crusades to, if not equate with, the jihad carried out by ISIS, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Islamic terrorist groups.

Antal Szerb

Did a Fellow Jew Really Beat the Great Writer Antal Szerb to Death?

Was the great writer Antal Szerb beaten to death by a fellow Jew, as a postwar indictment and online claims suggest? Drawing on court records, testimonies, and archival evidence, this piece revisits a murky People’s Court case to separate hearsay, vengeance, and historical fact.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (L) shakes hands with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico during the opening ceremony of the pipeline link between Slovakia and Hungary, in Tupá (Kistompa), Slovakia, 9 February 2015

A Tale of Two Generations

‘In the first phase, immediately following the regime change, the conservative generation aimed to emulate Western European models, often paving the way for neoliberal shock therapy. The second generation, referred to as the “new right” in Central Europe, formulated its approach based on the adverse effects of post-transition capitalism.’

‘My first elephant’ — Franz Ferdinand in front of a fallen elephant in Ceylon on 11 January 1893, during his trip around the world.

When Franz Ferdinand Went to See the World

‘Finally, what many had feared came to pass: the heir to the throne of the Austro–Hungarian Empire fell victim to an assassination attempt. Although he escaped the first attack unscathed, the Serbian terrorists made no mistake the second time around…The assassination went down in world history, but the life of Franz Ferdinand has been completely forgotten.’

Hungarian Opposition’s Ukraine Policy Is Nothing More than a Deception

Opposition leader Péter Magyar insists he would uphold Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s EU accession, even as his party sits within the European People’s Party—the bloc’s strongest advocate of Kyiv’s fast-track membership. The apparent contradiction exposes the political theatre that Tisza and the EPP are staging ahead of Hungary’s April election.