Remapping Samizdat

CEU eTD Collection Underground Hungarian and Publishing the Avant-Garde,1966 1975 to In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of degree ofMaster forthe requirements ofthe fulfillment In partial Arts Submitted to Central European University European to Central Submitted Second reader: reader: Second Remapping Remapping Supervisor: Supervisor: Department ofHistory Department Budapest, Hungary Budapest, Amy Brouillette Brouillette Amy Spring 2009 Constantin Iordachi Constantin Klaniczay Gábor Samizdat :

1 CEU eTD Collection copies may not be made without written permission of permission without bewritten made may not copies Author. Further themade. librarian. from any becopies accompany This form must library. University European lodgedCentral in the and may be obtained Details given byauthor instructions inwith accordance made may orinbe part, full with the lies ofthis material Copyright Author. in either byany Copies process, Copyright notice

2 CEU eTD Collection socialism. under late the state and dissidents between broader in the played intellectuals and artists androle inabroad. Hungary radical highlightthe aim to movements is principle subcultural The and youth avant-garde the of1960s-era underground context within they as unfolded projects writing these here purpose to examine the is hence, it societies: in socialist movements cultural counter and 1980s. upsurge 1970s late the with a recent and coincides in study subcultural interest This in evolvea would into theofwhat marking beginning and projects, publications underground post-1956 some ofthefirst country's generated circles Hungary'savant-garde endeavors, 1970s. artistic theand the 1960s in forits radical intellectuals known a is groupbetter and it While This project examines a series of early ofearly series a examines This project samizdat samizdat Abstract tradition, as well as to examine closer the relationship closer the to as examine well tradition, as publications by Hungary's avant-garde artists byHungary'savant-garde publications samizdat movementin

3 CEU eTD Collection Veronika Csikós. Altorjay, Tamás Szentjóby, Tibor Várnagy, Tamás Klaniczay, Júlia Szőnyei's, support,including and other key materials translations, interviews, provided who ofindividuals thank a number alsoto Iwish this project. andthroughout support assistance insights, both provided ofwhom Iordachi, invaluable Constantin andreader second Klaniczay Gábor supervisor project individuals:my the following gratitudeto express my to like I would

Acknowledgments László Beke, Gábor László Dóra

Halasi and Halasi

4 CEU eTD Collection Bibliography Conclusion: Generation” Samizdat and the Politics, “First Art, ofRebels 3: Community Chapter Happenings Hooligans, 2: Hippies, Chapter avant-gardes art, 1: Life, Chapter field Mappingthe Introduction: Acknowledgments P “ C S I D T H H T K H T R C magination/Idea zétfolyóirat he“Youth Problem” avant-gardehe “second” heoretical approaches, organization methods, Artistic” v.Artistic” samizdat “political” ost-1990: Legacies, Martyrs andHeroes Legacies, ost-1990: esearch of andscope study aims rackdown rackdown assák: The Activists reviewritical literature of umb Poetsumb avant-gardeungarian (1966-1975) appenings avant-gardeungarian ...... Table Contents of ...... 82 79 70 66 60 46 39 31 30 28 27 26 18 15 84 77 55 37 22 9 6 4 5 CEU eTD Collection 5 4 3 2 1 materials. zone” of“semi-legal” “gray upin Hungary'sambiguous are held many history, its aown is difficult undertake, comes with document to each task: and life-cycle; purpose an exercise materials, “illicit” ofthis era's a roughcount even Quantifying produced and distributed. illegally ofwhichwere someportion at thousands, least in the number films, journals— art, wordmail art, manuscripts, catalogs, exhibition artists photos, books, invitations, generation.” zoo. Budapest at the cage the lion even inside and businesses, and factories clubs,in and cultural university writings. Kandinsky's read poetry, flats to in of and translations texts forbidden and to politics, circulate art and to discuss anthe emerging region. across and creativity movement avant-garde to way states. had given socialist and inacross “thaw” Hungary post-Stalin root The youth radical upsurge and the through porous, Europe rather time that reverberating taken had America Introduction: field Mapping the Éva Forgács, “Does Democracy Grow under Pressure? Strategies of the Hungarian Neo-Avant-Gardemeant everything not expresslyThroughout against the late the system was “tolerated.” For a reviewcalled of the three effects Ts— of Aczél's on cultural life see: In 1966, Kádár's cultural minister, György Aczél, introduced a cultural at Exhibitions From Chapel policy which organized artistic expression by the so- Fine Art, 1991). Néray,“FromKatalin Neo-Avantgarde to Transavantgarde,” in in youngartists the1960s. of for sorts a became guru and and mysticism, about art, metaphysics wrote writer,was He late1940s. was in byauthorities the banned writings were criticwhose and philosopher social (1897-1968) Hamvas artists. amongavant-garde circulated and was reproduced Hamvas byBéla manuscript In 1962,a opt theterm“avant-garde.” for I to and avoidsuch complications, to of century. the 20th part theearlier in movement garde artists— among term—especially somewhat Itiscontroversial a and theavant- this between era distinguish to art bysome historians as the“neo-avant-garde” classified is era This often 3

Miklós Haraszti Haraszti Miklós was Proof IronCurtain at life. the cultural in Budapest's shift appeared In thea tangible 1960s, 4

The corpus of materials generated by avant-garde circles—posters, fliers, pamphlets, fliers, circles—posters, byavant-garde generated ofmaterials corpus The támogatás, tűrés 2 flats, private in They basements organizedand in and “happenings” exhibits called Hungary's radical artists of the 1960s and 1970s the “first the and 1970s “first 1960s artists ofthe Hungary'sradical called Balatonboglár (1998) documentary prepared by Edit Sasvári. byEdit prepared documentary (1998) Balatonboglár , tiltás (supported, tolerated, banned). It was a loosely defined system which essentially Catalog Hommage aEl GrecoCatalog Hommage

1 InHungary, meeting artists began samizdat

(Budapest 5 even items Which scholars are scholars prone a ofcultural burst samizdat : : Museum of Museum

CEU eTD Collection 6 from official and a stamp ofcensors houses. printing approval byvarying were arts progressive While materials printed and prohibited any was machines to photocopy access materials, track rogue to authorities to allow “sampled” was typewriter every patrolled: strictly remained space andPublishing stipends. halls, studio to exhibition access managed which agencies bureaucratic and local throughofstate a myriad artists to continued control state the life. cultural for“semi-autonomous” out space carved Yet arts, to the approach a more liberal despite intellectuals whichyoung artists and system, cracksin in the fissures created had policies liberalization in introduced effort Kádár's was consumer communism masses. to elite; over win the cultural with Hungary's to concessions win eased were mandates realist socialist 1966,heavy-handed After by governed more often was socialism clandestine classic, in the small circles, within circulated there–shuffled indrawers, away desk hand to hand, stored from officials. bannedand remained byparty bornillegally were Others andlater were publications legal domain public in the circulate right their to certifying to be appear not ofmaterials good number censor, a state put passed never of“cultural” category “tolerated” separate, to a belong and self-made nomatterif catalogs, orexhibition artists books as such and items writings political as qualify Press, 1989). Gordon Skilling, distributed), tapeonto and or there”), “over published thewest, writings in different number of bya materials of sources: a uncensored hugeencompass array “ to shortened was later roughlyto self-publish,” which“I translates The term, of publisher, state thename where poetrytheplace of manuscript in his unpublished Nikolai RussianGlazkov, 1952 with poet originatedin “samizdat” The term “ who typedtheword 251-260. Aspects/Positions: 50 Years of Art in Central Europe 1949-1999 1960s and the 1970s,” This illustrates the complexity of Hungary's cultural system, where censorship under late under censorship system,where ofHungary'scultural the complexity This illustrates samizdat Samizdat and Independent Society in Central and Eastern Europe andEastern in Society Central Samizdat andIndependent is a matter of debate: someargue ofdebate: a is matter “classic” samizdat Centropa magnizdat chain ofdelivery. chain VIII (2008): 36-48; and (recordings of music, speeches or live recordings). For a review of H. review this, see recordings).a For live speechesor of music, (recordings political climate and aesthetic tastes than hard-fast mandates. samizdat: samizdat: radizdat 6

Gábor (broadcast materials usually from foreign news sources copied foreignsources news from usually materials (broadcast — posters, fliers, exhibition catalogs fliers, exhibition posters, — they carry stamps from stamps officialthey carry houses printing Pataki, “The History of Hungarian Art, 1949-1968,” In

( and yet even some of these materials began as materials even someofthese and yet Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, 2000): samizdat samizdat is a spherereservedfor a is tamizdat (Columbus: Ohio State University State Ohio (Columbus: Gosizdat, ,” and would eventually come to eventuallycome would ,” and (western and émigré (western would normally appear. normally would s amsebyaizdat” amsebyaizdat” — samizdat required

. A

on an

CEU eTD Collection 11 10 9 8 7 broader view. the truncates before, path came that date,the birth obscures it 77. in ofCharter support letter ofHungarian “birth” the opposition movement. democratic in the involved fordissidents vehicles became ofunderground a number onthewhen like focus 1980s, journals movement political ofHungary's oeuvre the era larger into orto incorporatingthis was, forged it as artists, limited avant-garde byHungary's duringsocialism. late artists dimensions of known lesser forthe appreciation perspective. international and both a regional movementwithin the and situating and trends, circles variousartist examining and legacies, contributions era's toartistic the assess have begun and inabroad Hungary historians Art theeffort state's was ofuncensoredcommunication. flow serious to the stop underground orphoto-copied to type-written ofpaper journals scraps hand-written orprinted written materials illegal tracked authorities intensely detailhow files police Secret causeforalarm. immediate was an always materials ofillicit the appearance forauthorities, contract: cultural ofKádár's breach a were clear materials uncensoredorself-published “tolerated,” degrees University Press,1989).University Skilling,H. Gordon efforts reform andmovement political Hungary. in Bálint Nagy Beszélő (2008). Institute, Budapest Society Magnetism: theEffect Hungarian and (2002);of “Secession 1968onContemporary ofUniversity Bremen Art,” Open “Samizdat: atthe Studies European East Center for Research Europe,” Eastern and Central in Alternative Culture the1970s,” and the late1960s 1991; Néray,Katalin Neo-Avantgarde “From in transavantgarde,” to in 1960-1990,” Scene Rock Hungarian See Tamás The past decade has seen a surge of interest in avant-garde movements within the socialist bloc. socialist seena surgewithin has movements the decade The in past avant-garde ofinterest Éva Forgács, “Does Democracy Grow under Pressure? Strategies of the Hungarian Neo-Avant-Garde theHungarian of Éva Strategies Pressure? Forgács, under Grow Democracy “Does Throughout (Talker) oppositionleaders in launched 1981bydemocratic was Szőnyei's extensive work on the secret police files, including: policefiles, work onthesecret extensive Szőnyei's and György Petri Samizdat and Independent Society in Central Europe andEastern in Society andIndependent Samizdat samizdat samizdat 8 A on exhibits number ofinternational . It carried information on a wide variety of political subjects, including Polish Solidarity Polish including subjects, of ona political information wide variety . Itcarried 9 Centropa But far less attention has been paidunofficial to the been has efforts attention But farpublishing less and dissident movement. and 11 Yet of advent pegging the at the year 1977, when a group of Hungarian intellectuals signed a signed intellectuals a groupofHungarian 1977,when the year at Hungarian Quarterly Hungarian (2008): 36-48. VIII “ cultural” cultural” , 179 (2005): 80-90. , 179(2005): Catalog Hommage aEl GrecoCatalog Hommage

Most assessments ofHungary's assessments Most samizdat samizdat János “Kept onFile: and“Kept the Service The Secret samizdat to a fixed temporal moment, giving moment, a fixed temporal to

and artistic contributions made by made contributions artistic and Kis, Kis, Miklós art reflect a growing a reflect art (Columbus: Ohio State Ohio (Columbus: 7

Haraszti , Museum of Fine of, Museum Fine Art, 10

— Scholars often mark often Scholars and reveal how and reveal Beszélő , Ferenc samizdat — (Talker)

Kőszeg

from

CEU eTD Collection 13 12 who to configure journalists, tended and scholars of motif. examinations the from vs. state” early derives“dissident mostly This supporters. participantsand networkof“informal” within distributed a consumed and produced, how obscures unofficial ways—and unnatural were materials in andcircles artistic upintellectual splits genres. pacify, and to subvert indoctrinate to affair political a deeply societies inart socialist not only was reality: bearing in little division with a creates and politics between art field in the Splits by used underground” underground” “artistic the the so-called “political between and demarcation attending on analysis and political of cultural Critical review of literature avant-garde subcultural scene, both domestic and abroad. examine the various unofficial publishing efforts by progressive artists in the context of the emerging emerging in artists played roleunofficial toradical highlightthe to is aim and tradition. My publishing Hungary's within which conditions and historical political cultural, broken. was socialism first late under 66/4 66/4 (Winter605-629. 2007): by context, Soviet explored, the This in point Culture.” “The UnofficialKomaromiin Late Soviet of Field Ann Material Text of University Implications,” –Methodological Toronto, 2006,4. March Samizdat 13 Other questionable binaries dog the dogthe binaries Other questionable This diverges study “classic” from “first the examines This project samizdat samizdat

Dicing up materials by medium, by ideas, separates the end-product from the end-product producers— from the byideas, bymedium, separates upmaterials Dicing scholar “political” and “cultural” of pillars” to “twin refers the Ann Komaromi samizdat scholars and political scientists to organize dissident scenes across the socialist bloc. organize socialist to the across scientists scenes and political scholars dissident and oppositional movements in socialist societies. in socialist movements oppositional and samizdat, samizdat, the cleavage between art and politics, which governs the field the of whichgoverns politics, art and between the cleavage —

The purpose, by focusing on this era, is to analyze the broader to is analyze byfocusingonthis era, purpose, The but the cultural elite themselves moved fluidly between the two the moved between fluidly themselves culturalelite but the samizdat samizdat samizdat — generation,” when the when groundforunofficial generation,” publishing used to mobilize and mobilize and to used samizdat samizdat studies in key ways. It challenges the “twin pillars” the challenges “twin ways. It in studies key field: the most enduring among them is the is them among the most enduring field: and dissident activities through the “prism through the activities and dissident samizdat de 12 mobilize, to radicalize and to radicalize mobilize, with an along come This has samizdat movement first developed movement samizdat in a paper,a in “ bywestern Samizdat as Samizdat Slavic Review Slavic

CEU eTD Collection 18 17 16 15 14 emergence societies. by the in socialist groups ofdissident reinvigorated circles, academic western en vogue comein hadback verymuch of“civilsociety” notion intellectuals. European ofCentral inbya number variousforms articulated of theme a key had polis.” become motif “parallel polis” The “parallel ofan emerging evidence as byscholars society,” presented “civil opposition, or ofan independent realm, Europe. Central Inthis across societies and unofficial movements in publications dissident socialist state. totalitarian an all-powerful against struggling repression martyrs ofSoviet dissident-warriors, cast as intellectuals ofprominent ona focused number scholarship ofthe Cold battles ideological War.” in the liberalism soldiersofwestern “surrogate as dissenters Soviet to enlist quick were particular Cold fora “dramatic rights made human War script,” and IronCurtain forjustice the toilingbehind regimes. totalitarian intellectuals The ofRussian image of model” ona based “one-actor below” scholarship of“voices from produced reams which sphere, Cold of the War.” Press, 1993). JürgenAnd also: Habermas, theworld. around of democratization “third wave” the so-called and opposition movement thePolish in to response scholars in the1980s wasby the1970s, in revived political policy theory in discourses. arcane considered and international concept, The ofsociety,” “civil grounds ofsphere ideas public notion Habermas's journalistic which academic, phrase todayfloods a 158-187. Gordon see Skilling, above, H. various ideas society,” to as the“second opposed institutional sphere” “formal, of review the a For sphere. the“latent,informal” society,” of a “dual theidea Hankissdeveloped Elemér the“first society,” against juxtaposed made upthe which scholar Hungarian urges of this whicha idea. he in version is thestate, “anti-politics,” Konrád's from retreat polis.” a parallel comprise the that dynamic,open communities non-bureaucratic, “informal, independent, of an instance, spoke for forms. in Havel, articulated various the1980s, in Europe Central across and dissident groups Chartists strategy for and a groundingphilosophy which became 1970s, polis,” a “parallel ideaIn of thelate the BendaVáclav developed Slavic Review Benjamin Soviet of Material Existence “The Komaromi Ann Slavic Review Benjamin Nathans, “The Dictatorship of Reason: Nathans,Dictatorship “The Benjamin Aleksandr Volpin and samizdat In the 1980s, a new wave of wave In thea new 1980s, Nathans, “The Dictatorship of Reason: “TheNathans, Dictatorship Aleksandr Volpin and 66/4 (Winter 66/4 2007):633. (Winter 66/4 2007):630-663. was viewed as an “free and independent” communication channel of the democratic ofthe channel communication and independent” an “free as was viewed 14

See: Michael Bernhard, Bernhard, Michael See: Western Soviet to the devotedexclusively almost was and in1970s 1960s attention samizdat 16

In the context of context In the The Structural Transformation Structural The Sphere thePublic of Poland in OriginsThe Democratization of Samizdat and Independent Society in Central and Eastern Europe, andEastern in Society Central Samizdat andIndependent scholarship appeared, reinvigorated by the swellof bythe reinvigorated scholarshipappeared, Samizdat, 15 ” and many scholars and western journalists in journalists and western scholars and many Slavic Review,Slavic samizdat, 18 ofnew broughtThe rounds 1980s late the Idea of Rights under Developed Socialism” Developed of under Rights the Idea the Idea of Rights under Developed Socialism” Developed of under Rights the Idea this produced elite-centered this produced 63/3 (Fall 2004), 597-618. (Fall 63/3 2004), samizdat (New York: ColumbiaUniversity 17 the time, theAt same writings in the 1980s, in the writings : : a An Inquiry into

