Téli világ Barangol a vándorszinész Petıfi Sándor verse Egy falutól a másikig; Meleg ruhája nincs ugyan, De mindazáltal éhezik. Megölte valaki magát, Hol a boldogság mostanában? Az hozta ránk a rút idıt. Barátságos meleg szobában. Fuj a szél, táncol a tányér* A borbélymőhelyek elıtt. Hát a cigány? ... vacog foga Hol a boldogság mostanában? A rongyos sátorok alatt;
Barátságos meleg szobában. Kopogtat a szél, és bemegy, Bár a cigány nem szól: szabad! A napszámos, napszámosné Hol a boldogság mostanában? Tuskót főrészel és hasít; Barátságos meleg szobában. Daróc pólyában gyermekük A szélvésszel versenyt visít. Megölte valaki magát, Hol a boldogság mostanában? Az hozta ezt a rút idıt. Barátságos meleg szobában. Fuj a szél, táncol a tányér A borbélymőhelyek elıtt. Jár nagy léptekkel föl s alá Hol a boldogság mostanában? A katona az ırhelyen, Barátságos meleg szobában. És számolgatja lépteit; Kínjában mást mit is tegyen? *In the old days, Hungarian Hol a boldogság mostanában? barbershops had a metal plate Barátságos meleg szobában. hung in front of their establish ment, much as the barbers in A hosszu lábu drótostót the US had a red white and Kopott gubáját cepeli; blue pole. It signified the bowl Az orra érett paprika, in which the barber whipped up S hidegtıl folynak könnyei. the shaving cream for his cus Hol a boldogság mostanában? tomers. Barátságos meleg szobában. Although the middle of Febru ary in Hungary shows promise of spring to come, here it is still the middle of winter. The en closed poem about winter weather by Petıfi Sándor makes one wish for a “friendly, warm room. Ed. Gajakanyar (photo by masszogep) A Day in Hungarian History: February 11, 1945 László Papp Here is a little remembered World War II anniversary, but one that – for the sheer number of casualties and long lasting effects – surpassed most historic battles. We are indebted to László Papp for recording that momentous time in Hungarian history.
February 11 th , 1945 certainly does with flame throwers. To camou not live in people’s consciousness flage their lack of success for such as vividly as August 29 th , 1526 1, a long time, the besieging army yet one must still remember it, for it reported several hundred thou recalls in the same way that sand defenders. Malinovszkij’s “battlefield reddened by heroes’ supreme command tried to sup blood” 2 on which so many Hungari port this lie by rounding up ans were lost and which was fol masses of civilians who ventured lowed by the same type of foreign out from the cellars, who were occupation as was the battle of Mo taken as prisoners of war to the hács. Soviet Union. It is true that, without consulting Very little literature is available, Parliament, Prime Minister Bár dealing with the attempts at break dossy illegally sent the declaration ing out. A young historian, Ungvári of war to the Soviet Union, the Krisztián, researched this topic United States and Great Britain. It and wrote a doctoral thesis, which is also true that the Hungarian has also been published in Eng army, sent to secure the hinterland, lish (“100 Days in WWII”, 2003). was perfidiously sacrificed at the Galántay Ervin, a first year stu River Don. It is a fact that the ma dent at a military academy who jority of the remaining Hungarian served as messenger at Castle army broke its oath to the high Hill during the siege, also re commander and continued to serve corded his memories in an Eng the lost cause even after October lish language book (“Boy Sol 15, 1944. 3 It was tragic that Hitler’s dier”). Galántay studied architec madness designated Budapest as ture in Switzerland, and worked in the last possibility of holding up the the United States and in Vene Soviet army, and Szálasy, who in zuela. In his book, he quoted sev the meantime had fled, participated eral participants of the siege. in that decision. But this should not There were a number of military dim the memory of the soldiers academy students among the sol who fought and died a hero’s diers assembled at Castle Hill and death. remembers it this way: “They could not its environs, having come home to The remnant of the fighters who had take with them those wounded in bat their families for the Christmas holi been annihilated by the enormous So tle. The uneven struggle lasted all days and were stuck in the surrounded viet superiority, had fallen or become night. By dawn, the once shaded ave city. They considered it their duty to prisoner, attempted to break out of the nue lined with flowers had become a report for service. A plaque in the park surrounding ring. Of the 40,000 Hun cemetery, in the strictest sense of the of the Museum of Military History com garian and 35,000 German soldiers word. The corpses of soldiers, civil memorates six members of the Gábor defending Buda Castle, only 782 es ians, women and children lay among Áron military artillery school of Nagy caped from the ring of the estimated the uprooted trees and the ruined, várad. Kokovay Gyula Antal, one of 157,000 Soviet and Romanian troops. burning houses.” my classmates who had taken part in After the Red Army had encircled the From the day when the first tank ap the fighting and successfully got out capital at Christmas of 1944, numer peared at the outskirts of the Hungar during the February breakout wrote ous attempts had been made, during ian capital, until the Red Army occu about the events of that time: January, to break through the ring, pied Budapest, 102 days had passed; “Having become stuck in surrounded from both inside and out. All of these after the closing of the Buda ring, 49 Buda, my classmate Soltész István ended in failure, until finally a small days. By contrast, in Berlin it took a and I reported for duty at Naphegy on unit managed to get out on February mere two weeks, and 6 days for Vi December 25 th , 1944… On January 11 th . At that time, a troop of some enna to fall. From Buda, 782 people 2nd , they assigned us to the University 20,000. equipped with light hand escaped, the rest remained there on Storm Battalion at Rózsadomb. Here, weapons, started out toward Bu the streets, in the cemeteries. Eyewit my task among other things was per dakeszi, over the Olasz Fasor (today’s nesses reported that some of the sonally providing