On the Trail of the Whiskey Robber s1

On the trail of the Whiskey Robber

Culture class – October 5, 2011

You’ve read his story, now find his targets. In the groups listed below, please make good attempts to find the sites given for your group. On your way to these locations, discuss the questions provided based on your reading of the book, and your time in Budapest this fall. By 8pm, try to be at the place where we met after the first scavenger hunt at Fovam Ter by the playground.

Group one – Sarah, Kyle, Lydia, Jeff Group three – Luke, Megan, Ainsley, Aemelia Gyorskocsi street jail Ute Hockey Rink Globe Royale casino Budapest Tours Travel Mor and Videke bank Death Star HQ

Group two – Fiona, Rebekah, Erica, Tanice Group four – Taylor-Mary, Kendra, Joel, Jen Eva’s car wash Planet of the Zorg Attila’s apartment Eurotours International travel agency Villanyi Street Post Office Budapest tours at Nyugati station Colibri Travel (failed attempt) Kemenes street Post Office

Group five – Chelsea, Amy, Ben

Fehervari Street Post Office Irinyi Street OTP Bakonyvideke Bank

Questions 1. Go over Rubinstein’s telling of the important role that Transylvania plays in the history of Hungarian/Romanian relations. How does this history affect the identity development of ethnic Hungarians born inside Romania? How did it affect Attila? 2. Describe one story of Nicolai Ceausescu that you learned from the book. 3. On page 42, Rubinstein draws a parallel between Attila’s horse paddock home and Hungary’s “shoveling out from under the stinking debris of communism.” What did he mean by this? What did Rubinstein point out in the book over and over again regarding the pros and cons of communist and capitalist Hungary? 4. On pages 62-64, Rubinstein tells the interesting story of the Hungarian Szekely’s and the Csangos – who do you think were his sources for this history, and what did you learn from his telling? 5. One way that the folk legend of the Whiskey Robber was able to grow into the popular consciousness was the idea of the bank’s money as “the people’s money.” How might that idea have played a role in Attila’s popularity among regular Hungarians? 6. On page 125 Rubinstein gives a bit of an overview of some of the activities in Cluj- Napoca, or Kolozsvár, in Transylvania. What does this history tell us about Transylvania? Our trip to Romania next week will include travel through and into Transylvania. Try to keep an open mind regarding ways that people talk and think about this contested area.