CEU eTD Collection 23 22 21 20 19 aspectsof symbolic and the material emphasizing Baudrillard, Jean Barthesand Roland Derrida, Jacques offersconcepts borrowing from Komaromi approach, Ann a “post-structuralist” at “unofficial” looking complexities. ofscholars its fuller it number culture outdated. considered turn Cultural empire. the bring would down socialist that truth” the forcommunicating channel “free as idealized which end ofcommunism—in a desired end-point—the from backwards working and scholars theorists had political mission that teleological an inherent with came this realm from which society. and “pre-Gutenburg”democratic frompress theof the rudimentary modern birth eraaxis to bourgeois in of“free western press” development society,revolutionary whichsets samizdat Europe andEastern in Central Society which in Europe, in Central society ofcivil elements comparative to examiningthe devoted scholarship A position. taken this have Komaromi, number including of scholars, 597. Soviet Samizdat,” Existence of Material “The Komaromi, Skilling,H. “ Gordon philosophy.and dissident European Central of examination recent most thebest, Press,2002) University is European Central (Budapest: Barbara Falk's, in 1989-1993 Consolidation Poland, and Democratic VisionsNew KeanePress, 1994);John ed. 1979): 60–112; and L.Cohen Jean Andrew Arato, Society,” theCivil of and theRebirth in L. Rudolf ed., Tőkés A 1968–78: Poland, “Dissentin of Rupnik, Revisionism Jacques The end includes: society oncivil sampling of literature BourgeoisCategory of (Cambridge: Society MITThe 1989). Press, samizdat samizdat For its overt geopolitical slant, much of the Cold ofthe slant, much its overtFor War-era geopolitical 21 , best articulates this perspective. , bestarticulates Scholarship from this perspective is grounded in Habermasian notions of the public sphere,in public notions ofthe in Habermasian grounded is this perspective Scholarship from (Oxford and Stanford, 1998); Grzegorz Ekiert and Jan Kubrik, Jan Kubrik, Ekiertand 1998);Grzegorz (Oxford and Stanford, is correlated with development of a “second” or “alternative public sphere.” Studies public sphere.” or“alternative ofa “second” with development correlated is the equation. prominently in figured The Dilemmas of Dissidence in East-Central Europe DissidenceEast-Central of in Dilemmas The 23 Samizdat The so-called “cultural turn,” has prompted newof prompted has readings turn,” “cultural so-called Civil Society and the State: New European andtheState:New Civil Society Images, Old andCivil.Society: Perspectives : : A thePre-Gutenberg to Return Era?” (1989), the first comprehensive treatment of Central European ofCentral treatment comprehensive (1989),the first 20

Samizdat Civil Society and Political Theory Society andPolitical Civil (Ann (Ann Press,2001). Michigan of University Arbor: 19 , by Skilling's account, is equated with the equated is account, , bySkilling's

H. Skilling’s Gordon Opposition in Eastern Europe in Eastern Opposition : : Cross Currents Citizen Intellectuals and Philosopher Kings, andPhilosopher Intellectuals Citizen samizdat Rebellious Civil Society: Popular Protest Popular CivilSociety: Rebellious , 1(1982): 64-80. , 1(1982): 64-80. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Cambridge (Cambridge: scholarship is now is scholarship Revisiting Soviet Revisiting Samizdat andIndependent Samizdat (London:Basingstoke, samizdat samizdat samizdat samizdat samizdat was , with a , with on a linear ona

samizdat

CEU eTD Collection 28 27 26 25 24 or battledcensorship, variousgroups how 1980s. track 1960s studies Numerous and between region across appeared the that wave punk,new ofrock, manifestations and local youth cultures, socialist the on rock ofwestern music influences examiningthe to been has devoted realm trend in this dominant gaze. western long eluded had that socialism” existing of“really the portrait enlivening scene now the crowd artists radical punks, rockers, hippies, societies: socialist in movements turn Subcultural change. social can produce that action collective and forbeing criticized saidto signssignify. are the groups offer and fails to its creators, to from the witha somedistance “wayin” pursued often is signs, material communication.” “symbolic form of as ofsamizdat examination the opens to way one,it in that a is lucrative approach “semiotics” and grew. struggled dissidents out ofwhichSoviet culturalpoverty and ofthe material symbol argues: she errors, uncorrected and deliberately with edits scribbled pages, the ofthe edges words to crammed itstypescript, rudimentary Examining culture. dissident ofSoviet conditions the a“historico-cultural” lensinto documents—as the typewritten within encoded and texts. writing Routledge, 2004). Routledge, Edmunds, 1995); Neil Cushman, Yugoslavia.” In Press,New Martin's E.(St. Kraft, York, 1994):113-134; Gregor Tomc, “We Will Rock You: Second in Music Popular években. Europe SovietUnion andthe Ramet, to: Sabrina not but limited studies are These include, Ken Gelder, Man of Extensions McLuhan, See Marshall thesis. message” is tothe “media relates McLuhan's This Ibid, 618. 598. Soviet Samizdat,” Existence of Material “The Komaromi, The past decade, likewise, has seen a resurgence and countercultural likewise,seen subcultural has decade, in The ofinterest past (Budapest, Noran: 2003);Gregor (Budapest, Noran: Tomc, of In Punk,” Politics “The Notes fromNotes Underground: Music Counterculture Rock Russia in The SubculturesThe Reader Impossible Histories 24 (2d ed.) (New ed.) (New (2d York: New Library,American 1964):5.

Komaromi focuses on the medium itself—the subversive essence ofmessages essence subversive itself—the medium onthe focuses Komaromi a historical, essentialist, for trumping deterministic structural forces over free will over forces free structural deterministic fortrumping essentialist, historical, Soviet Music and Society under Lenin and Stalin: The Baton andSickle Baton Lenin The andSociety andStalin: under Soviet Music (Boulder: (Boulder: Westview Klaniczay, Press,1994);Gábor 26

Yet textual/ fixed setofsurface so around focus, narrowlyconfigured the , ed. Ken Gelder (London: Routledge, 2005):83. (London:Routledge, Gelder , ed. Ken , eds. Djuriÿ D. and Šuvakoviÿ, M. (London:MIT M. Šuvakoviÿ, , eds. D. Djuriÿ and Press, 27 Likewise, semiotics/structuralist approaches have been justly approaches have semiotics/structuralist Likewise, Ro cking the State: Rock Music and Politics in Eastern Music andPolitics State:Rock cking the (Albany: State University of University New State (Albany: York Press Independent Slovenia Independent “the “the Ellenkultúra ahetvenes-nyolcvanas Ellenkultúra Understanding Media: The Media: Understanding samizdat 2003): (London:Curzon text providesa visual text , (ed.) Benderly,, (ed.) and J. 442-465; Thomas 28

The

”

The

CEU eTD Collection 31 30 29 radicalism and modes of resistance in response to the specificities of the politics and culture of the day. counter-cultural movement of the early 20 entelechy. longer possible, new patterns of experience are consolidated, and they form a new generational style or during moments of social and political change, when social groups come to believe old values are no oppositional approaches to older generations. widely shared pattern of responses to a specific historical situation, formulating fresh, sometimes historical situation. common destiny and active participation in the social and intellectual developed the idea of “generational actualities,” which, as he defined it, arise in response to a shared domestic and abroad. radical, anti-establishment philosophies and missions, part of a wave of youth countercultural movements, both particular. The group and around Europe movements broader youth alignment with into cultures socialist bringing America. and for socialism, late life under ofcultural multidimensionality ofthe forits illustration crucial ofthe “underground.” aspects psychologicallyCollectively, liberating and ofscholarshipis wave this the culturally exposes one that theorists—and political bywestern posed ofdissidents circles repressed intrusions. of image andstate energetic—a the joyful is staid diversion picture from welcome The overt ways adapted around creatively groups lyrics, how allegorical byusing around it maneuvered Wohl, Wohl, the Young Generation,” Cultureof Mannheim' English in later published was in theessay in 1928; published was German originally of Generations” Problem “The Robert Wohl, The generational component adds an important dimension of analysis for Hungary's avant-garde in The Generation of 1914, of Generation The 1914, of Generation The 31 While that “style” was nourished by the revolutionary spirit and missions of the avant-garde (London: Routledge, 1992). 1992). (London:Routledge, Wohl in atlength chapter, his Mannheim discusses “Germany: of The Mission Essays on the Sociology of Knowledge ontheSociologyof Essays The Generation of 1914 of Generation The 29 From this, was comprised of a new generation of cultural elites, which emerged in the 1960s with Karl Mannheim, examining the rise of German Youth movement in the 1920s, The Generation of 1914, of Generation The 78. 78. Mannheim (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979): 79. Mannheim's original essay original Press,1979): 79.Mannheim's University Harvard (Cambridge: th offered the idea of century, this new generation would develop its own form of 42-84. 30 (London:RKP, reviewed also in is 1952);it “Generational units,” according to Mannheim, emerge

“generational units,” which emerge from a traditions which were shaping the Essays ontheSociology Essays

CEU eTD Collection 33 32 that helped shape the contours of the avant-garde movement. other journals served as platforms for aesthetic and political debates, manifestos, essays and proclamations publishing tradition—Lajos Kassák's the avant-garde movement in the early 20 its spiritual roots in the radical literary-art press, to the so-called “little magazines” that became organs of collapsing, power-challenging revolutionary missions of the classic avant-garde. Europe, America and the Socialist bloc. That era contained all the same taboo-breaking, discipline movements—Fluxus, Situationist, happenings—charged by “world view.” early 1970s, coalesce into an oppositional there was a rebellious synergy between intellectual and artistic circles, which would, by the late 1960s and poets, writers and artists themselves—were very much immersed in the early avant-garde scene. Hence, László Haraszti, would come to form a new generation of dissident intellectuals. Among them were sociologist/poet doctors, professors—many, who, through their contests with the state, often catalyzed around publishing, it movement developed. Hungary's avant-garde was comprised of more than isolated bands of radical artist: garde, as it widens to scope of vision to include the broader generational contexts within which the included its ranks a wider spectrum ofyoung spectrum a itswider ranks included Mansbach, “Confrontation and and “Confrontation Mansbach, Hungarian in the Accommodation Avant-Garde,” Journals Emigré Hungarian Hungary,” see: journals Pók, avant-garde aFor of review and Modern Sociology “Modern Attila. in Early Art Twentieth Century Press, 1968): 20-25. For a review of “little magazines” see Renato Poggioli,

Rajk, Likewise, Hungary's avant-garde was part of an Mannheim's idea of “generational units” offers a lucrative frame for analyzing writer Hungarian StudiesHungarian all of whom would become iconic participants of the György

Konrád Egység 9/1-2 (1994) 65-71;Oliver 9/1-2(1994) A. I. Botar, the “From Avant-Garde 'Proletarian to Art': The , philosophers Ágnes Heller, György Bence, and Akasztott Ember A Tett th “generational unit,” bound by shared century. and Ma intellectuals—sociologists, philosophers, architects, The Theory of the Avant-Garde , 1922-23,” , 1922-23,” 32 , Franz Pfemdorf's Berlin publication, That avant-garde era was defined by a strong international Zeitgeist 33 Art Journal Art The “little magazines,” according to samizdat of youth rebellion sweeping through wave of radical art and social , 52/1 (Spring, 1993):34-S.A. (Spring, 45; , 52/1 Art Journal Art (Cambridge: Harvard University movement, and who—as János Kenedi, Weltanschauung Samizdat, , 49/1 (Spring 1990):9-20. (Spring , 49/1 Hungary's avant- Die Aktion in this way, and architect , or

Miklós , and

has

CEU eTD Collection 34 of this project, then, is to examine the social history of early unofficial publishing efforts by avant-garde movementdeveloped. whichthe in constellations and cultural social political, the account takes into also study features—this avant-garde its uniquely to illuminate scene—and intellectual movement. garde to is position aim the While generation,” focusing specifically on Research aims and scope of study age. the political, social and economic dynamics within Hungary as a new 1960s-era generation was coming of DeStalinization and Kádárism, therefore, figures prominently into this equation, as those changes altered currents or tendencies that come to express themselves in colliding, oppositional ideologies. political rift brought about during times of rapid social change, reflecting tensions between different “popular” cultural resistance. But rather, as Mannheim argues, a establishment behavior any more than the western youth movement can be simplified as a form of emerging generational rift in Hungary can no more be reduced to a popular expression of anti- broader transnational avant-garde phenomenon. position 1960s-era constraints on “free” publishing between East and West were demonstrable, this at least helps to re- such publications by radical artists in Europe and America beginning the 1960s. While the comparative garde periodicals are the avant-garde circles into a bona fide cultural “movement.” Small in circulation, non-commercial, avant- Poggioli, had an organizing effect Wohl, 79. This project examines how underground publishing evolved within Hungary's “first While a “Zeitgeist” samizdat modus operandi can explain the overarching rebellious impulses—the “spirit of the times”—the within an international context, recognizing “underground” publishing as a within how emerging underground the publishingwithin developed avant- the avant-garde, merging the radical “political” and “artistic” of avant-garde movements, as indicated by the resurgence of samizdat

within the emerging the within and artistic progressive Zeitgeist is a reflection of a deeper socio- 34 samizdat The purpose

CEU eTD Collection 37 36 35 She focuses on the “border crossings,” where spheres interact, which can highlight the “interstices where “cordon off autonomous society, recognizes that such binaries do “little as exclusionary mechanisms” but argues it is useful to socialism. “unofficial” v. “official” demarcations that obscure the multidimensionality of cultural life under late a “community of rebels.” contributed to shaping, indeed radicalizing, a collective avant-garde community, or survellience, intervention and harassment. Hence, this projects tracks how those “external” pressures targets of constant Hungary's image in the West as liberal communist regime. But alternative artists and intellectuals were activities worked to diffuse pressures and demands from Hungary's youth subculture and to bolster cultural “thaw” certainly allowed for more creative freedoms—a wide, shifting zone of “tolerated” otherwise disband alternative artists, musicians and intellectuals throughout late socialism. secret police files has revealed how relentlessly the state activity. pressures and cultural climates. movements in Hungary, and how those efforts were shaped by, and in response to, specific political s and within emerging 1960s-era radical social movements in Hungary and abroad. I aim to show how circles, looking at how those projects were formulated within the political and social contexts of Kádárism amizdat, Ann Komaromi, “The Unofficial Field of Late Soviet Culture.” UnofficialAnn “The Soviet Komaromi, Culture.” of Late Field 30-31.Poggioli, in 1960-1990,” File: and Scene Rock theHungarian Service Secret The and researcher See journalist Hungarian In some ways, this approach plays on the dissident mystique, resting on the “dissent” v. “state” As this study shows, as pressure from the state increased, so too did underground publishing Despite Hungary's image as the “happiest barrack of the communist camp,” the opening of the at this stage, was very much wired into aesthetic experimentalism of the emerging radical art Ann Komaromi denunciations in the press, along with, it is now increasingly known, intense police space for unofficial culture with fluid boundaries and dynamic distinctions.” 36 , looking at the distinction between “unofficial” and “official” in late Soviet Tamás Szőnyei's extensive work on the secret police files, including: policefiles, onthesecret work extensive Szőnyei's campaigned to break up, discredit, denounce and Slavic Review, Hungarian Quarterly Hungarian 66/4 (Winter, 66/4 2007):606. what Poggioli called , 179(2005): 80-90. 35 The post-1956 “Kept on “Kept

CEU eTD Collection 41 40 39 38 highlighting how those projects were tied into the taboo-breaking missions of the avant-garde. samizdat teachings it exercises or represents. doctrines and practical achievements,” but rather it aims to prove itself in “ of a “spiritual” endeavor, meant not so much “affirm in taboo-breaking rebelliousness of the avant-garde. isolated military unit,” and labored closer to the creative process, embodying the discipline-collapsing, role as a venue of public opinion: the avant-garde periodical, he claims, operated as an “independent and argues, the literary-art press served a very different function from the romantic 19 under examination, bore little resemblance to nascent independent press or classic media. as an early manifestation of the “pre-Gutenberg” bourgeois press. I would suggest question is whether publishing—and states' efforts to control the written word—goes back centuries. tension between the avant-garde and officialdom as it gave rise to a number of distinctions, the purpose will be to illuminate the so-called “border crossings,” to explore the points of societies is based. While the inherently oppositional nature of the avant-garde certainly amplifies those the set of binaries—official/unofficial, dissident/state—on which a good deal of scholarship on socialist social significance may be created.” Ibid, 24. 23-25.Poggioli, Pre-Revolutionary of Sellers France and Europe Eastern Before Histories: Issue:Special Identifying 1989(Winter,After 1995): 40-60; Press, 1982);“Censorship, University A Comparative View: Germany, 1789-East France 1989,” Works include: Darnton byRobert oncensorship Ibid, 606. It is important to recognize, as Robert Darnton and others have shown, the history of underground as it unfolded within the broader artistic and intellectual dissident movement, as an act, a “deed,” samizdat should be aligned with classic underground publishing movements, viewed (New (New York: W. W. Company, & 1996). ” 38 41

T Hence, one of the principle aims of this project is to examine his project, therefore, provides an opportunity to test and explore The Literary Underground Literary The Regime theOld of 40

By Poggioli's account, the avant-garde journal is more words the uniqueness of its own theoretical deeds samizdat 39 the supreme value of the th Hence, an enduring samizdat century periodical's (Cambridge, Representations Forbidden Best- Forbidden projects As , at this era Poggioli

. Harvard

49,

CEU eTD Collection 44 43 42 western scholars, but it is to challenge the monolithic assessments of dissident movements in socialist fence erected between “artistic” and “political” Hungary's avant-garde in dissident movements of the 1960s and 1970s. universalize” and “relativize” the dissident experience and socialist states, in ferocity, volume, content and social meaning. Hence, this project endeavors to “de- universalized: there is no monolithic formula for the phenomenon—it manifested differently across accomplishments achieved by even limited publishing efforts. I argue that has become a broad-based test of look at the subject with a fresh perspective. So bound are studies of notion of abound in most discussions of publishing. of movements,” which helps frame the evolution of Hungary's avant-garde as it related to underground movements; Roszak Left theorist who became a key articulator of the 1960s-era counter-cultural movements; historical phenomenon. A number of thinkers figure prominently in this analysis: Herbert Marcuse, New counter-cultural movements, in effort to examine the avant-garde wave as part of a broader social and Theoretical approaches, methods, organization Slavic Review citedearlier,Nathans, Opposition RoszakTheodore , of the Ideology Society Advanced includes: and Left movement New onthe1960s-era countercultural work Marcuse's , In this project, the phrases “civil society,” “second public sphere,” “parallel polis”—theories which As a theoretical framework for this discussion, I will draw on relevant ideas from social and who examined the theoretical and social groundwork for and implications of counter-cultural samizdat 43 (London: Faber and Faber, and (London:Faber 1970). and finally Poggioli's theories the avante garde, and particularly, his concept of the “dialectic 66/4 (Winter 66/4 2007): as being a form of “independent communication” en route “civil society,” but rather to The Making of a Counter Culture: Making aCounter The of ontheTechnocratic Reflections andits Youthful Society makes a similar call for this in his study of Soviet dissent, see: “The Dictatorship of Reason,” Dictatorship see: Soviet “The study dissent, thishis of in callfor a similar makes samizdat (Boston: Beacon, 1964) and 1964) (Boston:and Beacon,