information to the Szilágyi Erzsébet Fasor). Deák Barla wounded in the cellars were destroyed castle command. After giving up the Rózsadomb, we marched to the Margit dered. biztosítására küldött magyar körút, finally the battalion, which had 6 1849 surrender of Hungarian troops hadsereget galád módon áldozták fel a shrunk to one or two platoons, with to the Russians. They had been called Don kanyarnál. Tény, hogy a magyar drew to the region of Castle Hill. On in by Austria when the Freedom Fight hadsereg megmaradt részének the evening of February 11 th , around 8 of 1848 49 was going in Hungary’s többsége a Legfelsı Hadúrnak tett o’clock, we managed to break through, favor. esküjét megszegve szolgálta tovább at the price of great losses. Our 600 7 One of the bloodiest World War I 1944. october 15. után a vesztett member troop headed toward Bu battlefields, in the Isonzo region of It ügyet. Tragikus, hogy Hitler ırülete dakeszi around 2 AM, on Béla király aly. Eleven battles were fought there Budapestet jelölte ki a Szovjet út, and then amidst infantry fire on over a period of two and a half years feltartóztatásának utolsó János hegy. For two days, we fought (1915 1918), and of the 200,000 Hun lehetıségeként és Szálasy, aki közben our way westward, through the ring of garian troops killed there, half of them már elmenekült, ebben részese lett. Russian troops, between almost con died at Doberdó. Ez azonban nem kell elhomályosítsa a stant defensive and offensive action. 8 World War II battlesite, where harcoló és hısi halált halt katonák Finally, on the morning of the 14 th , 36 120,000 Hungarian troops (some put emlékét. German and 9 Hungarian members of the figure at 250,000) lost their lives. 1945. február 11 én kísérelte meg a our troop got through at the village of hatalmas Szovjet túlerı által Mány. I separated from Soltész Pista László Papp, Hungarian born archi felmorzsolt, elesett vagy fogságba before the last assault. I have not tect, living in Connecticut is well known ejtett harcolók maradványa a győrőbıl heard from him since, neither have his for his design of the Hungarian Mu való kitörést. A budai várat védı 40 relatives heard about his fate…” seum of New Brunswick, New Jersey. ezer magyar és 35 ezer német Kokovay was declared a class alien He writes frequently about issues of katonából csak 782 szabadult meg a and was not admitted to the university. concern to the Hungarian American mintegy 157 ezerre tehetı Szovjet és He worked at Hódmezıvásárhely and community. román csapatok győrőjébıl. later at Inota as a locksmith, welder EGY TRAGIKUS Miután a vörös hadsereg 1944. and boiler man, until his retirement. karácsonyán bekerítette a fıvárost, Hungarian history is a series ÉVFORDULÓ január során számos kísérlet of sad defeats. In addition to történt a győrő áttörésére Muhi 4, Mohács, Nagyma mind kívülrıl, mind belülrıl. jtény 5, Világos 6, Doberdó 7 Ezek végül mind kudarcba and the Don River 8, it is per fulladtak, amikor végre egy haps fitting also to remem kis egységnek február 11 én ber, on February 11 th , Buda sikerült kijutni. Ekkor mintegy Castle and the attempts to 20 ezer fınyi csapat indult break out of there. neki az Olasz Fasoron (ma 1 Date of the disastrous bat Szilágyi Erzsébet Fasor) át tle of Mohács, at which Budakeszi felé könnyő kézi 21,000 troops, the king and fegyverekkel felszerelve. „ A all the leaders of the Hungar harcok közben ian people were annihilated megsebesülteket nem by the Turks. It marked the vihették magukkal. Az beginning of 160 years of egyenlıtlen küzdelem egész Turkish occupation of Hungary, and éjjel tartott. Hajnalra a szó szoros 1945. február 11. bizonyára nem olyan értelemben temetıvé változott az led to the Austrian dominion of the élı a köztudatban, mint 1526. egykor árnyas, virágsorral díszített country afterwards. augusztus 29., mégis emlékezni kell fasor. A kitépett fák és romba dőlt, égı 2 First line of epic poem “Mohács” by rá, hiszen ugyanúgy visszaidézi a házak között katonák, civilek, Kisfaludy Károly(1788 1830), which „hısvértıl pirosult gyásztért”, asszonyok és gyermekek hullái everyone learned in school. amelyben oly sok magyar vérzett el és hevertek ” emlékezett Deák Barla. 3 The day Regent Horthy ordered the amelyet ugyan olyan hódoltság Attól a naptól kezdve, hogy az elsı cessation of hostilities against the követett, mint a mohácsit. Buda harckocsi megjelent a magyar fıváros Russians, since Hungary had obvi elestérıl van szó, amely számunkra a határában és a vörös hadsereg teljes ously lost the war. második világháború befejezı aktusa egészében elfoglalta Budapestet, 102 4 Decisive battle during Mongolian volt. nap telt el. A budai győrő bezárása invasion of 1241, during which 10,000 Való, hogy a háborús hadüzenetet után 49 nap. Ezzel szemben Berlin Hungarian troops, including important Bárdossy miniszterelnök törvény mindössze két hét, Bécs pedig 6 nap military and religious leaders, per ellenesen, a parlament megkérdezése alatt esett el. Budáról kijutott 782 ished. nélkül küldte el a Szovjetuniónak, az ember, a többiek ott maradtak az 5 Plain where Rákóczi’s kuruc troops, Egyesült Államoknak és Nagy utcákon, temetıkben. A szemtanúk who had fought for freedom from Aus Britanniának. Igaz, hogy a hátország beszámolója szerint a pincékben levı trian domination (1703 1711), surren sebesültek egy részét lángszórókkal gyalogsági tőzben haladt tovább 600 pusztították el. Az ostromlók, hogy a fıs csapatunk Budakeszit megkerülve A Tribute to hosszú ideig tartó sikertelenségüket északnyugat felé. Két napon át szinte Oscar Balogh palástolják több százezres védı állandó védı és támadó akciók között We have to say good bye to another seregrıl tettek jelentést. Az errıl való küzdöttük át magunkat az orosz great friend. On January 20 th, 2012 hazugságot a Malinovszkij csapatok győrőjén nyugati irányban. we lost Oscar Balogh to a long ill hadvezetés azzal próbálta igazolni, Végül 14 én délelıtt Mány községnél ness. Oscar was born and raised in hogy tömegével fogdosták össze a csapatunkból 36 német és 9 magyar Transylvania (Erdély), now Romania; pincékbıl elı merészkedı polgári jutott át. Soltész Pistától az utolsó he immigrated to the U.S. in 1985 személyeket, akiket mint roham elıtt váltam el. Azóta