630-663. samizdat's —will not make appearances. This is not so much to refute the success or failure which obscures the specific features and samizdat, An Essay onLiberation An Essay and to fill in the historical record overlooked by samizdat samizdat , while highlighting the role of 44 The aim is not only to mend the samizdat One-Dimensional Man: Studies Man: in One-Dimensional (Boston: Beacon, 1969). (Boston: Beacon, to the idea of civil society, it cannot be 42 Theodore

CEU eTD Collection 46 45 array materials from Artpool and and private archives, a set of translated secret police files, various articles Few have ever been written about in any detail in English. projects, most of which were produced in no more than six issues and never more than a few dozen copies. uncensored by the state, I focus primarily on written materials, on a number of journals and publishing events. compensate for my own linguistic limitations, I rely on a number of oral interviews, in effort to reconstruct many who are popular, if not iconic figures in Hungary but are virtually unknown in the West. To speakers. This study is an effort to balance the field, to bring groups of actors to the front of the stage, most are in Hungarian: hence, whatever new is revealed often remains a discussion among Hungarian impenetrability. Although a number of studies on Hungarian avant-garde movement have been published, has been stalled by the lack of scholars able to research in Hungarian, mostly by virtue of its linguistic exiles who found homes in western universities. Meanwhile, the field of western scholarship on Hungary produced reams of scholars committed to studying Soviet life, many of whom were former dissidents or political scientists. spectacular, sustained mass actions which offer quantifiable evidence of collective dissident behavior to behavior and exceptional the Polish dissident movement was, has skewed the field, created a hierachy of oppositional dissident movements under socialism. The Polish “exceptionalism” argument, however profoundly Central Europe. To that end, western Polanists and Sovietologists have dominated the discourses on Várnagy and John P. John Várnagy and 10,1990. November September Furnace, 27- Franklin Jacob, see: consideration, Tibor Várnagy, by curated exhibition and Hungary Elsewhere,” Tibor from Story: Samizdat “Hidden gallery owner Tibor Várnagy. of some under thejournals covering article an contains The exhibition catalog on An exhibit Press, 2001). Protest Popular Society: 1989-1993 ConsolidationPoland, in andDemocratic Kubrik, Ekiertand Jan socialism. Grzegorz See: in duringlate demonstrations Poland of and strikes thenumber byquantifying society of strength civil Polish Kubrik, the analyzed Ekiertand Jan example,For Grzegorz While much of the art itself falls under the realm of samizdat samizdat 45 Some of this, within the realm of Soviet scholarship, is geopolitical: the Cold War within the socialist bloc. Some of this has to do visibility of Solidarity and its by Hungary's avant-garde was held in New New heldin was avant-garde byHungary's York City in 1990,organized and bylocalartists 46 samizdat I rely on a number of primary sources: an , in that it was self-produced and (Ann (Ann Michigan of University Arbor: Rebellious Civil Rebellious

CEU eTD Collection to two manuscripts, the formation of a number of artist circles, and the first “happening,” which which gave way both give shape to and energize the avant-garde. This section examines the early circulation of a series of and how authorities and the mass media to help popularize the image of the “deviant youth” which would and then outlines the relevant features of and figures within Hungary's avant-garde. the context of the counter-cultural movements of the 1960s, bringing in ideas from Marcuse and Roszak, and in particular, the role of century, looking at the idea of cultural movement. The first section of this chapter is dedicated the first avant-garde wave in early 20 The purpose to outline the key characteristics and motifs of avant-gardism as it evolved as a counter- focusing on the fusion of art and politics, as well as the generational aspects of both avant-garde waves. chronologically. The first chapter lays out broader history and relevant trends of avant-garde movements, on oral interviews to Some of the journals under consideration exist only in fragments, or not at all—and for this, I rely entirely number of oral accounts by artists provide details of personal experiences and perceptions of the era. dimension, as it illuminates how radical artists were being discussed in the public domain. Finally, a unofficial publications and certain artists. Articles in the state and international press add a third and background on artists and the avant-garde movement, and reveal the state's incessant efforts to track and social climates around which these projects developed. Secret police reports provide remarkable detail applicable and possible, I will analyze content and texts, but my primary focus is to examine the political from the state and foreign press, and interviews with artists and others involved in the field. Where samizdat Chapter 3 explores the series of The second chapter focuses on the shifting cultural and political climate in the early to mid-1960s, In order to illuminate the evolution of the avant-garde scene, the chapters are arranged projects including reconstruct Lajos Kassák Weltanschauung the events. Gábor Altorjay's journal samizdat ; the second section examines the post-war avant-garde within , and examining Hungary's participation in this movement projects that appeared between in 1971 and 1973, as

Laura?

CEU eTD Collection canonization of a number of avant-garde artists since 1990. pillars” that splits field of will discuss briefly the demarcation between “artistic” and “political” of the “first young artists and intellectuals. became the focal point of a secret police investigation, coinciding with a crackdown on Szétfolyóirat, a project launched in 1972 by László Beke, pressure from authorities and the media intensified. It will explore two projects in detail: Imagination/Idea, The final chapter reviews the 1960s and 1970s-era samizdat which was a collaborative that involved members of various avant-garde circles. This journal generation,” and how the era relates to broader samizdat . This chapter concludes with a review of the reception and

and the first attempt at publishing a collective samizdat movement, the specific contributions samizdat samizdat, movement. In this section, I drawing back on “twin samizdat samizdat

and journal

CEU eTD Collection 50 49 48 47 urban in Europe's arenas and social political economic, cultural, in intellectual, dramatic shift a ushered revolution. and artistic unifiedofsocial program a indépendente magazine,” “little merged ofthe the first birth were with political, a “movement” into in Paris'scoffeehouses. coalescing ofwriters bands “ to describe it first used Baudelaire Commune. Paris during the artists bohemian anarchist progressive, to used describe when was 1870s it the until continued usage in political theIts in 1840s. France movements political to left radical battlefield, its revolutionary,to oftheoutside roots the word, the historical tracks Poggioli battlesomemystique. political. social, cultural, traditions— formal to standing challenges radical mounted collectively that “communities” intellectual and artistic around progressive crystallized which socio-culturalmovements, as explored are here, both “avant-gardes,” the persist, aesthetics and over periodization debates hermeneutic exhaustive 20 the Chapter avant-gardes art, Life, 1: Ibid, 11. and the Lukacs Avant-Garde,” 10. Poggioli, A “Toward Mary in Gluck, appears ofalso review Poggioli Georg of Modernism: Definition Historical a Movement,” in of Concept a on“The seePoggioli, chapter 427-432. European Avant-Gardes (1910-1930) “Picture-Architecture,” Kassák, th century—around the turn of the century and, again, following the second world war. secondworld the following and, again, ofthe thecentury century—around turn While The first avant-garde movement orbited around the tumult ofthe the orbited tumult around movement avant-garde The first militancy, with imbibed is battlefields, the France's from lifted itself, The term adds whichonly in movements ofavant-garde merged andArt politics fashionaroundwaves two in spectacular (1880), which brought together the “rebels of politics and the rebels of art” who advanced who rebels of art” and the ofpolitics the “rebels (1880),whichbrought together 48

The Journal of Modern History Modern of Journal The MA , Vol. 7,No.25,1922.In 3,March . Eds . Eds Timothy and Benson Eva Forgács MIT O. (Cambridge: Press,2002): (1919). formed.” Lajos will Kassák new be — the which world point nearest a to for has present become In day world. world-catalysm...art the transforming the a “Art is les litterateurs d' avant-garde litterateurs les 50 47 49

Weltanschauung Theory of the of the Theory Avant-Garde The two parallel avant-gardes, literary and literary parallel two avant-gardes, The , 58/4 (Dec., 1986): 845-882. (Dec., 1986): , 58/4 Between Worlds: Between A Sourcebook Central of . we us become Art capable of and transforms fin-de-siecle , 17-40. ,” referring to the referring militant to ,” , which had , which La RevueLa

CEU eTD Collection 56 55 54 53 52 51 of the promoting idea revolution, from Pari centers 1849 essay bycomposer Richard articulated was revolution toWagner social forerunners ofartists as role his in mission. charging and political sake”—while social The with forart's potent leading art,“art and artists, theory and traditions artistic classic rejected the whichsimultaneously life, modern traditions. cultural and intellectual ofsocial, reformulations orsubversive aofcritical wave ofmodernity” inspired “crisis produced. it inequities political and and theThis social and industrialization urbanization of rapid Modernism,bythis view,embrace. confluence chaotic about bythe brought condition was a perilous as to actively came with bourgeois generations synonymous term, afuture thesis pejorative decadence, Shoenberg ofprinciples.” a “death-dance called orwhat abstractionism,” subjectivism, to way “irrationalism, had given thought Post-Nietzschean categories. and cultural ofintellectual to way fragmentation gave subterfuge ofchange” “ruthless mid-19 philosophy, in implications cascading and politics. art, literature music, brought that ofthe ancient,” the “anti-thesis thought,was it with Enlightenment a break marked one another. opposition to setin and, more often, interchangeably used boundconcepts, are intricately “avant-garde” centers. and “modernism” The terms authorities, who issued a warrant for his warrant for arrest. whoa issued authorities, Wagner byGerman character dangerous politically a considered uprisings Dresdenwas in the May in participated Ibid, xix. Ibid, xix. Ibid. xix. Schorske, Carl Georg and the Lukacs Avant-Garde,” Gluck, “Toward Mary see and “avant-garde” of a“modernism” For discussion Modernism: of a Definition Historical th Avant-garde of chaos rejection of,the to, reaction and was it a reformulation: one such art was century, a innovation,”when “whirlwind ofinfinite a became high culture European when Art and Revolution, Art andRevolution, Fin-de-Siecle Vienna:Fin-de-Siecle PoliticsandCulture s to Vienna, 55

Berlin to Budapest. Berlin written in exile after the fervor of social revolutions which shook urban whichshook revolutions fervor ofsocial the inafter exile written Gesamtkunstwerk, Gesamtkunstwerk, The Journal of Modern History Modern of Journal The 54

56 For both Nietzsche and Marx, modernism was a was modernism and Marx, bothFor Nietzsche

Wagner ofartistic force” mightiest for“the called (New York: Knopf, 1979):xviii. or a “ total art work,” which would deliver a social a artdeliver whichwould work,” total , 58/4 (Dec., 1986): 845-882. (Dec., 1986): , 58/4 51

Modernism, as Schorske defined it, defined Schorske Modernism, as 52 Schorske draws a line in the line draws in Schorske a — l'art pour l'art pour l'art

CEU eTD Collection 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 utopia: a socialist 2000toin find thehimself year upin Bostonian, wakes traveling 2000-1887, Bellamy's 1888novel, literati. byEdward bestcharacterized left-leaning is This ofwar,devoid suffering,era's andyoung, inequity human writingsbythe ofprophetic waves inspiring tradition. Romantic from the German gardists byavant- socialism” a kind of“romantic into but reconfigured socialism,” of“scientific Marx's idea could exist. equality social cultural—notrue other spheres—economic, equalityin notion without refusalthat ofthe a equality” ofbourgeois form ideal of“political ofthe liberalism, a rejection to Bauman, according was, counter-culture.” “socialist the as describes whatBauman in Avant-garde immersed politics, radical were they as aesthetics in muchradical as were engaged artists Europe. across urban centers in congregating circles political left from, radical indistinguishable the 20 throughout philosophy ofavant-gardists the grounding became view”likewise would “world ofcommerce.” “day-laborers as “slaves”and as bound upartists utopia.

Bauman, 142 Bauman, Edward Bellamy,Edward andits YouthfulSociety Opposition see of a this, For discussion Roszak , Theodore Zygmunt Bauman, known well that It is Wagner's and right left.” lie therabbits till hunt; shoot us great let lead the hitherand terrorismus...Come artistic See Wagner's he in“[M] writes: Liszt, which Franz to letters Wagner, 57 According to Robert According to Wohl, 1910-1933constituted between arose that circles avant-garde the ofthe thecentury, By turn not with, if aligned intimately became artists progressive burst thechrysalis.burst it. The before are heavens has Humanity has summer Its begun. forward. ended. therace is winter of The and long weary With eyes, veiling press our and, dazzling tofuture, turnwe past, the thedark then for a tear His self-professed aim was to commit “artistic terrorism,” to destroy the institutions that institutions to destroythe terrorism,” “artistic aimto commit was His self-professed Art andRevolution Art written in reaction to socialist movements in Europe, in which his central character, in central which his in Europe, movements to reaction socialist in time- written a Looking BackwardLooking 2000-1887 Socialism: The The Socialism: Utopia. Active 61 notion withof the along This came , 1849. Weltanschauung have a profoundeffectandit artists, as have a intellectuals oncontemporary (London: Faber and Faber, and (London:Faber especially p.91. but 1970):85-123, The Making of aCounter-Culture: of Making The ontheTechnocratic Reflections would later be adapted byHitler. be adapted later would (Courier Dover Publications, 1996): 142 1996): Publications, Dover (Courier (New York: & Holmes Meier, 1976):140 63 62

A world a futuristic as envisioned was utopia” “socialist oney I have none... I have oney a “socialist utopia,” an idea derived from by derived an idea utopia,” “socialist a 60 counter-culturalThe socialist movement 58 Wagner's of idea but an immense desire to create an create to desire anbut immense th century. 59 Looking Backward

Weltanschauung,

or 24

CEU eTD Collection 68 67 66 65 64 included artists—its reviewers ofartand critics generation and new sociologists, intellectuals radical society.”Hungarian body of the “gnawing at the illness inofresolving and hopes prejudices, bias political social, believed followers and its early in Budapest, sociology journal by groupofsociologists, led was them a among change. driving social sciences in social role ofartsand the to collaborative explore begun had who intellectuals out bya networkof left-leaning carved groundwork byconsiderable prefaced was avant-garde Hungarian grounded nationhood. a culturally path chosen to the became which culture, of the realm into traversed sphere, political unsolvedin the nationalidentities, and tangled sovereignty ofthe thecentury. Europe turn Central at over swept nationalism” sphere. the cultural redemptionin soughtpolitical artists as messianism,” of“political a kind into developing dimensions, political onintensified take would Union Soviet the and later and Russia Europe Eastern and in Central movements those connotations, political whichhad deeply radicalism aesthetic cultures. and political traditions differently nationalfoundations, themselves boundaries, but to specific according national transcended that unity common ofexperience boundbya collectively “generationof1914,” hethe called what 66. and Modern Sociology “Modern Attila Pók, in Early Art Twentieth Hungary,” Century Forgács, Cultures,” “Between Eva Forgács, “National Traditions: Hungary,” in Gardes, Constructivism,” Eva Hungarian Forgács, of Concepts Cultures, “Between Wohl, 65 The appearance of Hungarian avant-garde movement in the second decade of the 20 ofthe the decade second movementin ofHungarian avant-garde The appearance Huszadik Század (TwentiethHuszadik Century) The Generation of 1914 Generation The of Culture and art became the sole avenue to national regeneration, as kind as of“cultural nationalregeneration, avenue to the became sole and art Culture 147. 68

Likewise, the monthly monthly the Likewise,

147. , 2-3. 64

Where in Where Western of a kind as develop would avant-garde Europe, Between Worlds, Between Nyugat in 1900. in official the codified journal of The “birth” Oszkár Jászi and Jászi Oszkár

(West) that modern sociology could overcome national, could overcome modernthat sociology 47. became a forum for the fused interests of forthe interests fused a forum became Between Worlds:Between European Central Avant- Ervin Szabó, Ervin 66 issues pressing ofnational The Hungarian StudiesHungarian who established the established who 67 9/1-2(1994): th Key century

CEU eTD Collection 71 70 69 around war, “bourgeois” had andcongregated thoseestablished that withradicals Lukács company parting ofthe the start sceneat cultural Budapestprogressive figure in a revolutionary become would Kassák the ofHungary'savant-garde, branch Activists. A proletarianroots, with genuine apprentice locksmith's radical the most who artist stewarded writer and Kassák, poet, under Lajos a crescendo reach would The Kassák: Activists healthy.” become once again will society gallery, the theater. willand improve people powerthat ofthe ofart, redeeming to Ispoke [Kodály] art the thehall, concert be templewould Its culture. ofthe basis future forthe whichwould of art, a religion ofart, .a rehabilitation rebirth. .a spiritual have we to culture create. Hungarian new great Later, a about have a withdream Kodály: “I he had a conversation journal his in Balázsreveal would values. reflecteduniversal that nationalart and György around creating Balázs ideas Lukács debated composerKodály, Zoltán coffee circle, Galilei at among the Meanwhile, and in meetings houses Béla inspiration. ofethical creation product, a human an wasend a art,result, vision, byhis category: Nietzsche's life. art and between connection ideas onthe to Nietzsche's especially drawn Hegel, but were Kantand byGerman influenced thinkers who heavily were many intellectuals, ofartists, circle Eight. The avant-garde form would the who GézaLengyel, and artists KárolyKernstok Fülep, and criticLajos art 138. diary, fromMary Balazs's Gluck, in in Forgács, of Constructivism,” Concepts Hungarian Cultures: “Between Ibid, 9 Avant-Garde: andThe Eight The Activists and Programs: Szabó, of “Ideas Julia theHungarian Background Philosophical The Avant-Garde.” The transformational capacity of art and the central role of the artist as “prophet-warrior” as artist role ofthe and the central ofart capacity The transformational Nyugat. Between 1910 and 1914, aesthetic debates dominated discussions among Hungarian discussions among dominated 1910anddebates 1914,aesthetic Between Die Gerburt der Tragödie, der Die Gerburt Kassák was a self-trained poet and ardent socialist, who had wanderedEurope's who socialist, and ardent poet self-trained was a Kassák Georg Generation Lukács andHis (Hayward Gallery: London, 1980):13-14. Gallery: London, (Hayward transformed Nietzsche's aesthetic concept into an ethical into concept an aesthetic Nietzsche's transformed 71

(Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1985): Harvard University (Cambridge: Central EuropeanCentral Avant-Gardes 69 Lajos Fülep, who had translated Fülep, who Lajos The Hungarian The , 149.Quoting

CEU eTD Collection 77 76 75 74 73 72 in socialism.” communion new, are ofwar fertilizing killingfields “The moreenergies—preparations willful forsomegreat revolution: thesocialist coming art and ofboth vanguards Hungarian the thus were true group which social battlefield, ofthe tempest,” in the and artistsstand should Kassák, “poets to new society, human inofcreating politics hopes in revolutionary directly a “newmorality.” and they engaged energeticanarcho-syndicalists were not were scholars, artist-warriors, Activists he proclaimed). ouryouth,” ourblood red as as and as fresh is will (“Our intellectuals established form.” into human generation the molding coming taskin greatest faces the ofexpression, means active direct, the most possesses it war, and death chaos, because literature, especially “art, salvation: only was road to forKassák, the art Europe.” bodyofold decrepit wounds deep,in throbbing the “inflicted had onthe young deep imprint especially that and brutality bythe violence tormented were Activists, who utopia. new usheringthe socialist artists in revolutionary about pronouncements and prophetic declarations and anti-nationalist with antiwar seethed journal,Kassák's the into he indoctrinated onfoot, and those capitals pedigree. working-class ofsimilar Activists were Kassák, “Program,” In “Program,” Kassák, S.A and “Confrontation Mansbach, the Hungarian in Accommodation Avant-Garde,” Our “Onward On Kassák, Way,” Modern of Journal The History Gluck, “Toward Mary 330-331, in citied Modernism: Georg of a Definition the Historical Lukács and Avant-Garde,” of off shake laws, to prescribed. all asunder formal break program and to is want denythat This is what anything the is and they what ones: create new to existing refuse theyalso to forms, but create refuseaccording to “They who wrote: circle, the in figure criticand central poet,art Mihály Babits, afrom response growing prompted radicalism Kassák's In “Program,” Kassák, Painting Carra's Anarchist Funeral,” thelonged-for-world.” illuminating “To torches flaming See live, shone ribbons streaming like D. Carlo Accompany as ifits seemed red land,and it thecoffin ofheads them thepromised speaking to tostill washand hand, placed Painting and essay, Dadism In Futurism. his surrealism, of aanarchism, mix reflecting writings “To Carra's Carlo Accompany Forgács, 160. Cultures,” “Between A Tett The first world war had radicalized avant-garde groups across Europe and had made an and had made Europe across groups avant-garde had radicalized war world The first means: virtual anarchy.” virtual means: Anarchist Funeral A Tett Between WorldsBetween WorldsBetween , and later,, and ,” he wrote: “The whole city was in the throes of an awesome, hellish dance...Over their hellish awesome, dance...Over of an was wholethethroes city in “The he wrote: ,” 77 By the time of his exile in exile ofhis the By time Vienna Kassák and 1920s, the early in , 58/4 (Dec, 1986):861. , 58/4 73 MA

Kassák's youthful, fiery polemics often put him at odds with more odds at with put him often fiery polemics youthful, Kassák's Mihály Kassák, especially during the war years, was transfixed by apocalyptic visions, his byapocalyptic transfixed was years, duringthewar especially Kassák, A Tett , Vol. 20,1918). In 3, No. 12(Dec. MA, , 160. , 160. Babits, “Today, Babits, tomorrow, literature,” and (1916), in in (1916), modeled after Franz Pfemdorf's Berlin publication, Pfemdorf's Berlin Franz after modeled Between WorldsBetween , 158-159. , 158-159. Between WorldsBetween Nyugat Art Journal Art 72 In a world tossed world by Ina , 171. 9, No. 17, September 1916, 9,No. 17,September 76 and it was his it was and , 49/1 (Spring 1990):9. (Spring , 49/1 Die Aktion

75 According MA

Nyugat

had

The

27 ,

CEU eTD Collection 80 79 78 Culture McCarthyesque, society,post-war the life 1950s and ofpost-modern forces ofthe homogenizing a crisis cinema. and popular photographs,television newspapers, comics, magazines, billboards, advertisements, from and materials soughtto motifs merge ofartist culture—recycling withgeneration highmass culture nosocial meaning. insisted had often himself with than dominant more perspective Warhol's this is where “op art”—which and “pop art” Warhol boom. economic No post-war new ofthe superficiality media-driven fragmented, the embracing artists bourgeois place.” market to the a “cynical as surrender manifested that commercialism mass art rejectionand ofmodern a v.garde as art seen is (or“neo-avant-garde) “post-modern” where praxis, post-modern/neo-avant-garde society.consumer ofthe around latter-daya modern/avant- rotates analyses movementoften Aesthetic to changesofpost-war, often is pegged generation second modernism, the and “post-modern” bywar changesbrought about social and political radical was around the fused first avant-garde If the avant-garde “second” The deliver. would it believed he adamantly society utopian and the international Constructivism International of spokesperson a prophetic scene,as emerged avant-garde international forefront ofthe onthe Ibid 158. Berghaus, Günter. vxi. of Press,2003): California (London:University Erjavec. “Forward” in Jay Marin, , 158. T of The onset World War movement. countercultural first anavant-garde end to the IIbrought 80 (1970) framed the rise of the youth counterculture as a reaction to “technocratic ato reaction as youth counterculture riseofthe the (1970) framed he youth 1960s countercultural movements in movements youthcountercultural 1960s he outgrowth of an as seen have, likewise, America Leave it Beaver,Leave it

“ Happenings in Europe in the '60s: in Europe in the Happenings Trends, Figures.” and Events, Leading Postmodernism and the Postsocialist Condition: Politicized Condition:Politicized andthePostsocialist Socialism, Art Late Under Postmodernism 78 The “neo-avant-garde” had, by some estimates, lost its revolutionary fire, its lost its revolutionary had, bysomeestimates, “neo-avant-garde” The conservative culture. culture. in conservative his Theodore Roszak, 79 new art, a minimalist op-art, Through popart, Making of aCounter-Making of TDR. TDR. 37/4 (Winter,37/4 1993):

ed.

Aleš 28

CEU eTD Collection 84 83 82 81 merged that art live genres—often ofexperimental into a artistic kind it 1950s had developed the ofMoholy-Nagy. the theater Bauhaus Schwittersand Kurt artist byGerman performances Throughout 1920s foundin the can be its traces “happening.” itsin roots Dadaism, had “happening” The ofthe advent around the behavior andanti-establishment cultural display ofartistic collective convention. social shockedand upturned figuresthat cultural establishment power, anti- ofnew was a carnival beatniks—it Dharmabums, tricksters, Zen wizards, mystics, Happenings reality.” “social a new turn creates in that change. a directionofsuch the must guide ofvalues...[which] transformation for“the radical calling change, in social conscience the ofthe the liberating role revolution,”emphasizing “psychic fortotal called continuum.” the repressive into to break beginning is an alternative loosening upand been onLiberation Essay An vigor. movementwith renewed avant-garde guru New professorLeft Philosophy and ofthe departments. earlier from it academic as utopianism was revolutionary theThe streets from War, with far-left aligned much flowing as deeply philosophies, movementwas Europesocialist the in in both While around the be would catalyzed actions Vietnam thestudent and inmass Europe, America capitalism. oflate inequities to reaction the in coalesced that movements Left neo-MarxistNew the between made in entrenched whichwere counterparts, European and their movements youth American ofpost-war totalitarianism” America. Herbert Marcuse and Norman Brown,” In Roszak, Brown,” and Norman Herbert Marcuse of Liberation: Dialectics Roszak, “The see of liberation,” of the“dialectics idea Marcuse's an of For examination Ibid, 21. 2005): Douglas Kellner, in Left,” theNew Marcuseand Politics, “Radical on“Technocracy's chapter Roszak, see in Children,” The 1960s-era social movements generated a new political youth identity: hippies, flower identity: hippies, youth political a new generated social movements The 1960s-era 83

21 It was he called the “dialectic of liberation,” which begins with recreating a “psychic reality” a “psychic whichbegins with recreating ofliberation,” “dialectic hethe called It was . Herbert Marcuse (1969) envisioned total social revolution: “the threatening homogeneity has threatening homogeneity “the revolution: social total (1969)envisioned , An Essay onLiberation 81 Within “Western” are distinctions movements, countercultural 84

The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The ( The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The Boston: Beacon Press Beacon Boston: The New Left ( andthe1960s New The , 1969) . , 84-123. , 1-41. This morphed intoThis a morphed London: Routledge, London: Herbert Marcuse's Herbert 82 Marcuse

CEU eTD Collection 87 86 85 ofpolitics. pattern 'normal' the sensuous explosion outside and a revelatory fiesta, gigantic a it true. that was came finally in theatrical The creativeexperience, uprising May was collective into 'art,' a limits. into dream'life' orpolitical other ofturning all social old avant-gardist did The it and 'culture'as of'art' the limits dynamited Revolution May performance:“the happening finest his exchange the burningstock down Paris in participation his who considered Lebel, Jacques Jean artist revolutions. May during the force revolutionary exploded with which Situationists, group,the avant-garde inand radical Paris, with Newmovement fused Left became and artists. between authorities and contention ofirritation point critical a as to andserve came scene avant-garde the whichenlivened its first “happening,” held Hungary and painter director theater artists, Polish bourgois with western activities the enemy. associated authorities danger—as political radicalism—and ofanti-establishment level with wrapped added came “happenings” Europe, Insocialist drop out.” counter-cultural hippie with associated scene—following Timothy motto:“Turn Leary's in, on,tune became eventually “happening” settings, Inwestern the political. social, was it cultural, as endeavor in action.” front united revolutionariesinto political and social cadresofcultural, the fuse mission: “to revolutionary with came Cage. = both ofJohn DickHiggins, students Life,” “Art and mantra, “happening” The George artist bornavant-garde byLithuanian Maciunas spearheaded Fluxus movement, international by coined artist American Allan in associated, Cage. ofJohn was term experimentalism musical The with groundbreaking America, 1-18. Berghaus, theMay see Revolutions, and the Situationists aFor of description George Maciunas,

165, quoting Lebel, Jean-Jacques, “Notes on Political Street Street onPolitical 1968,1969.” Paris; “Notes Jean-Jacques, 165, quotingTheatre, Lebel, 85 The “happening” became a potent anti-establishment symbol—as much an artistic symbol—asmuch anti-establishment a potent became The “happening” Fluxus Manifesto Fluxus Kaprow (1963). in the late 1950s, and later, the 1950s, late in ofthe the become hallmark would Tadeusz year inlater, 1965; first happening a the Kantorheld Berghaus,

163- 86 Frenchhappening According 165 In 1968,the “happening” . TDR , 13/4 (1969):, 13/4 87

CEU eTD Collection 90 89 88 a into flourished avant-garde which the between oftime stretch trends. artistic and radical countercultural contemporary and traditions to both national ownanchored path, its eventually would pioneer avant-garde the new and intellectuals, foryoungartists inspiration offerwould and aesthetic platform ideological an efforts surrealistsand Hungarian with French reconnect to 1948and made from 1945to operated forinstance, artists, School ofabstract European circles—the failures.” and aof“catastrophes long line whatwas of“breaks,” in byseries was art” characterized Hungarian trends. modern art international 20 the throughout upturns by political broken life, ofHungary'sartistic incessant ruptures the repair movements—to resurrect past to sought artists. progressive figure iconic among andan remained alive still was who Y scene. new, ofa vanguards legitimate they become would believed intellectual culturaland progressive dogma. bland Party heavy-handed, disciplines—with all academic and music literature, expression—art, and intellectual hadcultural re-aligned that under Stalinism countries bysocialist mandated model ideological the rigid realism,” of“socialist culturalconfines the against and barricades. complexities ofpolitical layers additional avant-garde(1966-1975) Hungarian Eva Körner, “No 'ism’s' Hungary,” in 25. Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 40. Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 36. 88 Most art historians mark era—a off avant-garde historians theMost 1966 and 1975as true art yearsbetween the emerged manyearnestly who and intellectuals theIn theyoungartists universities, 1960s, from with 1960s loaded in arose the came that themovements avant-garde Europe, In socialist

Many endeavored to resurrect the utopian spirit of the old avant-garde—following Kassák, old spiritavant-garde—following utopian ofthe resurrect the to endeavored Many 90 During the interwar period, there had been an effort had been an there artistic period, progressive the During interwar to reconstitute 89

Their difficulties were accentuated by the fact that “modern difficulties that bytheTheir fact accentuated were th century—while simultaneously attempting to re-connect with to re-connect attempting simultaneously century—while

The initial stirrings appeared as a reaction as stirringsappeared initial The émigrés de facto in Paris. older generation the While artistic and subcultural and artistic oung artists initially

CEU eTD Collection 91 anépkér ofthe cult personality 1968), the andthe White Red The his in revisionism and Hungarian including independence issues, ofcontroversial host a tackled films Jancsó's with the filmmakers visual arts. and the theater film, A and experimental documentary ofambitious generation new political. overtly too not were longthey as so tolerated were businesses,offices, activities clubs, factories—where churches, spaces—cultural “official” alternative into the explore legitimacy and began realm seeking abandoned “semi-official” city. at various around the held spots and activities artists artists progressive Many to official alternative controlledaccess halls that or stages—and the exhibition passed juries it made ever progressive deemed anything official that theespecially at 1960s rareappearing in was venues—it geography,subcultural artists” “state bymore conventional events orproductions with state-supported and behavior. activities cultural ofalternative sites “tolerated” became of produced a kind This and bourgeois and “formalist” censors. elites deemed taboo, byparty ofanyremained sort abstraction However, “tolerated.” systemwas the against expressly forinstance, ofpainting realm in the officials but ofparty essentially, climate, and tastes political aesthetic personal not anything meant it tiltás támogatás, minister within Hungary.movement specifics ofc around the configured was movementitself The Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of Despite constraints on cultural expression, the era was marked by significant innovations in innovations wasbysignificant the expression, marked era oncultural Despite constraints had emerged and exhibition halls culturalclubs spaces, which social networkofnew In 1960s, a György Aczél's , or Red Psalm (supported, tolerated, banned). by tolerated,regulated banned). often loosely(supported, defined, The was policy Szegénylegények Béla Balázs Béla , 1967), skepticism toward communism ( communism toward , 1967),skepticism policy, organized notorious three which bythe expression artistic Ts— , 1971). 91

Studio ( Studio Égi ( Round-Up

Bárány Bárány BBS (1970), and the allegorical film of a failed uprising ( uprising of a failed film allegorical (1970), and the ) spearheaded trends in trendsin ) spearheaded , 1966), the brutality of war in ofwar , 1966),the brutality 37. See also: also: See Lóránt Czigány Fényes szellők, Fényes Hungarian “new cinema.” Miklós Hungarian “newcinema.” , “ Jancsó Country: Miklós Jancsó Jancsó Country: Csillagosok, katonák, katonák, Csillagosok, or The ConfrontationThe ultural

tűrés

Még

(

, or

CEU eTD Collection 95 94 93 92 and writers painters were actors, actors were filmmakers filmmakers, poets,poetsbecame became mediums. painters between level: artistic out lines This ona played practical blurred the ultimately that aesthetics discipline-collapsing and the “happenings,” Fluxus, trends,especially art western and Gábor Szentjóby to drawn contemporary young Hungarian artists among were those Altorjay Gábor Altorjay, scene. avant-garde who within the emerged figures radical onas early in 1967, death foryoungartists. leader aesthetic and a tospiritual become the generation new to “jumped” who generation the figure older among key behavior. and non-traditional thought university, “flying” lounge, hall, private exhibition ofcreative laboratories became gatherings private 20 the early and salonin the as cafe manner the same artists,in functioning alternative gatherings music.Private and literature center,cultural alternative kindPál, of as Galla Petri thosecould circulate where present discuss and of flat “No.1 from the Zuglóoperated group,” District. the Likewise, in flatprivate Budapest's a meeting at films. and literature foreign discussing kompanii, emerged circles evenings artist at spent where intellectuals inand and Moscow students Leningrad, Stalinism since “private”domain from the retraction state's exploitedthe intellectuals forculturalaffairs: domain. space new the private Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 47. Eva Körner, “No 'ism’s' Hungary,” in and 25; Europe (1949-1999), a as aand Europe Hypothesis Hegyi, “Central Lóránd Way in Life,” of Company, 1990) 82-84. Ludmilla Alexeyeva, New Cinema,” and theHungarian In the 1960s, new artistic leaders emerged: the most notable among them was emerged: amongwas them leaders artistic In thenew most notable 1960s, the Within emerged halls, “semi-official”there and exhibition spaces oftolerated, a matrix club the gathered inflats private gathered Erdély had a profound impact on young artists, especially on especially profoundimpactonyoungartists, had a Erdély Tamás and Szentjóby The Thaw Generation: Coming of Coming ThawThe Generation: thePost-StalinClimate. in Age (Wein: StiftungLudwig Kunst moderner Museum Wien, 2000) 32. Film Quarterly Film

94 listening to jazz, drinking vodka, reciting tovodka, jazz, listening poetry,drinking reciting politics, debating A following Kassák this role into who figure stepped Kassák-like 92 93

became s became

In Budapest, progressive young artists formed the Zugló the Zugló formed Budapest, Circle, young progressive artists Forgács, “Strategies of the Hungarian Neo-Avant-Garde,”Forgács, of theHungarian “Strategies 47-48. , 26/1 (Autumn, 1972):44-50. (Autumn, , 26/1 anctuaries for young dissident intellectuals and intellectuals foryoungdissident anctuaries All across the socialist bloc, young artists and bloc, socialist youngartists the All across Aspects/Positions: 50YearsAspects/Positions: of Central in Art

(Boston: Little, Brown and (Boston: Little, : Miklós Miklós 95 new literary andnew literary th Tamás century. Part Erdély

, a

CEU eTD Collection 99 98 97 96 by district local from the run-down leased inchapel a compound, the held lakeside at be would in Exhibitions Chapel summertime ofsuccess, to degrees Fodor’s of version from an avant-garde inplays, District flat experimental whichincluded Halász's performances VII, in in 1972. public to perform license group's officials until pulled performances, the ofcontroversial finally staged a number they where Budapest, House in Culture Lajos Kassák at 1972,the grouphad bannedperformed in to Prior being Stúdió. Bálint Stúdió Bálint—the Kassák and Halász István ofPéter theater apartment was the scene events. pre-approved that to juries be subjected and could not spontaneous temporal, were ideas and since concepts censorship to circumvent artists this enabled bloc, socialist the and across Hungary in categories, and forms ofartistic the confines artists from freed conceptualism level, aesthetic on an artists abroad. among Hungarywould 1970s it early in as While in the pronounced especially became which towardconceptualism, avant-garde'sturn in the forcefully reflectedmost was disciplines artistic itself. the movement to and coherence of gavecollision unity wasThe ofmediums what incoherence to organize impossible the it making nearly bydiscipline: membership banner of“artist,” broader under the members avant-garde individual poets. whatgathered ofmediums was incoherence The Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 42. execution. father's his orphanage following into put an he was when István Kovács honor groupin of wasThis named and as official Interview, not performances. Tibor Várnagy, 2009. April as “rehearsals,” bycensors been banned been had showsthat perform continuedto thegroup had beingbanned, Before Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 40. had been members of the University to form quit and University later members1960s, late ofthe hadin been the Theater The avant-garde scene in Hungary reached an apex in 1970 to 1973, catalyzed around the 1973,catalyzed apex in 1970to an sceneinreached Hungary The avant-garde hubofthe avant-garde provocative and progressive politically the most In theamong 1970s, Orfeo Orfeo King Kong (later Studio ‘K’) (later to puppet theater. to like groups, theater otherTamás experimental Meanwhile, find public venues for their performances. fortheir venues find public László Rajk Jr., Rajk László so the

and László Najmányi’sand Stúdió IstvánKovács Balatonboglár. than 35events more span, season the Over three 97 at Péter performances holding the groupbegan After this, n of the showtrial victim n of victim theshowtrial 99 László Rajk, who was giventhename whoLászló was Rajk, , 98

managed, with varying with managed, .