nem with his family. Living in Transylvania hadifoglyokat vittek a Szovjetunióba. hallottam róla, rokonai sem értesültek under great oppression, Oscar was Az ostromról és a kitörési kísérletekrıl sorsáról....” faithful to his Hungarian heritage. igen kevés irodalom található. Egy Kokovayt mint osztályidegent nem After he became a U.S. citizen in fiatal történész, Ungvári Krisztián, vették fel az egyetemre, 1989, he loved his adopted country tanulmányozta, doktori disszertációt Hódmezıvásárhelyen, majd Inotán just as well. He wanted to know as írt a témáról, amely angolul is lakatos, hegesztı, kazánfőtı much as possible of the history of the megjelent („100 days in WW II”, munkásként dolgozott nyugdíjazásáig. U.S., and he also wanted to see the 2003). Egy elsı éves A magyar történelem szomorú, country. He took many tours on his hadapródiskolás, Galántay Ervin, aki vesztes események sorozata. Muhi, motorcycle to visit as many places as he could. Before he left on his trip, az ostrom alatt futár szolgálatot Mohács, Nagymajtény, Világos, he made sure he knew all about the teljesített a várban, élményeit szintén Doberdó, Don kanyar mellett, talán place he was going to visit. He had angol nyelvő könyvben („Boy Soldier”) helyénvaló megemlékezni Budavár és dreams to visit Nova Scotia, and örökítette meg. Galántay Svájcban az onnan való kitörési kísérletekrıl is Mackinac Island. His dream never tanult építészetet, Amerikában és február 11 én. materialized due to his illness. Oscar Venezuelában is dolgozott és tanított. wanted to know Europe also. He Könyvében megszólaltatta az ostrom Papp László wanted to visit Rome. Again, it did több résztvevıjét. not happen. His wife Zita, a great A várban és környékén összesereglett friend of mine, and his daughter katonák között több hadapródiskolás Abigél made a promise to Oscar: növendék is volt, akik a karácsonyi they will visit the places he wanted to szünetre családjukhoz mentek visit, but he couldn’t. Budapestre és a körülzárt városban Oscar founded Balco Interior Con ragadtak. Kötelességüknek érezték, struction; his clients and all he hogy ott szolgálatra jelentkezzenek. A worked with recognized and re nagyváradi Gábor Áron tüzér spected him for his for honesty and hadapródiskola hat hısi halottjáról a professionalism. Hadtörténeti Múzeum kertjében Oscar loved his family, friends and elhelyezett emléktábla emlékezik his God. As his illness was getting meg. A harcokban részt vett és a worse, his faith grew stronger. Even during his darkest and most painful februári kitörésben szerencsésen days, he had peace in his heart, and kijutó egyik volt évfolyamtársam, Oscar with Zita and his was resigned to the will of God. Kokovay Gyula Antal így írt az akkori Goddaughter Sunday in church a lady stopped me eseményekrıl: and asked me, “Was that your „1944 december 25 én a körülzárt Oscar and his motorcycle brother in law in the paper?” I guess Budán rekedve Soltész István she asked because she saw Zita’s évfolyamtársammal a Naphegyen maiden name is Szabo. No, I said he jelentkeztünk... Január 2 án az wasn’t, he was a friend. I would have Egyetemi Rohamzászlóaljhoz been proud to have Oscar for a helyeztek a Rózsadombra, itt brother in law or even for a brother. többek között a várbeli Oscar was a sponsor of Magyar parancsnokság személyes News Online, whose Treasurer is his tájékoztatása volt a feladatom. A loving wife, Zita. Rózsadomb feladása után Our sincere condolences to Zita, vonultunk a Margit körútra, majd a Abigél, his mother Mária Sándor Ba vár környékére húzódott vissza a logh, and his sister Orsi Varga zászlóalj, ( amely ) egy két szakaszra Balogh. zsugorodott. Február 11 én este 8 Farewell, my friend, and peace be óra körül sikerült nagy veszteségek with you! árán áttörnünk. Éjjel 2 óra körül a Karolina Szabo and the Béla király úton, majd a János hegyen MNO Editorial Board Memories of a Second Generation Hungarian: Interview with Mrs. Anna Kocsmaros Waller Martha Matus Schipul At the turn of the last century (1899 to 1900), some 100,000 Hungarians emigrated to the Bridgeport, CT area alone. Con sequently, there is still a sizable section of the population that traces its roots back to Hungary. They have much to tell us about those early immigrant days, and are a repository of local Hungarian history
Recently I had the privilege of a lovely name? My father didn’t like the kolbász. afternoon chat with my friend Fay’s 95 Terézia Fekete and my father was Jo year old mother, Mrs. Anna Kocsmaro s seph Kocsmáros. Did you help your mother make it? Waller, at Fay’s house in Trumbull. I started helping when I was about How many brothers and sisters do you fifteen. Before that I was too busy Tell me about your playing. family. How many children, grandchil Where did you dren and great go to school? grandchildren? Bryant School, I have seven chil then Maple dren, twenty seven wood Junior grandchildren, High. forty eight great grandchildren and Where did you ten great great go to church ? grandchildren. St. Stephen’s with Reverend Wow! That’s amaz Czernitsky. ing! Where were you born? What are some In Bridgeport, at of your favorite home on Salt Street childhood (near Mountain memories? Did Grove Cemetery.) you go to the The cellar had a movies? To Mrs. Anna Kocsmaros Waller at the Angel Fund Benefit held at the Trumbull dirt floor. I was the Rákóczi Hall? baby of the family. (CT) Marriott this past fall. Mrs. Waller won first place in the “Beautiful Hat” I really liked My mother couldn’t contest. She is shown here with three of her daughters the movies. nurse me so she There was the sent my sister to Horvath’s Pharmacy have? Their names? Liberty Theater on State Street and the to get the formula he made up. He Theresa, Margaret, Joseph. Theresa West End which Jack Schwartz ran. He kept me alive. died at 50 in Stratford, Margaret died gave me the job of counting how many at 98 in Dayton Ohio, and Joseph died people went to the Liberty with a No kidding! That was my grandfather . at 87 on Denver Avenue. I’m the only clicker to check out the competition. Kicsi a világ, no? Where did you grow one left in the whole family. My brother, Joseph, was the projec up? tionist at the Liberty and then the Bost On Denver Avenue. What did