Both Kassák Halász

and

CEU eTD Collection 102 101 100 oeuvre. avant-garde Hungarian a uniquely became shapeto what give would that art, word “anti-art,” art, action poetry art, endeavors: artistic produced somelandmark Chapel exhibitions hippies—the long-haired mini-Woodstock-like and intellectuals—a artists several-hundred-at-a-time ofsometimes gathering season final illegally one operated whichit in was1973,after banned Chapel and the attention and police media ofintense point focal artists. European Central with neighboring solidarity of asign worrisome as byauthorities whichwas deemed Slovak artists, groupofCzech and a included “ Forbidden, bybanned and rebellion—performances conformity was live offered inbird whicha life, between a choice over artistic control state's onthe allegory sculpture, a kinetic included These banned byauthorities manyhad been who artists, bycontroversial performances and ofexhibits a number included Exhibitions In1972,the Chapel subculture. a broader dissident into point at this whichhad coalesced avant-garde, ofthe circle a wide together drew often exhibitions Chapel byofficialdom unwelcome Budapest. increasingly in activities alternative andThe other happenings, theater, ofsorts, hosting colony artist exhibitions, poetry film, readings, documentary concerts, an alternative as andserve would György legally artist operated the Chapel Budapest Initially Galántai. Art is everything that is forbidden. Be Forbidden. forbidden. is that Art everything is György Galántai István see Exhibitions, Chapel aFor of review Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 43-44. this, see aFor of review That summer art historian historian summerThat art ” action, where observers were made to cross a rope in order to read the text of his exhibit: ofhis text read the in order crossto a rope to made were observers where ” action, 1970-1973 Eva Körner, “No 'ism’s' Hungary,” in 25. , eds. , eds. Júlia László Beke László . 102 Like aBird Klaniczay and Edit Sasvári (Budapest: (Budapest: Edit Sasvári and Klaniczay Artpool-Balassi

While Balatonboglár would become a hubof“anti-establishment” a become would Balatonboglár While Hajdu, “The Illegal “The Hajdu, Avant-garde,” organized an avant-garde festival at the Chapel that the Chapel organized at festival an avant-garde (1971) byI ” 100 Kassák Stúdió, and Szentjóby's now famous“ andnow Szentjóby's Kassák Stúdió, 101

The activities at the Chapel soon became the became soon the Chapel at activities The stván Haraszty—a politically provocative Haraszty—apolitically stván The The Balatonboglár , 2003):114-118. in Budapest. Chapel Studio of Studio Chapel

CEU eTD Collection 106 105 104 103 in 1968. death his until construction wasand jobs worked Hamvas effectivelytook He factory which, blacklisted. 1948 in the album Cezanne the only example, ofFine Academy away.) be would locked library Arts style. defenseofthe earlier his despite towardabstraction, hostility growing shown who an had byLukács, as viewed “formalist” increasingly was art and abstract surrealist and beyond SocReal era the throughout (1947), Kemény, Katalin writer published Hamvas “other called so- aofthe groupofphilosophers and joined European in School the was active wars, Hamvas the and journal circle 1960s. early philosophy, in the ofartists and intellectuals younger generation onthe widely influential was Hamvas Budapest. around circulating A traditionalist and eastern surrealist art writer prolific onmetaphysics, Chapter Happenings Hooligans, Hippies, 2: circle (1958-1968),” circle Gábor (1945-1949)” Hungary in Literature culturalpolicy, role1940s-era in a atLukác's For look of Bourgeois and Fall Rise Szegedy-Maszák,“The Mihály see 2007). at: online be accessed night can sessions Thursday Mándy,and Stefánia Situationist thefuture and György Bíró as well Endre Attila as Kotányi, Kunszt. A of review Béla hisKemény, Katalin Hamvas, Szabó, included,Lajos wife, and night typically and Béla sessions Tábor Thursday EuropeanHandbook Contemporary of Theory, Social Writings thejournal and and Kerényi, Hamvas scarce. are inonHamvas English , Lukács In 1963, sections of unpublished manuscripts and writings by Béla Hamvas had begun had Hamvas and writingsbyBéla manuscripts In 1963,sectionsofunpublished and for it, Hamvas would become an icon of sorts among Hungary's surrealist artists Hungary's surrealist among icon ofsorts an forit, become would Hamvas and Pataki, “Two Pataki, and (1945-1948) theZugló School, theEuropean art connections: in Franco-Hungarian chapters 103 Budapest

dismissed Hamvas from his post as librarian in the Central Library of Budapest, and after ofBudapest,and Library Central in as post the his librarian from Hamvas dismissed

In the 1930s, Hamvas and classical philologist Károly Kerényi formed the intellectual the KárolyKerényi formed philologist and classical Hamvas 1930s, In the Sziget French Studies Cultural

School,” who met for “Thursday conversations.” met who for“Thursday School,” (Island), a short-lived publication on philosophy and cultural affairs. onphilosophy and cultural publication a short-lived Between (Island), Hungarian Studies Studies Hungarian . 11 (2000): 406. Although socialist realism had not yet been mandated, yet been had not realism socialist Although Revolution in Revolution Art: andSurrealismAbstraction in Hungary Ádám Tábor, “ ed. 13/2 (1998/99):199-214. 13/2

Gerard Delanty (London: Routledge, 2006):147. (London:Routledge, Delanty Gerard

Concourse at the centre,” atthecentre,” Concourse Sziget 104

Together withwife, his (Island), are mentioned in the in mentioned are (Island), 105 (By the late 1940s, for the (By late Exindex.hu (November

106

CEU eTD Collection 111 110 109 108 107 through the circulation in whichremained work, ofhis someportion at least had read Budapest scenein in the involved progressive everyone practically death, ofHamvas' time on.Bythe caught secret never police the surprising is around Budapestit was paperwork Hamvas circulating illicit urban myth. ofan something became the line story novel in and the happened actually novel time. at one text one any with—rarely, irritation some expressed himself Hamvas if ever, of complete copy have a did anyone typosand edits—which with copiesriddled were aMost time. at copies ofexcerpts five making friend. they from borrowed a machine a single unsampled with worked orthey workplaces, their at sectionsontypewriters typed secretly theSome people production. in ofdifferent involved a were number circles there intellectual scarce, but to typewriters was access only chaotic.” “completely being the as work texts, recalled the distributing re-typing in and involved and novels. ofHamvas'sessays with a number along Artist ofHamvas's manuscripts, thousandpages to whatamounted several and distributing re-typing involved projects Hence,the 1,000pages. another 1960and 1964,was privatelybetween whichhe wrote part, ofhis part one immense: oeuvre was Hamvas's circles. groups and intellectual small ofartist writingsamong Hamvas's circulate time, 1962 since district Budapest's Zugló Molnár'sin flat at toregularly meet begun the writingsamong Hamvas's and circulate re-type Interview, Interview, Szentjóby, May 2009. artist from fellow machine unsampled was an theyused The typewriter Interview, Szentjóby, May Budapest, 2009. The László László András, Carnival Zugló Zugló Around Gábor Circle was made of was made Circle 1963,p , which runs seven books and more than 1,000 pages alone, and so no one any idea what any so idea alone, noone and than runs1,000pages and more books seven , which Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin, a Buddhist theology student who had become Hamvas'sp had become who student a Buddhisttheology ainter ainter 110 Scientia Sacra By another account, someone had mis-numbered the pages of Hamvas's pages the had mis-numbered someone account, Byanother Sándor Molnár Sándor Sándor Molnár,Sándor andwife, his Hamvas befriended who had

Mankind’s Heritage, Spiritual Karnevál , Imre Bak, Bak, , Imre (1948–51, (1948–51, István Zugló Circle, a group of abstract artists who had who artists a groupofabstract Circle, Zugló

Nádler Carnival Tamás Szentjóby

Gábor and , published in 1985). in , published Pál Pál Altorjay. Deim. ran six volumes; the second the ran volumes; six 109 Often they used carbon used paper, Oftenthey , who was among those , whoamong was rotégé . 107

Around same the , began to , began 111 had begun to had For how much how For

108

Not

CEU eTD Collection 115 114 113 112 forming their before generations to older themselves attach younger groups when whichoccur agents,” Inthis way,avant-garde. as defined “crystallizing whatMannheim as acted older generation the especially, to youngartists influential highly old spirit utopian ofthe the to manysought resurrect who offpushed sidebyofficialdom. to the somehad ofwhom been older to generation, iconsof the attachedthemselves and artists intellectuals wrote: Hamvas instance, Jaspers. philosopher Karl and existentialist Germanpsychiatrist and astrology,liberation, byFrenchtraditionalist ideas and introduced mysticism, Eastern astrology, liberation, wroteofspiritual He ofother levels. number ofspiritual Eastern mysticism, and tohe was read him, wanted young artists and intellectuals most ideas. ofnew and fora taste philosophical, and fordirection,artistic thirsty and intellectuals artists ofprogressive generation bya new blood, byyoung workfueled was the manuscripts—the young artists with provided who himself, Hamvas Hungary. artists—and and ofintellectuals generations ofthe older members involved certainly it While The“YouthProblem” 1980s. Hungary,” 25. Neo-Avant-Garde;”Forgács of theHungarian “Strategies in thisgeneral discusses in 035,2000. BMC CD Center Records from Hamvas, Excerpt include Being ( Works by Interview, 112 In the early 1960s, there remained a distinct generational overlap, and many overlap, younger and generational a remained distinct there 1960s, In the early first “collective” probably the manuscripts were The Hamvas

1932), 1932), Reason andExistenz Reason everybody anticipates it. . . Prepare for awakening. it. thewondrous .Prepare anticipates everybody more abut likely, ball, Maybe a as holocaust, or a rather feast, Maybe famine. approaching. is awakening War. penitence. procession, or Maybe or Maybe. revolution, us isfor getprepared. of to it time I that oneknow: moment thing Now is The there René Guénon include: Guénon include: René Tibor Várnagy, Budapest, 2009. April Oriental Metaphysics ( Metaphysics Oriental Carnival (1935), , provided by , provided Introduction Doctrines theHindu theStudyof to ) ) Philosophy of Existence Existence of Philosophy 1939); Works and theology, existentialism wrote about byKarl who Jaspers, 115 Kassák, by then an elder statesmen ofthewas avant-garde, elder bythenstatesmen an Kassák, László Melis, László Melis, was Hamvas that the fact with Along The The Enoch, of Apocalypse (1938). (1938). attractive to younger generations ona generations to younger attractive 114 113 samizdat In his novel Inhis (1921), (1921), Eva Körner,Eva 'ism’s' “No in

l iner ( notes The Multiple States of the of States Multiple The project in post-1956 in project

banned Carnival

Budapest Music Budapest René Guénon , and forthat, , and , for

CEU eTD Collection 118 117 116 New Testament about brotherly love. rallying the still-disgruntled workers behind the next economic plan—instead, he read passages from the was invited by the Party to address workers at a Budapest factory—with the understood purpose of his László Nemeth. Likewise, there were moments of defiance: exhibit, which was banned by authorities because the catalog contained an essay by still blacklisted writer drawer.”the In made: some creativeattempts There were for “writing ortook to emigration,” or“spiritual “internal emigration,” into many west, retreated for the did not who leave ofintellectuals generation the elite.Of older and cultural ofintellectuals thousands them, among Revolution, following the had emigrated 200,000Hungarians than more immense: was 1963. prisoners 1956 political drain” granted “brain from to was The roundofamnesty cultural another the revolution—writers in Tibor Déry, in prison 1960,and from been released Gyulahad Háy just involved ofintellectuals thousands Stalinism. punishments to harsh crackdownbrought post-1956 The of ofpersonality” “cult the service purges, withdenouncing lip party coinciding show trials, political of was a time system.It political Kádár's new to test unwilling but were to younger adherents ideas including Tamás Szentjóby. Miklós Hungaria. artists included The group often at meetingoften in1960s, the early reconstitutedthemselves who had and artists intellectuals thought. simultaneously, and creative streamsofintellectual existing continuity to generational whichgave ideal.” “newerlife own M.S. Handler, Hungary,” in “Defiance Ibid, 79. Wohl, onMannheim,

The early-1960s cultural climate was still icy: many older intellectuals were willing to feed their to feed willing were older intellectuals many icy: still was climate cultural The early-1960s Mészöly, younger generation, artists from the and intellectuals wellnumerousbudding as 117 The mingling of generations was apparent with the with the apparent was minglingofgenerations The The Generation of 1914 of Generation The 116 There was a stretch of time when generational “entelechies” co-existed “entelechies” generational when oftime a stretch was There

New YorkNew Times 118

With the stalking still realism ofsocialist spirit Revai's , 79. Miklós , November 4,1961,p.8. , November

Erdély

1960, artist and in 1961, then- Béla Kondor Béla Vigilia

group, an open circle ofwriters, group,an open circle Béla elderly composer Kondor had , writers János Pilinszky and János , writers planned an Zoltán Kodály

Café

CEU eTD Collection 121 120 119 truancy, and cynicism.” ofdiscipline lack community, ofthe the life from “aloof and remain and morals,” ideologies “hostile embrace spreading stronger. interests are selfish some even and community interests,” ofsociety and .than consideration the in bourgeois its issue. “petty March among that students students and paper noted apathetic The ego Party's monthly Hungarian purity,” reflecting the deep rifts within the party on the direction of post-1956 political life. constantly-on-the-mend compromises. Questioning, revising the past clashed with debates on “ideological d ideological indoctrination school curricula was at its apex. The group came of age in the 1960s, when born sometime in the 1940s part. an integral been elite—had cultural the older ingeneration—especially the many that upheavals political tumultuous but none undergone onthe streets, the of the violence succession first-hand some had witnessed and cross it. to himself professor, tormentedelderly a from athe snowsteps field diesin Viennese border, bring to unable country. own their within 1962essay, the ofDéry motif was Such marooned bydefeat, anguished rise—were party's communist in the accomplices and active Marxists city.” too cheerful a “not in 1961,was it reporter described one western which,as in Budapest, culturallife ebb palpable in was there landscape, eStalinization had ushered ideological and moral crises, one ending in Kádár's deeply conflicting, Analysis Department, Box 30-3-144. Box Department, Analysis “Hungarian University Youth 4 Indoctrination,” Resist Communist and Evaluation Radio Europe, Free 1958.In April 1962. Box-Folder-Report: 32-2-27. Tibor Déry, from journal “Reckoning,” Handler, Hungary,” in “Defiance 8. Party officials as early as 1958 had begun debating the “youth problem” in problem” Hungary.Party “youth officials 1958hadthe begun as debating early as The the Revolution, during teenagers were beleaguered:many not so was generation The 1960s-era 120

Among what would become the new generation of dissident intellectuals, most were Társadalmi Szemle Társadalmi which meant they had spent their formative years in grade school when Uj IrásUj 119 121 , translated text in Radio Free Europe Research Reports, 24October ResearchReports, Europe textFree Radio in , translated Some in the old guard—many who were were committed were were who old Someguard—many in the

The monthly claimed the lack of Marxist indoctrination at ofMarxistindoctrination lack the The claimed monthly addressed the problem of politically and ideologically theofpolitically addressed problem Reckoning , in protagonist, whichhis

CEU eTD Collection 127 126 125 124 123 122 while even dissenters spiritual us,turn into they awayfrom drawingthem forces as forward come ofbourgeois show ideals. pieces towardalien onthe modeled turn ideals are society,Their wishes their ideology. ofsocialist a contempt decadence, ofouryouth strata contaminated the This... means that “sexual indecency,which to its compared “ideological worst not is feature,” the though typical, press. class V of1956. forces revolutionary of“bourgeois” in to the images linked press who counter- thewere “galerik,” against campaign force.” social “exciting new an ofyouth image as the popularize fervor helped the culture, popular and western comics films, western in —and Western cities. Moscow, block—in socialist the problems across causing Leningrad, Warsaw, Budapest Berlin and East were who youth over“jampec,” working-class panic” a had“moral created and press authorities and music. style, western dress adopting streets, around onthe officialsoryouth hanging gangs party withas Hungary's“galerik,” concerned grew generation.'” older to the an opposition and younggeneration role leading ofthe the “'proclaimed students University (ELTE) Eötvös Loránd at like the incidents worrisome had triggered universities the where report. 1961-2-24box-folder-report:report. 31-2-182. in Problem 'Hooligan' Hungary,”“The and RFE Evaluation Europe, Free Radio background Department, Analysis Ibid, 77. of “Myths theGreat Horváth, Tree 76. Gang,” Press,2000). ofUniversity California G. Poiger,See Uta Urban aContemporary World in Change and Youth Herbert, ed., Joanna Budapest,'” in ‘Socialist in Culture of “Myths theGreat Sándor Horváth, see phenomenon, “jampec” Tree aFor of review ConstructingSpaces Urban Gang: 30-3-144. Box Department, Analysis “Hungarian University Youth 4 Indoctrination,” Resist Communist and Evaluation Radio Europe, Free 1958.In April 127 ágóhíd At the same time, heated debates about youth “hooliganism” began to appear in the state press, the state in began to appear youth “hooliganism” about debates heated time, theAt same inAn article 122 street gang, sparking rounds of political-ideological debates in the both state radio and state theradio both debates in rounds ofpolitical-ideological gang, sparking street