your father do for a living? wick Theater. I went to Rákóczi Hall He was a maintenance man at Bullard’s with my sister, and the Ritz Ballroom. I Near Lesko’s Funeral Home? for 25 years. He had a brand new saw Benny Goodman, Les Brown, Tex Yes, they are related to us. Chevrolet. He paid 300 dollars for it. Beinekke. We did the waltz and the foxtrot. Do you know where your parents came What kind of Hungarian food did your from in Hungary? When? mother make? What was your favorite? Did you go to picnics? My parents were both born in 1880. Oh, the stuffed cabbage! We used St. Stephen’s used to have picnics at They were both from Abaújmegye. My three kinds of meat, pork, beef, and Gypsy Springs, the heights above mother, who was already married to veal. After you boiled it, you added a King’s Highway across from Mountain my father, and her brother, John Fe mártás with tomato puree and barley. Grove Cemetery (see “Recollections of kete, went first to Pennsylvania. An We put in ham hocks for flavor. Jack Szepessy” in the December 2010 other sister moved to Ohio. issue of Magyar News Online. Ed.) Our Do you know your mother’s maiden What? No kolbász? father would take us in a horse drawn wagon until he got a car. They had Today, Hungary exports over 3,000 tons “sütni szalonna” and stuffed cabbage. Hungarian Mosaic – of paprika all around the world, and at the We still do sütni twice a year. You put a Paprika IV same time consumes just as much by it slice of onion and green pepper on it. self. Naturally, this amount cannot be pro You put it on Jewish rye with caraway During the 1980's Claudia and Joseph Ba logh wrote, edited and presented an infor duced with külüs . Among all the people seeds and then wash it down with a shot who participated with their ingenuity to mative radio series in the Bridgeport, Con of whiskey. develop the means to produce more pa necticut area as part of the weekly program prika, I would like to mention only two. Which grocery did you go to? featuring Rózsika and László, very well The Pálffy brothers, János, a blacksmith On State Street Cohn’s Bakery. They known and respected Hungarian musicians. and Balázs, a locksmith returned to made the Magyar kifli (large crescent The Hungarian Mosaic focused on a variety Szeged after their Western European rolls). Caraway seed was my favorite. of topics of interest to Hungarian Americans travel as journeymen. At that time, Szeged They had wooden buckets full of smelts. and we are pleased to present another of was hit by the great flood that devastated There was the Publix Market on Fairfield these topics. the city. Even though the paprika plant Avenue downtown with sawdust on the was destroyed, the city was back to nor floor. There was Haydu’s Market on mal in 10 years, producing even more pa State. Later, we went to King Cole and prika pods than ever. This was due to the Piggly Wiggly on Maplewood and George perseverance of the townsfolk and the Bodi’s Meat Market on Maplewood. Pálffy brothers’ inventions. They invented the roller frame which replaced the hard What did your family buy off the street physical work. Their invention speeded up from wagons? the crushing process. Vegetables from the farms, rags 5 cents Yet real progress came when the brothers a bag, ice 25 cents a bag. made a machine that revolutionized the quality of the Hungarian paprika, combat What Hungarian traditions have you ing its hotness. It was known through ex passed down to your family? perience that the pungency of the paprika The szalonna . I only talked Hungarian came from the capsaicin, which was con with my mother. We spoke English with tained in the ribs of the pod. This capsai my father. cin could be removed and washed off with In Hungary there are two well known ar the seeds. The skin has practically no hot It was the same way with my grand eas that produce paprika. Along the River ness. The new machine split open the mother and grandfather. My grandfather Tisza lies Szeged, and on the other side of pods and, with one clever movement, cut also wanted to be American . – You are the Hungarian Plain we find the Kalocsa out the ribs and seeds. This method pro 95 years old. What is the biggest change region, hugging the Danube River. Both duced the Szeged Noble Sweet Paprika you have seen in Bridgeport since you areas had an early start in supplying the that conquered the world in no time. were a little girl? world with the excellent Hungarian spice, The Hungarians did not stop at this point. The Thruway. It messed up the whole the paprika. They had a feeling the paprika had more world; and the big department stores. In a publication printed over a hundred potential that lends itself to improvement. We used to shop at Cederbaum’s for years ago, we learn about the watermills They found that the skin has the rich wool for knitting. My mother was a good anchored in the Tisza, grinding paprika. color, but is very dry. On the other hand, knitter and she crocheted bedspreads. We also gain knowledge about a village, the seeds contain an abundance of natural Fajsz, with a population hardly exceeding vegetable oil. It is the miller who deter What is your secret for a long healthy 2,000 at that time, in the Kalocsa region. mines what type of spice he is going to life? The people grew almost exclusively pa get from his mill. The proportion of the I’m here to keep the family together. prika plants, and they pounded the pods skin and seeds, and the amount of ribs themselves into powder with a wooden used for pungency will give a variety from What do you like to do now? mortar called külü . The külü is like a see sweet to very hot. The miller also has to I like to read as I can, magazines, saw, made of a heavy beam. At one end, know that the heat generated in the grind mostly. I still cook for myself – stuffed there is a cone shaped breaker with a ing process will be sufficient to make the cabbage, goulash, palacsinta with cot weight on it, and this fits into a hole. The oil flow but won’t scorch the red powder. tage cheese and grape jelly, and Magyar hole was a mortar and the breaker was He realizes that it should be warm enough kifli with prune lekvár and dió. the pestle. At the other end of the beam to slightly caramelize the