Jazz, Rock, and Rebels. Cold War andRebels. Jazz, Rock, Politicsand American Culture Germany aDivided in Magyar Nemzet Magyar 124 of thedangers show effort figurethe Although to “jampec” was tothe use 126 125 In working- members ofthe arrested 1960,Budapestauthorities August A state's with in the 1960s constructed was ofhooliganism type new described the socially destructive features of “hooliganism,” in of“hooliganism,” features destructive socially the described (Ashgate: (Ashgate: 2007):73-93. Aldershot, 123 Similar scandals had scandals emerged thewhen Similar 1950s, in

Testimonies theCity. of Identity, and Community (Berkeley:

CEU eTD Collection 134 133 132 131 130 129 128 a like a sack and “carrying worn jacket leather donningbrown a and mustache, beard short hair, with long blond figure,” a “Christ-like into notorious, he had evolved was 1970s, somewhat the hair,long wearing and beaded, bearded came they blue jeans. American profiles. psychological and surveys, essays ofnumeroussociological point the focal social group,became deviant problematic, group. “anthropological” a distinct as treated youth” “the was the “other,” as the ofyouth mythology amplified and frompress the party polemics ideological in which identity. cultural shapea common help that and resources” myths “symbols, providing “other,” ofthe categories and distinguishing values, conflict,social force defining dominant by to an emerging and shape identity give onsecretly.” to live continues whosespirit rotten brothels ofthe banned and elements rowdies of gangs dispersed underworld,the defeated the dethronedclasses, ruling ofthe and cynicism nihilism in deterioration Western imperialism.” the “moral and reflected savages,” into having symptom turned as“social ofyouth a hooliganism the country.” in living Cambridge. Consumption: and Citizenship Agency, 30th March – Conference, Spaces Mediations, and Norms, 2006, 1st, April see: thebluejeans phenomenon, aFor of review of “Myths theGreat Horváth, Tree 77. Gang,” Routledge, 1995): Douglas Kellner, 76. Horváth, Ibid. five10years. to ranging terms prison from to sentenced others were report.The Vagohid “gang leader,” a minor, who was Kovari, Béla the in jail; five sentence, years themaximum received in Problem 'Hooligan' Hungary,”“The and RFE Evaluation Europe, Free Radio background Department, Analysis 31-2-182. 1961-2-24.report. Box: in Problem 'Hooligan' Hungary,”“The and RFE Evaluation Europe, Free Radio background Department, Analysis Many young intellectuals and artists embraced the rebel image. image. the rebel grew wore artists embraced clothes, They hippie and young intellectuals Many helped newspapers and to worked sell youth both onHungary'shooligan stories Sensationalized

1. Media Culture. Cultural Studies, Identity, and Politics Between the Modern and the Postmodern 128 in appeared scathingThe attack most 129 youth subculture. youth “the hooligans represent report, toyouth the According Ferenc Hammer,Ferenc Hungary.” Socialist in Jeans “Blue 131 to Kellner,According a most media mass Élet és IrodalomÉlet 133

Th e “anti-social youth,” a as “anti-social e 134 Szentjóby's appearance, by appearance, Szentjóby's , whichdecried 132 Paper forPaper the Heavy

130

. (London:

CEU eTD Collection 139 138 137 136 135 networkofcultural clubs a music Likewise, shows. alternative and performances foravant-garde hubs University, clubsrunbyELTE, number ofstudent and a regular as operating the Eötvös Club, including the like with spots rebellion,” “controlled diffuse control. to a means as ofsocial pressure social and the Communist in students university Youth belonged. ofstudents about half to which League, a effort launching “cultural front,” to among the to membership boost attention to shift its planned it 'beingother the of glint with the young people false impactthe “They problem: a particular as circles intellectual and youngartists progressive saw authorities wasHungarian concerned. state the insofaras serious quite rebels.” of Hungary's“community ofone's in membership marker a visible was as a form ofprotest much as whichwas kind of“bohemia,” style, a generational distinct into developed a wear—which hippie western available, materials most antagonistic the non-conformity—with general their expressing to upper-classes. opposition is, A were intellectuals artists and alternative that is explanation better that ofclass, asexpression links style an idea Gramsci's model debatable—as is Hungarian the explain culture. “hegemonic” parent, theirto the express andopposition dress to styles and co-opted, adapted, Britain in post-war youth tosubcultures how examine ofhegemony theory wanderer.” Ibid. 30-3-144. “Hungarian University Youth 4 Indoctrination,” Resist Communist RFE/RL 1958.In April Box Reports, Background No. Folder Department his company,” and Péter Halász controlling of for“Suggestion thefurther Inner Ministry of Affairs III/IIII-4-a- Sub- Hebdige's is famousDick amongthese The most Forgács, Concessions were made to appease the rebellious youth, in hopes of “winning over” the youth, over” the in of“winning hopes theyouth, rebellious to appease made were Concessions programs,t television and onpopular the press hypedWhile in “Strategies of Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies 135 A Gramsci's used School have from the Birmingham ofneo-Marxistscholars number , '” one secret police report police concluded. one secret '”

O-16268/2 ("Fishermen"). 7 December 1973. ("Fishermen").7December O-16268/2 University University Theater, at Budapest's “R” Club the Technical Subculture 40. 137 : : Meaning of Style of Meaning

In response, the Party in early 1960announced Party in early the In response, 139 Hence, universities became sites of sites became Hence,universities

Transl. Veronika Csikós. (London, Methuen, 1979). (London, Methuen, he “youth problem” was problem” actually he “youth 136 works to this Whether 138

CEU eTD Collection 142 141 140 rejected. it was but Council Another journal, After (Start) Kezdet groupofartists—Miklós another the journal to form Hegedűs—tried filmmaker László Apáthy and 1965. shutdown before issue being in ran a single which ELTE,effort at ofHumanities the fromFaculty within came the journal with art and artists. non-traditional involving The towardpublications first stance Party's flexible less the fiataloknak! forthe “Just young!“ ( magazine called weekly music a Radio started and Hungarian contest Beatles. the Hendrixand Jimi onthe Stones, Rolling but stories, alsoarticles not only political contained Magazine) like liberal, remarkably were 1960s, in the some appeared that journals and foreign radio. magazines ofwestern consumption quell crowd. intellectual young, rebellious hangout Budapest's drinking and spot late-night-into-early-morning favorite a whichbecame and artists, journalists forwriters, with only”sections club “member's was for instance, theater,progressive the haunts: legendary became Some events and lectures. artistic Young Artist Club, Derkovits —the Youth for sites Club—werecommon Cultural Kassák and the Lajos Club in Ujpest This journal involved Árpád Árpád journalinvolved This Ajtony, Bodor, Ferenc Bódy, Gábor Miklós Győrffy, Gyula Kodolányi. Ibid, 13. – 30th March Conference, and Spaces Mediations, 13 2006,Cambridge, 1st, April Hammer, Hungary.” Socialist in Jeans “Blue Ferenc. Kassák But early attempts to attempts But early to an attempt youth in media, ofpopular realm too, in concessions, the made The authorities 140 the time, theAround same , a pop-culture journal founded by students at the at the founded bystudents journal , a pop-culture ). 's death in 1967, the group presented the idea to the Information Office the idea Information Ministers’ to the 1967,the ofthe death grouppresented in 's 141

and had taken their idea to idea their to had taken and launch new avant-garde journals, avant-garde legally, new launch whichillustrates denied, were

Hungarian Television pop popular hosting a wildly began Kassák Eszmélet (Consciousness), Eszmélet Paper for the Citizenship and Consumption: and Consumption: forPaper theCitizenship Agency, Norms, , who declined to take responsibility forthe responsibility journal. take to declined , who 142 Two yearslater, Tamas and Szentjóby Among a number of youth magazines and number ofyouth magazines a Among Technical i University Ifjúsági Magazin was planned and approved for planned was Értesítő (Notification) Értesítő n 1965,which

(Youth Csak

music

CEU eTD Collection 145 144 143 and writing poetry began Poets ofDumb Circle the called small groupofartists 1965, a spur aand Poets Dumb well, as demands intellectual our increase have we to todemands, enlarge notand is ecological enough technological it ourmaterial, organic effort ofwhichthey a desperate became but oureverydayand alsofrom life warn: parts, suit to that from energy thoseintentions not “‘free stems only art Imre oftoday Bak: fine actual artists ofthe forHungary's avant-garde. program aesthetic out to the work the groupbegan Kassák, According to and byboth Hamvas Influenced revolution. artistic programsforHungary'soncoming aesthetic new early in 20 the circles and Galilei Gresham the like university debates. university,” effect, “flying was, so-called in The versionofthe circle an early a private theory, modern art in aesthetic engage in mastersand with old Hungarian themselves to reacquaint themselves educate to whoendeavoring were very much artists trained groupofformally was a circle Certainly, circuits. public but the Zugló the allure, writingscontributedto ofthe forbidden nature the in prohibited art theory to discuss art effort trendsand European the towith reconnect very much was andBazaine’s Jean byKandinsky art abstract ofworks typed on out copies and had translated Zugló withCircle the the toartists rounds: make begun uponforaid. relied Bythe be generation the older could last minute, the but at publication, Eva Körner, “No 'ism’s' Hungary,” in 26. (1958-1968)” circle Gábor Horgas Béla editors journalinvolved This Júlia Levendel. and It was group of untrained artists who provided a decisive “break” with the older generation— older with the “break” a decisive provided artists who groupofuntrained It was nor forpublishing be would unavailable avenues legitimate neither that clear became Hence, it Pataki, “Two Pataki, and (1945-1948) theZugló School, theEuropean art connections: in Franco-Hungarian chapters new crop of new French Studies Cultural samizdat we have to shape ourselves not only outwardly not have toourselves shape we inwardly also but projects—that would revolutionize Hungary's avant-garde scene. In scene. Hungary'savant-garde revolutionize would projects—that Aczél refused to allow the publishing. journal's to refused allow Aczél 11 (2000): 406. Notes sur la peinture surNotes la d’aujourd’hui mid-1960s, a number of illicit writingshad a number ofillicit mid-1960s, th century, out present worked those where . 143 144

group, that Among holding writing holding .’”

145

CEU eTD Collection 148 147 146 Europe book, ofDickHiggins's recent a copy reading music festival the Warsaw of“happenings.” first heard inhe where 1965,whichis Autumn After theater, avant-garde in interested Polish increasingly befriended and Tadeusz attending Kantorwhile had become He and French,Polish German. English, begun himself to teach and had languages publication, avant-garde issues ofthe and where read Pest, in downtown library Language Foreign National cards. notuniversity, attend Although he did and the libraries university at oftime spent a gooddeal he identity checked routinely who for police, a “loafer” was not he verifiable proofthat gave him which intellectual,” to a “public akin something status, a special Szentjóby had given there rector liberal The school, open-minded upat he finally ended until fourhigh schools from expelled was He forbasic training. gorging weight the lift required including too sickto he was until onchocolates service, military to avoid had he done could everything Szentjóby the time. at mandatory service, in the had enrolled Altorjay Theological avoid him military enabled to in Budapest,which Academy art school: wentto artists. Neither become would they decided gymnasium, until they when friends close become but did not onFerenc körút, Cinema near Corvin same neighborhood upin grew the they skills. sandwich-making unsurpassed then wentto and ofFrenchSituationists. leanings group theThe anarcho-Marxists and Zoltan flat. in a private upof contests group—made The The sandwiches were mentioned in two interviews: they were Diplomat Sandwiches. theywere Diplomat in interviews: two were mentioned sandwiches The Szentjóby had not remembered being classmates with János Kenedi, but was reminded of this by Kenedi years later. years this byKenedi reminded of Kenedi, was with but János beingclassmates hadremembered not Szentjóby Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin, Tárkányi—was heavily influenced by Hamvas, but also by the Fluxus movement,happenings, Fluxus but byHamvas, alsothe influenced heavily Tárkányi—was , Altorjay wrote to Higgins through his publishing house, Something Else Press, in New Press, in New Else publishing his Something house, wrotetothrough Higgins Altorjay York; Studio Internationale Studio Tárkányi's flat in the 9 in the Tárkányi's flat where he was schoolmates with future dissident sociologist J dissident sociologist with future schoolmates he where was . theAt seminary,Theological a number learned offoreign Altorjay 146 Szentjóby and Szentjóby from childhood, knownother each had Altorjay th district, only because only because district, possessed girlfriend Tárkányi's Intermedia, Intermedia, Tamás Szentjóby which was brought to him by a friend in broughtbya friend to him which was ,

Gábor Fehérvári út 10, Fehérvári met weekly at thebaths Rudas weekly at met Altorjay, ános ános a notoriously a László László András Kenedi.

148

147

and

CEU eTD Collection 152 151 150 149 the scene. penetrated had already informant Béla IV. ruler Hungary's then ruler, Mongol century under Magyararmies conquered who the Khan, ofGenghis had grandson Khan called 1966to June hold a “happening,” in decided Altorjay Erdély brotherhood.” kind of“aesthetic bond,a and spiritual artistic on“anti-poetry,”worked read Hamvas, studied “anti-art,” Warhol a tight Cage, and andformed John energized that they experimentalism young artists: creative the ofinfectious place was a club Poets although themselves, at home. Dead someout eventuallyofthe typed Altorjay sanctum” The “inner year, but amongst kept anyone private. circulated weekly meetings never poemswere their The style.” butchered an already “butcher to further explicitly was poetry, state. ofSocReal awardedbythe searing mockeries prizes The literary poemswere the aim their ona winner, the vote groupwould which aloud, thenafter poemsread timed, anlike award bestow and be sessionswould wasone—and a inpopular Budapest,” or“drunk driver landing, the moon news, style. realist socialist in the mostly A from everyday topics, often be would announced—random topic ofmaterials. a “flood” with responded Higgins 1968. Hungary.” in the Happening Schwitters. artists Kurt theGerman police, after himgive to bythesecret thename “Schwitters,” code under name the to records, Szentjóby's attached are onthe“happenings” files The police 11 Sub-Department. 2./b of Group Chief May 1968. “ Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin and the1960s. Fluxus throughout poetry worksnumber onConcrete of producing a publishinghouse, iconic alternative 1963,which an became Pressin Higgins Something Else founded Summary report and arrangement plan about the Happening in theHappening Hungary.” planabout and arrangement report Summary , which took place , which , would ignite the avant-garde scene and thrust the trio in a public spotlight. Szentjóby and Szentjóby in spotlight. a public trio and thrust the thescene avant-garde ignite , would The alliance between Szentjóby and Szentjóby between The alliance Altorjay, with emerging together guruMiklós avant-garde wineand wrotepoetry, drank cheap sandwiches, ate the artists themeetings, At Poets Dumb in

Miklós Erdély's brother-in-law's Erdély's Miklós Ministry of Inner Ministry Affairs, From the secret From the secret 152 The invitation—illegally printed, a note of whichwas a note printed, invitation—illegally The police report attached to the event, we know that an that event, know to we the attached report police Translated author by for Veronika Csikós. 149 III. Gendarmerie of Chief Group 2./b Sub-Department. 11 Group Chief Sub-Department. 2./b of Gendarmerie III. May basement onBuda. basement The Lunch: In Memoriam Batu Batu InMemoriam Lunch: The 150 than a formore The met Poets Dumb “ Summary report and arrangement planabout and arrangement report Summary Ministry of Inner Ministry Affairs, 151 Batu Khan was a 13 Batuwas Khan III. Gendarmerie III.