sugar content of was a person who stepped on and off, the paprika. Since every batch differs by Thank you, Mrs. Waller. You are a real letting the breaker crash into the hole, nature, there cannot be a set rule. If you treasure to your family and the Hungar thus crushing the pods. This way, the ask a miller how he grinds paprika ian community . külü , with a day of hard work, produced a into different varieties, he will say, Martha Matus Schipul is a graduate of the maximum of 20 pounds of powdered pa “You just have to know how.” University of Bridgeport, a writer and a prika. Besides the külü , which every house playwright, and member the Editorial Board possessed, this small village also had 20 of Magyar News Online dry mills grinding the precious spice. Gyertyaszentelı tesznek egy égı gyertyát, azt lefedik medve a barlangjából kibújva meglátja egy üveg pohárral, akkor a beteg az árnyékát, akkor megfordul és Karolina Szabo meggyógyul, mert a szentelt gyertya visszamegy, mert még 40 napig tél lángja magába szívja a betegséget. lesz. Ha pedig hideg van, a „farkas Most is eszembe jut néha, mikor remé Mohácson a fejfájást is elüzetik vele. ordít be az ablakon”, akkor a medve nykedve mentem a piacra, hogy talán De még a torokfájás is elmúlik, ha egy kint marad, mert a tavasz itt lesz – talán találok; egy kis csokor ibolyát kicsi darabot lenyelnek. Tápén az hamarosan. kerestem. Február 2. Édesanyám név épülı ház fundamentumába tesznek Itt az Egyesült Államokban a Punxsu napja volt, és minden évben amikor a egy gyertyát, Szegeden meg a falba tawney Phil, a pennsylvaniai gimnáziumba jártam, vagy már dol egy égı szentelt gyertyát falaznak be. „groundhog”, tölti be a magyarországi goztam és a városban laktam, Ott nagy hatalma van a gyertyának. A medve szerepét. Hát csak essen a hó ibolyával leptem meg Édesanyámat. gyermekágyas anyát égı gyertyával február másodikán, hogy az a medve Bizony sokszor volt úgy, hogy még hó kerülgetik, hogy így elzárják a ill. "groundhog” meg ne lássa az lepte a földet, és gyakran a tél java gonoszok elıl. A haldokló ember ágyát árnyékát! még azután jött, de volt egy kis öreg is körbe járják; a fénye mutatja az utat néni, aki kiment az erdıbe és a fák a léleknek, a füst meg távol tartja a Candlemas Day töveinél kereste a kis korai virágocskát gonoszt és pár forintot kapott érte a piacon. A gyermek születése után a keresz I still remember sometimes how I Drága Édesanyám annyira örült neki, telıig a gyermek fejénél egy szentelt would go to the market, hoping to mert talán a hideg tél végét, a tavasz gyertyát gyújtanak, hogy az megvédje, perhaps – perhaps find it; I was look jövetelét jelezte számára. nehogy a a gonoszok kicseréljék a kis ing for a small bouquet of violets. Feb Nekem errıl emlékezetes február 2. pogány gyermeket. ruary 2nd was my Mother’s feast day, De ennél fontosabb nap ez a keresz Gyertyaszentelı napjához idıjárást and when I was attending the gim tény embereknek, Gyertyaszentelı. jósló hiedelmek is kapcsolódnak. Vihar, názium (prep school), or was already Gyertyaszentelı Boldogasszony ün jégesı, dörgés és villámláskor szentelt working and lived in the city, I would nepén megemlékezünk Szőz Máriáról, gyertyát gyújtanak és mellette imád surprise Mother with violets. Many aki Jézus születése után negyven nap koznak. Ha február 2. án jó idı van, a pal, a zsidó törvények szerint, bemu times snow still covered the ground, tatta Jézust a jeruzsálemi templom and often the better part of winter was ban. Az agg Simeon, aki éppen jelen still to come, but there was a little old volt a bemutatásakor, Jézust a lady who would go out into the woods nemzetek megvilágosítására szolgáló and search out the little early flower at világosságnak nevezte. Innen ered a the base of trees, for which she would Gyertyaszentelı szokása. A szentelt receive a few forints at the market. My gyertya Jézus egyik legrégibb jelképe. dear Mother was so glad to get them, A keleti és nyugati liturgiák máskép maybe because for her they meant the nevezik ezt a napot, de Magyaror end of the cold winter, the coming of szágon megmaradt Gyertyaszentelı spring. Boldogasszonynak, és már a XI. This is why February 2nd is memora században a Hahoti kódexben meg ble for me. But for Christians, it is található. A magyar középkorban a more important, it is Candlemas Day. tüzet megáldották elıször, és annál On the feast of Candlemas, we re gyújtották meg a gyertyát. member the Virgin Mary, who 40 days Magyarországon különbözı szokások after the birth of Jesus, presented him kapcsolódnak ehhez a naphoz. Kevés in the temple at Jerusalem, according falusi katolikus család van, akinek az to Jewish law. The aged Simeon, who otthonában ne lenne szentelt gyertya. happened to be present at the presen Van ahol azt tartják, ha a szentelt tation, called Jesus the light that gyertya nem alszik ki ezen a napon, would serve to enlighten nations. That akkor sok méz lesz abban az évben. is where the custom of Candlemas Kiszomborban kaptárokat is ezen a originated. The blessed candle is one napon tisztitottak ki. Hogy békesség of the oldest symbols of Jesus. legyen a házban, a kilincsre is kentek This day is called by different names in egy kis gyertyát. the Eastern and Western liturgies, but Azt is mondjak, ha a gyermek nyelve in Hungary it has remained alá egy kis darab szentelt gyertyát Gyertyaszentelı Boldogasszony (lit. tesznek, az korán megtanul beszélni. A Candle blessing Blessed Mother), and gyomorbeteg ember köldökére is is already mentioned in the 11th cen tury Hahót codex. In the Hungarian A tojás sárgáját, vajat, Middle Ages, fire was first blessed, lisztet, sót jól eldörzsöl and the candle was lit from that. jük. Apránként hozzáad In Hungary, different customs are juk a fél liter tejet, és ha connected with this day. In the vil már síma, akkor a tojás lages, few Catholic households are habját. without blessed candles. In some ar Levesmerı kanállal eas, they believe that if the blessed teszünk a palacsin candle does not go out on this day, tasütıbe (amit elıre meg forrósítottunk zsírral) és there will be much honey that year. csak egyik felét sütjük In the town of Kiszombor, this was meg. Tőzálló tálra csúsz the day they cleaned out the bee tatjuk és a tetejét (a hives. To make sure there was peace sületlent) megszórjuk in the house, they would smear a bit reszelt sajttal. of candle wax on the doorknob. Gyertyaszentelı a tiszafüredi plébánián Minden következıt egymásra rakunk és It is also said that if a small piece of it snow on February 2nd, that the megszórjuk sajttal. the blessed candle is placed under a bear, or rather the ground hog, may child’s tongue, it will learn to speak not see his shadow! A torta forma tésztát betesszük a early. A blessed candle is also placed sütıbe 350 fokon és kb. 30 percig bent on the navel of a person with stom Csúsztatott palacsinta/ hagyjuk, de ne hagyjuk kiszáradni a ach trouble, and is then covered with legfelsı palacsintát. Kivéve a sütıbıl, a glass; he will be cured because the Slipped pancakes olvasztott vajjal leöntve tálaljuk. During the winter, my Mom would give flame of the blessed candle will ab Lehet elıtte való napon is elkészíteni, several dinner parties. Our apartment sorb the sickness. In Mohács, it is és csak tálalás elıtt sütıbe tenni. was small, so she could invite only a used to banish headaches. Even sore few people at a time. She would decide throats are cured if a small piece is on a menu in the fall, and serve the Slipped Pancakes swallowed. same dishes at all of them. The year 6 egg yolks In Tápé, a blessed candle is placed in she served slipped pancakes 6 egg whites, beaten the foundation of a house under con (csúsztatott palacsinta), all her guests Half a stick of butter struction, and in Szeged a burning gave it rave reviews. 6 Tbsp flour blessed candle is built into the wall. This dish is easy to prepare ahead of Grated cheese The candle there has great power. time. Made with beaten egg whites, it is Melted butter a light appetizer which does not take Salt The mother giving birth is circled with away from the main dish that follows. It Mix egg yolks with butter, flour and salt burning blessed candles, to shut her can also be made as a dessert, without by hand until coarse. Slowly add milk; off from the evil spirits. A dying man’s cheese, but using walnuts or cottage mix until smooth. Gradually add beaten bed is similarly circled; the candlelight cheese. Jó étvágyat! egg whites. Mix gently until incorpo shows his soul the way, and its rated. smoke keeps the evil one away. After Grease frying pan and heat. With a la the baby’s birth and until its christen dle pour enough batter in frying pan to ing, a blessed candle is lit at its head cover the pan. Fry on one side; when to protect it, lest the evil spirits ex done, slide onto an oven safe dish, change the little pagan baby. fried side on bottom. Top with grated cheese. Continue frying pancakes until Weather forecasting beliefs also are all are done, sliding each on top of the connected with Candlemas. A blessed others, fried side on bottom. Top each candle is lit during storms, hailstorms one with cheese. Fry both sides of the and lightning, and people pray near last one. it. If the weather is good on Candle Put the stack of pancakes into the mas Day, and the bear, coming from oven. Bake on 350 degrees for 30 his den, sees his shadow, he goes minutes. Be careful not to dry the top back, because winter will last another one. Sprinkle melted butter on top before serving. 40 days. If instead it is cold, and „the 6 tojás sárgája Can be prepared in advance, and wolves scream through the window”, 6 tojás habja baked just before serving. then the bear will stay outside, be 6 dkg vaj May also be prepared as a dessert, cause spring will be here soon. 6 leveses kanál liszt skipping the salt and replacing the Here in the United States, it is Punx kicsi só cheese with cottage cheese or nuts. sutawny Phil of Pennsylvania who fills fél liter tej EPF the role of the Hungarian bear. So let reszelt sajt és olvasztott vaj A Shrove Tuesday Folk Móri völgy falvakban és a Balaton felvidéken, de most már Custom from Moha csupán Mohán őzik ezt a népszokást. Húshagyókedden The tradition of „tikverızés” can be fiatal legények (a bohócok) traced back as far as the 1700’s in the szalagokkal díszitett ruhában, villages of the Móri Valley and the Bala maskarában járják Moha utcáit, ton highlands. Today, this folk custom is és a lányok arcát korommal kenik practiced only in Moha. On Shrove Tues be, hogy megszépítsék ıket. day, the young men, masked and Ennek fejébe tojást vagy más dressed in costumes decorated with rib adományt kapnak, amit a bons (the clowns), walk the streets of legfiatalabb – úgymond Moha and smear the girls’ faces with soot „elsıéves” fiuk, akik lánynak to make them pretty. In return, they re öltöznek – gyüjtenek össze a ceive eggs or other donations which the karjukon hordott kosárba. Régen No one escapes being smeared with csak a sorozás után öltözhettek be youngest – so called „first year” boys soot. who are dressed as girls – gather into a legények bohócnak. Most már baskets they carry. In the old days, only fiatalabban kezdhetik, de csak az young men who had been drafted (and általános iskolát végzett falubeli had presumably done their military duty) fiatal legények vehetnek részt could dress as these clowns. Now they benne. can start earlier, but only those who have Azért hívják „tikverızés” nek finished elementary school may partici (tyúkverésnek), mert a tyúkokat is pate. bekormozzák, azért, hogy jobban It is called „hen beating”, because the tojjanak. hens are also smeared with soot so they A maskarás bohóc menet reggel a will be better egg layers. kulturház elıl indul. A menet elején The masked clown parade starts from the csetlik botlik a „szómatörök”, cultural center. At the head of the parade, akinek bı, fehér ruháját 30 40 kiló the „hay Turk” stumbles along in his am szalmával tömik ki, emlékeztetvén ple white clothing which has been stuffed a török kiüzésére. Mostanában with 30 40 kilos of straw, a remembrance már a kéményseprı is része a of the driving out of the Turks. Today, the menetnek. chimney sweep has also become part of A kormozásnak többféle the parade. értelmezést is adnak. Az egyik a Various interpretations have been given gonosz előzése; a másik, to the smearing with soot. One is that it termékenységvarázslás. És mivel drives out evil; another is that it is a fertil a nagyböjt kezdete