47 th

CEU eTD Collection 156 155 154 153 Erdély scandal ofa public center at the were artists involved and the “happening” the weeks, state inpress— the ofcommentaries flurry art. whathad gone onconstituted whether whichhe questioned in happening,” Hungarian the first about Khan:a meditation ofBatu in memory “Lunch few title a weeks story “anarchy.” into not would devolve one that “anti-happening,” an host member, audience One Dr. to he was going László he declared performance was upsetbythe Végh, so and NextSzentjóby bydirt. a bunker covered in bags. into plastic and vomited chicken ate Altorjay Triumph,” air-raid recording ofan ofnoises speech. sounds a from a French with mixed artists hid The Stockhausen's “The was forthe Chosen happening playing. was music,” ofelectronic “father the Stockhausen, composer Karlheinz byGerman avant-garde music where the basement into moved to it. setfire onaand publishing. baby carriage pouredthen gasoline audience then The The artists journal—playing typeoff a to pretending a typewriter taboo ofindependent at the sitting Szentjóby byphotographs. and illustrated defined Export Cultural Trade was “happening” term book,in whichthe a foreign distributed Enterprise, Galla circle. Pál Petri from the artists and included degrees, university with architects painters, journalists, poets,writers, mostly intellectuals, by50or60people, attended It was press. local members ofthe 150people, including mailedto file—was police in the made Inner Inner 11 Sub-Department. Affairs. 2./b of Group Chief Gendarmerie III. May 1968. Folder V-156455, informant. was an revealed he that was opened, it were police files when 1990s, theearly not Kafka. Itwas until like literature, other copies of them Cage—and John fed instance, he László Végh 2009)._ towas, according Altorjay, bystander,” an “innocent targeted who (Interview, was bythestate. Altorjay, May Berlin Béla He scene. theavant-garde in just interested notartist, he but was files, an of police isaArany in number mentioned 11 Sub-Department. 2./b of Group Chief May 1968. “ Summary report and arrangement plan about the Happening in theHappening Hungary.” planabout and arrangement report Summary were taken in by the police and made to sign a statement swearing they would neither hold nor neither would they swearing a sign statement made to bythe and police in taken were A from reporter was a trusted member of avant-garde circles. He had been He giving circles. had of avant-garde a member trusted was and Altorjay

( “ Schwitters Tükör (Mirror) ” ),

“Summary report and arrangement plan about the Happening in Hungary.” in planabouttheHappening arrangement report and “Summary Ministry of , a newly launched cultural journal, covered the event and ran event and the covered journal, cultural newlylaunched , a 154 a “half-naked” garden began with in the The performance Esti hírlap and Népszava Ministry of Inner Ministry Affairs, –denouncing the event, and within event, the –denouncing 155 153

Béla Béla Arany, worked who 156 Szentjóby It was followed bya It was . Altorjay and Altorjay III. Gendarmerie III. books onart—for books

CEU eTD Collection 160 159 158 157 and Szentjóby solo launched Altorjay power.” forms. was to it, tell “seize artistic they as traditional and aim, to destroythe explicit taboos Their and Szentjóby shatter up the system, to to mind: upset,stir goalsin revolutionary had definite Altorjay allonce.” at possible destruction,” are about “Happenings things as tomany destroyas “andneeded we recounted, Altorjay avoid indetection.) order to word ofthe “happening” instead or “pop-art” again. ever of“happenings” speak Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin, Inner May 11, Sub-Department. Affairs. 2./b of Group Chief Gendarmerie III. 1968. Folder V-156455, ( Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin, document. Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. of thefirst speak never would that attesting they second sign to document a theyhad that reported also Altorjay The event was taboo shattering on multiple levels: aesthetically, onmultiple levels: taboo shattering was The event culturally, politically. 160 Emboldened by their performance, and amid the public fervor over the “happening,” fervor over the public the and amid performance, bytheir Emboldened becomes close to being vulgar or meaningless. beingvulgar close to becomes ifits activity oppositeeven opinion, andhavingan in itself expressing and in freedom thinking.theindividual’s Itpromulgates way and of a lifestyle more a right unlimited however, it butis rather understood, politically primarily not anti-socialism is this that openly. propagated not is ifthat content,even anti-socialist happenings... have Itis true, “ Schwitters 158 Even the informant made note of the dangerous nature ofthe “happening:” nature dangerous note ofthe made the informant Even ” ) “Summary report and arrangement plan about the Happening in Hungary.” in planabouttheHappening arrangement report and “Summary Ministry of 157 (After that, avant-garde artists more often used the term “op-art” used term often the artists more that, avant-garde (After samizdat journals. Szentjóby's Szentjóby's journals. 159

Etlap (The Menu), Menu), (The Etlap

was a single was a

both

CEU eTD Collection 162 161 radio. time, that At Fluxus artist with German actively communicating Wolf alsobegan Altorjay radical forGerman poem an action turn into later would Argentinian Minujin, whichhe Marta artist Jacoby. and Roberto Raul Escari Costa, he wrote Likewise, to him by Dick Higgins. war in Vietnam, along with current events in the international avant-garde scene, with materials being fed “aggressive and ignorant than ever.” reporter “healthy and trendy kid’s shoes,” a piece on the warm summer weather. In one article, he criticized news included mundane news: an article on the Hungarian Orthopedic Company's demand for the production of a surprise for Erdély, a futuristic report about Erdély arriving in Paris on July 4, 1974. Other issues international and domestic “happenings,” and other commentaries. In the first issue, he wrote an article as about futuristic news, as well as current international events, updates on avant-garde exhibits and of paper was a difficult process. The publication carried “news from the future,” articles Altorjay wrote circulation at a time. Some of this had to do with the labor intensity of the work, as typing onto long sheets group of friends—in all seven issues of Laura were produced, never were more than 3 or 4 scrolls in have no idea what you are talking about.”) The project was “top secret,” circulated only among small he had added the question mark so that when authorities came to question him he could say, “ authorities. The title, neighbor, his foranfrom old typewriter heirloom, by not been sampled whichhad German Erika, a ofpaper,sheets a scroll. into rolled family holders,a candle a setofsilver had traded Altorjay ofhis issue first something publish to simply His was purpose Cafe Hungaria. from the menu from he made journal issue From Interview, Szentjóby, May Budapest, 2009. Laura? Béla Pomogáts who published an commentary in a youth magazine that was much more , he said, “because they told me Icouldn't.” told me they , he said,“because (draft), provided to author to byGábor (draft), provided Altorjay, translated samizdat Laura?, He published news of a “happening” by “happening” news ofa published He Argentinian Eduardo artists Fluxus journal journal was meant to be as non-political as possible (though he later would joke that Laura? 162

But issues also carried political news from the west, including the , a publication typed on one- or sometimes two-meter long two-meter orsometimes typed onone- , a publication 161 In the winter of1967, Inthe 15 Minujin, Marta for Actions for author by for Veronika Csikós. the launched Altorjay

a tribute to tribute a Laura?

, I

CEU eTD Collection and interrogated. Under increasing scrutiny, increasing interrogated. Under and and both he ofthe Communist front page the Youth paper, the station police into hauled wasAltorjay immediately club. bya invited cultural had been since they they figured, “illegal,” on covered was theAfter event Hungarian ofthe member Writers hold a to Union In target and interrogations. survellience ofpolice 1967, April and Altorjay journal avant-garde European Vostell, score a musical published who an edition in concert foran action had written Altorjay Authorities never caught onto never caught Authorities dé-coll/age Laura?, Laura?, in 1967. in but by the middle of1967 middle but bythe had Altorjay happening, which they eagerly accepted: it was it not accepted: eagerly whichthey happening, Szentjóby Szentjóby attempted to leave Hungary that Hungary to leave attempted Erdély were invited by invited were Erdély become

a prime

CEU eTD Collection one can draw a straight line. Much has been studied about the spiritually and psychologically liberating and psychologically the spiritually about been has studied Much line. cana straight draw one first toofthe the happening, birth taboo-shatteringfirst to the circle, Poets Dumb F “happening.” ofthe first advent with the and “break” a generational around was own, catalyzed their which artists publishing texts ofmodernto art and translations manuscripts an of evolution demonstrate examples circulate the publication undetected, before burning every last copy. act of psychic disobedience as it was a test of the internal collective, who successfully managed to those on publishing itself but on the internal, psychic constraints of “self-censorship.” It was as much an Laura? rules, crossed into forbidden territory, turned revolutionary ideas into action—art into life—and hence, put on display what kind of a hip, international revolutionary Altorjay had become. on international trends. But an ardent member of Fluxus, had genuinely to meant bring to Hungary's information-craved artists news more like a work of art, its own Dadaist manifesto, its very own theatrical performance. Altorjay, by then to askedhim mention. not specifically the had police which “happenings,” Aesthetically, and events artistic western information onradical contained revolution—though it onsocial panegyrics its mystique. only has added to which (pictured), caught. forfear ofbeing burned it believed, mock-ups are hand-written journal ofthe remains All that Yugoslavia, Italy, France—that copies of No August. Romania, Germany—via to fromto Hungary himself to friend,smuggle it using bya German him Hungary. and wasto returned the border Polish at caught forged bought a Altorjay brought passport, to summer. was a Fluxus performance itself, a “happening” that broke social and political taboos, From these early From these early Laura? Szentjóby unknowingly made his escape with an informant, who alerted authorities, and and authorities, alerted who informant, with an made escape his unknowingly Szentjóby was somewhat light-hearted, and purposely so: there were no heavy polemical texts or noheavy were polemical there so: purposely and somewhatlight-hearted, was samizdat Laura? activities, a number of prominent themes can be drawn. First, these drawn. can be First, themes ofprominent a number activities, had all the dramatic posture of classic avant-gardism: the publication samizdat activity—from artists circulating unpublished Hamvas circulating artists activity—from Laura? Laura? exist. copy, inAnyone possessionofa is it rom the gatherings ofthe gatherings rom the Laura? samizdat flaunted the each issue was journals, not only

was

CEU eTD Collection 167 166 165 164 163 “movement.” avant-garde of an with adventure.” fascination emotional act,” ofthe “cult it forthe is Often, something as describes was brilliant.” andIt couldn't control. couldn't understand state the something ofdefying authority. the thrill to dowith good deal to According “WeAltorjay: hadfound finally inspired had a the “happening” liberation” or“psychic experiences transformative case,whatever this it clear, is participants, difficult the ofits heads going itinside as exceptionally involves to prove, in youth hippie culture. 1960s-era in the ofhappenings transformation psychic instance, of“happenings”—for Turneraspects describe the to of“liminality” concept his applied Poggioli, paraphrasing Hiller,Poggioli, 25-27. 25-27.Poggioli, from developed usingPoggioli, ideas Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin, See Turner, This flurry of taboo-shattering behavior and first and first behavior This flurry oftaboo-shattering , or of changing the socio-political structure, shaking up the system, in any way they can. in anythey way upthe system, structure, shaking the socio-political , orofchanging “ The Ritual Process: Ritual The Structure andthe Anti-Structure activist” moments, when certain individuals proceed for the mere sake ofdoing sake forthe mere proceed individuals moments, certain when activist” 167

German expressionist expressionist German

or “the sheer joy of the dynamism, joy sheer ofthe or “the 166 the first itstage it, marks but in gratuitous There something is Kurt Hiller samizdat (New York: 1969):138-140. Cornell, , 27. publications parallels whatPoggioli parallels publications

the taste for the action, the action, forthe the taste 163 164 is this theory While

165

CEU eTD Collection 170 169 168 Marcuse. mainly—Herbert ofGyörgy RogerGaraudy, influences Communist ideological Lukács, Italian and— CheGuevara various to who succumbing were intellectuals Hungary'smore radical among currents,” ideological of Left. New radical with themselves aligning sociologists the article in An August-September 1968issue Prague,Poland, byevents spurredin action be to might West and Paris. Berlin thosewho inofquelling hopes life, and cultural position onartistic “tolerant” party's the reiterated in reality.” place ofchangestaking consideration sensitive and the ofsocialism principles fundamental to affairs, the adherence cultural consistent “the whichwas and onideological regime'sstance Hungarian a mostwarning—underscoring understoodas which censorship. over state and strikes arrests demonstrations, mass to leading play abypoet beloved down shut Soviet) censors (and the National at Mickiewicz Adam Theater, in into a revolution; Pragueswelled in movements Warsaw, state after revolted ofstudents thousands east. and the west in both the urban centers student shook spring That demonstrations and mass riots Chapter CommunityRebels 3: of Társadalmi Szemle Társadalmi student movements.” student “leftist used rather theterm but Left,” theterm“New from using refrained press thestate this to report, According Charles 34-2-99. Cultural Hungarian Policy,” in and“Continuity Flexibility 8May 1968,RFE/RL Box Reports, Background Collection theperformance. shut down they lines, theanti-Russian cheering were fanatically witnessedhow audiences Polish In authorities 1968,after January to according of “suffering account domination.” and war Polesasforeign an under viewed and humiliation Ascherson, Forefathers' Eve, Neal Students, March: Polish “The Ascherson, Workers, 1968,” and Authorities became increasingly alarmed over circles of young university students and students ofyoung university over circles alarmed increasingly became Authorities In Hungary, nosuch 1968 The year András , “The New Left in Hungary” 16 January 1974.RFE/RL LeftHungary” 16January New in , “The 35-5-1. Box Reports. CollectionBackground is a Polish drama written in the 1830s about the Polish nation under Russian occupation, which Russian under nation aboutthePolish the1830s in written drama Polish is a discussed the May events in Paris and warned against “drifting in divergent in “drifting inandagainst warned Paris the events May discussed

was the apex of the international youth countercultural movement, when student when movement, countercultural youth international apexwas ofthe the 170

mass actions occurred. Inlate actions mass April 1968, including students, Maoist springaofradical circle That 169 OpenDemocracy.net in carried The speech, Aczél 168

delivered a lecture— delivered , 1 February 2008. 1February T Népszabadság, György Pór

he play,

CEU eTD Collection 175 174 173 172 171 and warned bysecret police than once more was Rózsa University contacted Zoltán director Theater “ entitled performance theatrical approved György the University was at Lendvai, held in 1968,which Theater January one beenin held: had of “happenings” Hungary. in the toof“happenings” spread prevent onhow plan and action report exchange, the stock burndown Paris helped Paris InMay, protests. student and political ongoing in the groupofFluxus Situationists, artists, a radical as and activities between those ofthe lieu connection in dangerous exceptionally deemed authorities which on“happenings,” data begun to collect already 2./b Sub-Department”—had Group Chief bycensors. down shut before being ranweeks fortwo exhibition Frey’s Krisztián included artists. amost designofficetheprogressive featuring day's at The Budapest, exhibited in downtown university their positions. from the in Warsaw and removed the Party from expelled were into Czechoslovakia, invasion Pact military including philosophers, that Czechoslovakia into intervention punished. were did so thosewho August—and A groupof sentences. prison to eight-month and onaconvicted chargethe state arrested against were ofconspiracy Ibid. 11 Sub-Department. 2./b of Group Chief Happening Hungary.” in planaboutthe and arrangement report “Summary Chapter 1. in “happenings” under section in this to event the reference theearlier May exchange 1968.See in burningdown stock theParis in (SI) participated International The Situationist Forgács, Box 34-1-1. from Party,” Hungarian Expelled “Three Philosophers 1968.RFE/RL 17December Reports. Background Collection The Ministry ofInner The Ministry asAffairs “III/III then the police—known and secret in the Hungary'sparticipation out against publicly FewWarsaw speak would Pact military “Strategies of Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies Ágnes August 1968 Heller, in signeda declaration who 171 In December 1968, a group of young artists held the groupofyoung artists held 1968,a InDecember

May 1968. May , a graffiti invasion. , a Czechoslovakian memorial ofthe The December 1967; another,December involving Tamás and Szentjóby The effect on Zen-Buddhism ofthe literature.” American 173

the police bureau in Budapest compiled a lengthy in Budapestcompiled bureau police the 41. 172 Ministry of Inner Ministry Affairs, Korčula

condemning Hungary's role Hungary's condemning in conjunction with an in conjunction 174 Gendarmerie Already, number a Iparterv III. Gendarmerie III.

exhibit

175

CEU eTD Collection 180 179 178 177 11 Group Chief Sub-Department. 2./b of 176 activities: nevertheless was a' answer strong “their to it, significance political any noticed they'd artists—if friendsofthe where ofwhom members—most the asked audience manager center's stuffed face.” in own his cake] [the and he snuffed stage, candles onthe five candles and burning out cake the with brought a performer well. as culture” the manager, was, to it according content, ofpolitical devoid performance was the only Not “lacking systemwas detected. the organizerpolitical theagainst if club anything directed the stop performance tooff call and too it late was the the presentation a show. day before performance their The manager discussion. a wasAlthough it requested by be work,followed their to group” to present artist an “unknown enlisted club had literature center's ofPest. onthe outskirts center a community at performances. “happening” permission to not should grant they Capital, ofthe ofthe Council EducationDepartment and the ofthe MinistryofEducation authority to the Communist sent Youth ELTE at League bythe that the Eötvös Club, at leadership and the were warnings stage. Similar university's onthe from happening “happenings” toany more permit not Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Translated by author for Inner Ministry90-92, of to Budapest, Affairs Budapest. the20th for of district, theBuilders Center of Director the Community from István Subicz, Letter StreetAdy Endre “Summary report and arrangement plan about the Happening Hungary.” in planaboutthe and arrangement report “Summary Following this, Erdély was put on a “3/a-type” control, a phone tap, in order tohis tap,monitor in a phone “3/a-type”control, Erdélyput ona was Following this, and Erdély In 1969,Miklós reported what had gone on to the Ministry ofInner Ministry gone onto the whathad reported Affairs. hostile connections; he takes partdifferent in his heOne takes of hostile of connections; assemblies. kinds possesses organizer He anErdély “Happening” movement. active is of the 178 “One “One Veronika Csikós. performer ran towards a piano with a crash-helmet on his head; another head; onhis with a crash-helmet a piano ran towards performer 179 Tamás a “happening,” holdconcert, a Fluxus to managed Szentjóby

and incoherent”film. an “obscure they the showed Then When May 1968. several times, the artists the times, several 177 manager, center's According the ofthe leader the

Folder No. No. Folder V-156455 (“Schwitters”). 176 submitted an unintelligible script of an unintelligible submitted

Ministry of Inner Ministry Affairs, no .'” .'” manager center's The 180

24 February 1969. 24 February III. Gendarmerie III.

CEU eTD Collection 185 184 183 182 181 urging ofpropaganda them. materials, official against distribution district proceedings legal to start forthe and exhibitions forthe account illegal organizers demanded reporter Exhibitions ofthe Chapel Avant-garde in which Chapel,” in Programs a Leased and IllegalExhibitions Defy Law: Artists the in article appeared 1971, an InJuly and bothbroad. domestic attention, ofmedia the became center who artists, progressive against at official it distributing began events. and European artists, and East and writingsbyHungarian ofworks collection a launched GézaPerneczky critic poster, event's the and distributed. wasproduced illegally which Studio Kovács István bythe performance “illegal” it hostedan after with authorities problems 1970s, in the ran into byartists exhibits ofprogressive hosteddozens which Minister György Cultural from Aczél. visit closed after promptly artists was in 1970bya groupofavant-garde an exhibition club held “R” Horányi, Barna, “Törvénytelen úton néhány avantgard,” (Some néhány úton Barna,Horányi, “Törvénytelen Avantgarde Artists theLaw), Defy P. 27- 10,1990. November September Furnace, Franklin Jacob, Tibor Várnagy, exhibitionby curated Elsewhere,” Tibor from and Hungary Samizdat “Hidden Story: and John Várnagy without permission. proper Cultural Center theGANZ at appearing after authorities of Death and “The Unfortunate entitled Life The performance orphanage. intoNajmányi put hadan been byLaszlo headed he after group László was Rajk, Interior The to givenbyauthorities thename was István Kovács 26 Sub-Department, 2/b Group. Gendarmerie, III. 1969. April “ Introduction of the3/A-TypeIntroduction for Regulation” The summer time exhibitions at at exhibitions time The summer A rtists continued to push forward, testing the bounds of “tolerated” behavior. theof“tolerated” bounds testing forward, to continued push rtists the instance, For actions towards themovement. towards actions disruptive or this initiating person compromising useful whichfor is information the forall Furthermore, similarlyimportant us. what is withbooks poems or books to will refer thespeakers that expected, can be also “Happening.” It topic. T onthat or performances refer of the“Happening” concern preparations that movement. We conversations of therecording thetelephone especially request withknown connections Tamás Szentjóby, of the“Happening” person a central 182 without first securing authorization for the production, and for fortheand production, authorization first securing without he term “Flux” or “Flux concert” is going to be to mentioned. going concert” or is “Flux meanshe term“Flux” This Somogyi Néplap samizdat Cultural The MÁVAG Ganz at the Center Arts Factory, likewise, 184 Balatonboglár

181 Miklós Erdély journal, journal, (Somogy County Paper) under the following title: “Some title: the following County (Somogy Paper)under László Rajk László Rajk Important Business N.1 Business Important

, Ministry of Inner , Ministry Affairs, theChief of Management

had become a catalyst for a public campaign afor catalyst become had Grigoriy Yefimovich Rasputin, Jr, of and Minister former son show-trial victim of 183 In1970,art , a

” was banned by banned ” was

Somogyi Néplap, Somogyi .