elıtt tartják, ity rite. And since it is carried out before télőzı jellege is van a tikverés the start of Lent, „hen beating” also has szokásának. an overtone of driving out winter. Az „elsıévesek” szüleit illeti az a The parents of the „first year” boys have megtiszteltetés, hogy the honor of entertaining the masked par megvendégeljék a maskarás ticipants. In olden days, „hen beating” felvonulókat. Régen lakodalom was a part of post wedding revelry, when utáni mulatság része volt a the young men went through the village tikverızés, amikor is a legények to collect eggs which they fried after the hajnalban járták a falut és tojást wedding guests had gone home, and Húshagyókeddi gyüjtöttek, és miután szétszéledt a násznép, megsütötték és folytatták a then continued their revelry. népszokás: „Tikverızés” Today, the „hen beating” of Moha has mulatozást. become a tourist attraction, and the Mohán Manapság már turisztikai látványosság clowns cover not only the girls’ faces with Moha község Székesfehérvártól 10 km lett a mohai tikverızés, és bekormozzák soot, but also the faces of anyone they re fekszik észak nyugati irányban. Nem a nem csak a lányok arcát, hanem are able to catch. The population wel lakosság nagyságáról híres még az mindenkiét, akit el tudnak kapni. A comes visitors to Moha with home made 500 at sem haladja meg. Nem is annyira lakosság fánkkal, forralt borral és meleg fánk (Hungarian doughnuts), mulled wine az ásványvize teszi ismertté – bár már teával várja a vendégeket Mohán. and tea. 1374 ben feljegyezték az „Áldókút” Néhány éve az UNESCO felvette a Several years ago, UNESCO added the gyógyhatását. Manapság legfıképpen a mohácsi busójárást a nemzetközi busójárás custom of Mohács (see the húshagyókeddi népszokás, a kulturális örökség listájára. Ezen February 2009 issue of MNO) to the in „tíkverızés”, azaz „tyúkverés”, teszi felbuzdulva, Moha település is ternational cultural heritage list. The set népszerüvé ezt a Fejér megyei reménykedik, hogy ugyancsak megkapja tlement of Moha has been encouraged települést. ezt az elismerést a hagyományos by this and hopes to achieve the same A tikverızés hagyományát vissza lehet tikverızés szokása révén. status with its tikverızés custom. vezetni legalább az 1700 as évekig a EPF Strange, found some tracks in the snow, probably made by the strange crea but not so Strange : ture. Washington One night, the Hungarian member of the expedition heard stealthy move in Budapest ment outside his tent. He peeked out, and saw a shaggy form moving Despite the “observance of conven about the camp. The Abominable ience” which moves the remem Snowman! Pulling himself together, brance of Washington’s birthday to he took a flying leap, and landed on the nearest weekend, February 22 nd its back. At that, there came a remains the actual date of his birth. Here is an unusual – we might even stream of profanity from the crea call it a strange – place for his ture … in Hungarian! statue. “What! You speak Hungarian? How come?” asked the baffled explorer. The visitor to Budapest who wanders “Sure!” replied the creature, pulling through Városliget (City Park) might off his shaggy mask, and moulting be surprised, and think it strange, to into a human being. “The Abomina find a statue of George Washington ble Snowman is such a tourist attrac among the trees. It was erected in tion, the local government wanted to 1906 by “The Hungarians of Amer build it up. They advertised for the ica”, according to the inscription on position, and I needed a job… I have the statue’s base. In a way, it is OUR to wear large paw like boots, and a statue, erected by our ancestors. mask, and am not too well paid, but The idea of a statue of George it’s better than nothing…” Washington was first broached by Somehow, I almost believe the story, the leaders of the Hungarian not only because Hungarians have American community. It was to be “a been known to do crazy things, but sign of unity and … (would) symbol because … Kicsi a világ! It’s a small ize that Hungarians and Americans world! were tied together inextricably from the start”. This is how the American Hungarian Federation, founded in 1906, describes the initiative. The necessary funds were collected in record time, and the sculptor Bez erédy Gyula was commissioned for the task. The statue was unveiled on Kicsi a világ! September 16, 1906, an event at tended by several hundred Ameri can Hungarians who were led by This story appeared in a Hungarian Tihamer Kohanyi, editor of the Hun publication in the West, in the early garian language newspaper fifties. “Szabadság” and first president of the American Hungarian Federation. It seems an expedition was launched An all volunteer, non partisan, non by the British to discover, once and profit, charitable and educational or for all, the truth about the Abomina ganization of Hungarian societies, ble Snowman of the Himalayas. They institutions and churches, the aim of the American Hungarian Federation would search it out in its habitat, (Amerikai magyar szövetség ) is to and if possible, capture it for scien “defend the interests of Americans of tific research. As often happens in Hungarian origin in the US.” our crazy world, a Hungarian signed As we remember the “Father of Our on for the expedition too. Abominable Snowman of the Hi nd The team arrived at the foot of the Country” on February 22 , it is ap malayas from a movie propriate to take a look at “our” great Himalayan Mountain range, statue – a part of that “inextricable” and set up camp. They searched for tie! days, and were elated when they A szegedi utca jaj, de sáros Folksongs provide many clues not only about the culture, but also about the language. While this one refers to the state of the streets in Szeged before the end of the 1800’s, when the streets were finally paved, it can serve to point out some of the intricacies of the Hungarian language . A szegedi utca jaj, de sáros The street of Szeged A szegedi utca (is) o, so muddy. (Notice: jaj, de sáros no verb!) Végig menni rajta Going along it nem tanácsos, is not advisable, mert megfognak engemet, because they will catch me, megkötik a kezemet they will tie my hands, a zsandárok. the gendarmes, sej haj a zsandárok.. hey hey, the gendarmes.
De én könyörögni But I know very well nagyon jóI tudok. how to plead (beg). Megkérem a hires I will ask the famous zsandár urakat: sir gendarmes: engedjék el a karom. let them release my arm(s), a babámat akarom My sweetheart I want megölelni, to embrace, sej haj megcsókolni. hey hey, to kiss .
Szeged is an ancient city already mentioned in the 2 nd century AD. It is located in southeastern Hungary, and is the fourth largest Hungarian city. It is known for its production of pa prika, brought here in the 16 th century. It straddles the Tisza River, near its confluence with the Maros River, which explains why its streets were muddy – flooding was a frequent problem. In Turkish times, Szeged was the property of the sultan, which meant the city had certain privileges. (The making of slippers – szegedi papucs – was taken over from the Turks at that time . See “The Slippers of Szeged” in the October 2011 issue of Magyar News Online. )
Szeged was almost totally destroyed by the devastating flood of 1879. The people then vowed to build a church, which was com pleted only after WWl, in 1930. Called the Fogadalmi templom (Votive Church), it can accommodate 5,000 people. Its organ is the 3 rd largest in Europe, and its tower clock the largest in Hun gary.
The city was rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style, which gives it a co herent look. Nobel Prize winner Szent Györgyi Albert did his research on Vitamin C here.
The first two lines of this folksong (“ A szegedi utca jaj, de sáros” ) illustrate the principle that in Hungarian, the var ious forms of the verb “to be” often can be skipped: here, for example, the verb “is" is understood. Hol (van) a gyerek? – Where (is) the child? Magyar News To which one might answer: Ott . – Over there. Online
Similarly, prefixes can be used as an answer: 242 Kings Hwy Cut-off El ment már? – Has he/she gone (away) yet? Fairfield, CT 06824 To which one could reply: El . (Or: Elment . Or: Igen .) www.magyarnews.org Ki vitted a szemetet? – Did you take out the garbage? ( kivinni take out) Editor: Answer: Ki. Erika Papp Faber Be engeded a macskát? – Will you let the cat in? ( beengedni let in) Founder, Editor and Answer: Be . (Present tense can also express future action). Publisher Emeritus: Meg ette az egészet? – Did he/she eat it all? Joseph F. Balogh Meg. Túl adtál rajta? – Have you passed it on? Editorial Board: Túl. Robert Kranyik, Judith Paolini, zsandár phonetic spelling of the French word “gendarme", which was taken over by the Paul Soos, Austrians Zsuzsa Lengyel Martha Matus Schipul Engedjék el a karom let them release my arm ( singular ) Olga Vallay Szokolay Parts of the body are always referred to in the singular: a kezem my hand(s) Contributing Editors: a lábam my foot (feet) Victor Berecz, Eliz Kakas, a fülem my ear(s) Eva Hlacs, a szemem my eye(s) Dennis Rich, az ujjam my finger(s) When we speak of one arm, or one leg, (which is half of two!) we say: Webmaster: fél lábbal – lit. with half a foot Karolina Szabo Fél lábbal már kinn volt. He already had one foot outside. fél kézzel – lit. with half a hand – Assistant Webmasters: Megfogtam a macskát fél kézzel. – I caught the cat with one hand. Paul Soos, Joseph Ull fél füllel – lit. with half an ear Fél füllel hallottam . – I heard it with one ear. (I barely heard it. I wasn’t Treasurer: paying attention.) Zita Balogh
lin, according to his pianist friend violin players.” Did you know… József Balog. He was last seen on http://www.thestar.com/news/ …that there was a Hungarian hero in deck heading for a lifeboat. article/1118205 violinist saved chi ... the Costa Concordia Cruise disaster? Sándor is a terrible loss not only to Martha Matus Schipul Although much discussion of the his family, but also to the world of Costa Concordia Cruise ship disaster musical instruction. Like Zoltán Sándor Fehér off the coast of Tuscany has cen Kodály, he had developed tered on the apparently cowardly a new way of teaching actions of her captain, there has music to children. In this emerged the narrative of at least one case, it was a method for bona fide hero. Sándor Fehér, a 38 teaching the violin. Ac year old Hungarian violinist on the cording to a Youtube cruise, was the first person identified video, he had commented among the dead. “I would like to teach in Mr. Fehér placed life vests on several other countries… and use crying children before returning to this amazing new system his cabin to retrieve his beloved vio for the next generation of