185

CEU eTD Collection 192 191 190 189 188 187 186 beforearrived. police Budapest, Panther, in ofadowntown hotel boundandin blindfolded front minutes, he satfortwenty in which with solidarity in to Seale,” Bobby Out: Homage “Sit action, astreet solo performed Black American authorities. with confrontations Szentjóby, more defiant, radical: more became Artists 1972, in activity, ofoppositional an yearapex marked the a deterrent: seemed sharpenedbycontinued over again.” all it legally and start authorization whoobtain get help proper patrons to while. oftheceased fora organization theydisapprove exhibitions, be should ofthe Yet, possible is it grave consequences.'” carry bravado whichmay ofirresponsible display a organizing against “'irrational, them called happenings, whichhe cautioning to be careful, warning” a “friendly fellow his artists and Galántai gave generation, ofthe older onbehalf letterwritten in a who Saarbrücken station, ona German television appeared TV.exhibitions hitchhiking to he was while group, Theater in published on of Gallicus” Spotlight “The called a program press: byinternational covered were artists Hungary's trouble-making program onin“Téka.” the aired whichit and its surroundings, chapel onthe a shot film (MTV) paper in daily Exhibitions ofthe Chapel events paper daily The Chronology of events (1971) on Balatonboglár provided bydigitalat archive provided onBalatonboglár (1971) of events Chronology Artpool. Contemporary Hungarian Hungarian Contemporary Ar and Before Performance: Hungarian “The László Beke, After Tibor Hajas,” Ibid. Ibid. Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 42. Ibid. at provided bydigital archive of onBalatonboglár eventsChronology (1971) Artpool. at archive provided bydigital events onBalatonboglár 1971/07/08. chronology of From Artpool. Growing attention and conflicts with authorities sparked a response from painter Árpád Illés, fromÁrpád painter sparkeda response with authorities conflicts and Growing attention Somogyi Néplap Somogyi “ Radio FreeRadio Europe Hungarians SeekStage,” Hungarians Magyar Hírlap Hírlap Magyar t (Budapest: Experimental Experimental (Budapest: t Foundation, Art - Foundation, Soros Mücsarnok, Adelaide Balatonboglár. . In January 1972, . InJanuary 192 ran an article ran commented on the article “Some onthe article commented Avant-garde Law” the Defy Artists

written by James Fernon, who happened to pick upHalász to pick happened who Fernon, byJames written 188

, That same year, same That Balatonboglár program onthe a “A the denounced Bitter-Sweet Lake Balaton” at Stroll Magyar Hírlap. Magyar The

New YorkNew Times

186

In 1972 Interrupted Dialogue: Revisions in Revisions Interrupted Dialogue: ran an article onthe Halász an article ran 189

190 , He continued: “If the police continued:“If the He Hungarian Television 191 hardly That

187

CEU eTD Collection 193 materials. to viewthe home his byappointment into taken were months, ofthree course over thanthe More 80people, submissions. the ofall written at home his exhibit difficultiesknown ofexhibiting, publishing.” forthe to findwell- artsolution .and Hungarian contemporary in tendencies ofa few state current onthe report a tosituation “make was aim His be would “realized.” projects, they their down writing down to onpaper, write 28 artists in Imagination/Idea in depth. considered subculture, artistic members ofthe most radical broughtthe together which project artists, psychologyofavant-garde whichoffersBeke, the collective into a glimpse wentonsimultaneously, likewise, they but involved, by project the is But it tandem. often in samizdat journal, and the artists; Hungarian journal, historian (1971-1972)byart Imagination/Idea public. in ofunderground burst with coincided a This publishing activities: artists rebels of Community Society-tranzit.hu). Forthcoming in July 2009. English translations provided to author by L. Beke, 2. author to byL.Beke, provided 2009.English translations ForthcomingJuly in Society-tranzit.hu). László 1992). , most of whom had been banned or blacklisted, their works prohibited from appearing anywhere works from prohibited appearing their orblacklisted, had ofwhom been banned most Although Beke had invited 28 artist, three additional artists—István Bálint, Dezső Korniss and Dezső Bálint, artists—István additional three had28artist, invited Although Beke In called project a Beke launched 1971,László August most radical around a groupofthe to crystallize scenehad begun 1972,the By avant-garde Móriczka Móriczka

journal. Beke, Beke, Imagination/Idea, 1971: The Beginning of Hungarian Conceptual Conceptual Hungarian of 1971:Imagination/Idea, Beginning The Art.

All of these projects were intricately connected not only in terms of the individuals ofthe only in terms not connected intricately projects were All ofthese (1972-1973);

an issue of an issue Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat text form, their unrealized art projects—the “IDEA” being that by that being “IDEA” projects—the unrealizedart their form, Schmuck 193 László Beke László In the spring of 1972, Beke held an underground held an Inthe of1972,Beke spring (1972-1973) (February 1973), an international journal featuring journal 1973),an international (February involving 31 artists, along with Beke's solo with Beke's 31artists, along involving , the truest attempt to create a “classic” toa create attempt the truest Imagination/IDEA ”

(Budapest: samizdat , in which he invited, in whichhe

and which will be which

Open Structures Open Art project called project Szétfolyóirat, Szétfolyóirat, László

CEU eTD Collection 199 198 197 196 195 194 within Hungary'savant-garde. integralrole an played always had scene,and which in the avant-garde absent increasingly which had been ofdiscussion realm —a ofreality.”“ground the too close to they were out orbecause carried had been the projects because either IDEA,” the criteriaof the fornot “meeting Some Beke rejected be would realized. the onhow project instructions the creating IDEA “The responded: a difficulties,compromise solution: not is over an ainterim triumph merely but byart.” fought ofindependence war for“a be mistaken the could project adding surrogate,” arguing a work,” a itself“desire-satisfying as only be could be regarded work could action the ofa the that idea contradiction “logical as ofIDEA, whichregarded validity over doubts the reported letter,following Péter Donáth Likewise, project. a and submitted idea enthusiasm expressed forthe she the concept. rejected she reason, and object,” forthis ofthe art the as realization same the work birth “the ofthe means claimed: she first in which the letters, senttwo Keserü Ilona instance, December.” in material 30 of the 31 the as indicated (wrongly deadline ofthem few the met asonly a invitation important, my artists regarded most ofthese late:“Although sentin materials who a number ofartists with frustration accepted.” Beke “gladly which materials, sentin Legéndy—also Péter Beke, Beke, Beke, Beke, Beke, Péter Legéndy. Sándor Pinczehelyi, Tamás Szentjóby, Dezső Kálmán Szíjártó, Tandori, Péter Kornissand Bálint, Dezső Türk, István László Lakner, Kismányoki, Keserü, Károly János Lantos, Major, Ferenc István Nádler, László Méhes, Pauer, Gyula Miklós Erdély, István Haraszty, Gyula Gulyás, Ficzek, Ferenc János Fajó, Tamás György Hencze, Jovánovics, Ilona Gábor included: The artists Jenő Bak, Balaskó, Imre Attalai, Baranyay,András Csáji, Attila Tibor Csiky, Péter Donáth, Some entries were handwritten; others were typed. Most came, as asked, with specific with Most asked, as typed. came, otherswere handwritten; were Some entries Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea, th of September), and I find it typical that some of them only made up their minds to send minds to their uptheir only somemade ofthem that it typical and Ifind ofSeptember), illusion 199 ofvictory.” Beke, an ardent proponent of conceptual art, had stepped into his role as art critic role his art as into art, had stepped ofconceptual ardent proponent Beke, an , , , , 195 3. 3. 3. added.3. Emphasis 3. participants.For among the ofa debate something The spurred project 198 Since mentioning and writing about and writing Since mentioning 194 Beke expressed some Beke expressed 196 But in a 197 st

instead Beke

CEU eTD Collection 205 204 203 202 201 200 eventually forcingvisitorsto all inside, is if inflateslowly someone would the ofwhich walls box,” re-conceptualizing obsession with intensified DOCUMENTATION OF THE IDEA.” product.” ofart any ofafinished work as much as is oras into products, ideas turns conceptualism SolLeWitt conceptualist American itself “idea insisted: difficult but more easier control. to madeforauthorities idea,” communication an andtypewriter, a pencil, paper “just were concepts, that ephemeralactions acall, telephone postcards, censorship. ofeluding a strategy had become it as subversion, ofpolitical an added dimension had conceptualism market. art the commercialized and forms traditional power,reconfiguring of rejection radical artists, western a forprogressive was, inasmuch it as and rested onre-imagining that strategies countercultural keynoteanti-establishment ofthe a “normalcy,” integrity, artistic ofautonomous reality. restrictive an increasingly within effort of a concerted illusion this demonstrates the any submissions, to maintain reject would non-existent. virtually un official artists was prohibited, art criticism, even internally among avant-garde artists, became among avant-garde internally criticism, even official art prohibited, artists was Beke, Stimson, York: of Museum Queens Art, 1999):42. Beke, “Conceptual Tendencies in European Eastern in Art,” York: of Museum Queens Art, 1999):42. Beke, “Conceptual Tendencies in European Eastern in Art,” Stimson Blake Stimson Blake else’s to it doit someone comes can when work. I nobodyto is own, dothejob.'” there my comes when to but it work… it own onmy I cannot perform and complexartwork, fine and of a theinterpretation helpwith …Ithemselves. need distanced long art have critics from off'demandingjob, which the very 'scrapeis it to werea a as mural, wall ifit the is, that artwork, of an independent themeaning reveal to ceased critiquing... have critics ofopponent, [saying]:the 'Most Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of For this group of Hungarian artists, who had no public space to exhibit, this came with an with this exhibit, came space to had nopublic who this groupofHungarianFor artists, movements, and artistic social mantleof1960s-era the had become meanwhile, Conceptualism, Imagination/Idea “ 202 The Promise of Conceptual Promise The x Art,” Its “immaterial” nature, the “poorness” of the materials employed, based on “words and on“words based employed, ofthe materials the “poorness” nature, “immaterial” Its ,“ (Cambridge: (Cambridge: MITThe 2000):x Press, The Promise of Conceptual Promise The Art,” 200 , 11. Hence, while it appears odd, given the constraints on exhibiting, that Beke onexhibiting, that constraints odd,given the it appears Hence,while 205 ii.

In space. Conceptual art: art: Conceptual A Critical Anthology. . 46. to According 204 201 Attila Csáji proposed a building a room, “a huge a aroom, building proposed “a Csáji Attila Global Conceptualism: Points of Origin, 1950s-1980s PointsOrigin, Conceptualism: of Global 1950s-1980s PointsOrigin, Conceptualism: of Global To “the Beke added: that, = theWORK But in Hungary and Central Europe, Central But inand Hungary Forgács: “ Erdély...badly a formidable missed eds. eds. Alberro, Alexander and 203 bedrock of The

(New (New

CEU eTD Collection 211 210 209 208 207 206 which support governmental exhibition with gold.” galvanized or“copper plates metal,” or“corrosion-proof concrete,” “reinforced either using made orontop ormountain,” terrain ofa hill empty “flat can ona be built which lattice,” “space mountain.” ofthe collapse in mine Villány impending prevent the to intended in it long upacrack 15-meter running and stitches with sculpturesofpoodles: Bridge onthe Chain sculptures red. is monument color ofeach huge.”lion is The GyörgyTheir tothe replace size an idea Kemény had are erected. monuments geometrical possibilities, excitingspatial the that most show places Budapest, concept.” DOMINATE to my according are arranged buildings whose imaginea city and wrote: “I space,” escape. Beke, Beke, Beke, Beke, Beke, Beke,

he saidcould 206 Artist István Harasztÿ, whose projects had been banned a number oftimes, banned a had been whose projects Artist IstvánHarasztÿ, a wall ofthe be location would “The upaside: mountain stitched Gyula Gulyás, artist, One Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Ferenc Ficzek declared “my objects SHAPE space; my objects space;CREATE my objects SHAPE “my declared Ficzek Ferenc my objects space; 207

is inis a Gábor Gábor of “In variouslocations Budapest: monuments in the reconfiguring suggested Attalai enhance the already acknowledged beauty of our townscape. beauty of acknowledged already enhance the entirelyjustifiable. growth, is With merely theywould thebackground in castle theBuda economic our symbolize who poodles, sculpted accurately form of time handsome thesame and at sociable, amiable themore modern, with Bridge theChain the lions of to only people. virtually companion the the mostand loyal To of thereplacement up: sum extinct), become will etc. of(which horses, place in will longbecome, and they before rapid even pace, more atan will poodles increase proportionalnumber of of and dogs the growingnumber rapidly. is both number coming thetotal in that years probable the Itis world and over their all popularity the increasing an enjoying unbelievably are dogs thesame time in lion appalling circuses...At acts mention to tourists,the not children and school elementary wide-eyed for spectacle serving as a specimen tame, sorrowful We in zoos todaylivingand in thelions know that of a are other reservations African and beauty, strength, thesymbol of thelion,By as now nobility, obsolete. has become etc.,

basement 4 basement

be “constructed in any part of the world any part in be “constructed . ” , , , , , , 4. 37. 35. 211 29 5. 25-26.

. Likewise, Likewise, Tamás Hencze 209 Dezső Korniss, member of the older generation, offered generation, ofthe older plan his fora Korniss, member Dezső -

metres deep underground deep metres

submitted his idea for idea his submitted , sheltered from outside noiseand from from outside sheltered

whatever 208

scale an “ underground

preferred

wrote:

“

The .

project The

210

”

CEU eTD Collection 218 217 216 215 214 213 212 fortwenty-years ormore.” light autonomous emit whichwill thing like sized sculpture- “small witha light,” sculpture a “pocket submitted to Switzerland, had emigrated who space. a blank white with an index card submitted “disappearing” of“nothingness” and problem with the preoccupied was who deteriorating.” “gradually as condition describingproject's thetheir card, across scrawled words museums. “ with the the oflegitimate in world museum came from cards The OF WORK ART ONLYTHE DOCUMENT THAT CANPROPERLY IDENTIFY, OF EXISTENCE THE VERIFY AND A on forworks ofart ideas ' word 'Location:' rubric the bears ofthe same right side The reads: it the line, left, to vertical second bythe area enclosed ofthe Intherubric left of121mm. length with a line the horizontal perpendicularto edge andalso is the 5mm upper originates from first. It the and an illusion.” an institution measure in “equal had become that a world state, from the outside pressures free to create they be would artists where imagined world,” territory, artistic a fictitious became it that the sense imagined,in sphere—and “semi-public” an “other the even to participate able nolonger were artists radical boththat real—in It kingdomwas even. a recommended Beke, Beke, Beke, From Beke, Beke, Europe, 1949-1999 Hegyi, Beke, Szentjóby, a museum card—making onthe photocopy turned ID ofhis in a ever defiant, a spin-off spawned This project byGyula Pauer, submit inviting16artists to letter” a “circular of71mm distance from at a lies line vertical second detail: “The with meticulous came Many Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea Imagination/Idea László Lakner,László in Imagination/Idea Lóránd, “ Lóránd,

size .” Central Europe as a Hypothesis and a and Hypothesis a as a Europe Central Way in of Life,” 215

is excluded amany energetic had ofwhom been fromThis inspired artists, response (Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig StiftungLudwig (Museum Kunst moderner Wien, 2000): 32.

as as , , , , added., 55,emphasis , Beke,

7. 4. 7. 49. 31. monumental monumental

index cards used in museum inventories. He“ wrote: usedmuseum inventories. index in cards 217 ray ofhope tiny “pea-sized” artists a if fellow tohis send As Imagination/Idea as

possible , 8; the “gradually deteriorating,” comment from György from comment deteriorating,” in the“gradually 8; Jovánovics, . ” 212

The

“underground” a sanctuary, as was envisioned Museum Aspects/Positions: 50YearsAspects/Positions: of Art Central in 213

.'” 214 218

THE INDEX CARD IS INDEXCARD THE imaginary , J 216 ános Endre T ” Urbán,

ót,

CEU eTD Collection 221 220 219 world.” the change “Poetry, wrote: who to power revolutionary real the itself, spirit life is creator the imagination, art, “Weannounced: new are a world. inventing entrance, the university's had posted to they manifesto in the their who, Sorbonne, at students among motto was it the instance, movement.For youth countercultural ofthe the become centerpiece had to both. hostile openly had become this point, systemwhich,at ofthe wassubversion ultimate but in conceptualism, only wasan experiment not into meanwhile, art, text, art into Makingtext ideas. their into the the imaginary excluded—turning they had been which from spaces world—overthe the physical over and control power exerting they collectively were this, the inventories. into wrote themselves in they museums, toWith show Unable cityscapes. rearranging concrete, things in fixing holding mountains, together were urge these artist reorder: reshape,rescale, to orphotocopy, to reproduce ID,illegal own ofhis whichwas photocopy a letter: along with a he submitted and process,” forcrime card ofart.action a“index work Inhis into act criminal Roszak , See structure.” Roszak, demon-controlled lightthe against words of towhite mighty theaim 1967,with “cast in anti-protest duringan thePentagon “levitate” to mystics”—joined together seers, holymen, warlocks, —“witches, “superhumans” of long-haired work a group when Roszak, Beke, While this has special resonance in the Hungarian context, the strategy of “imagining power” of“imagining the strategy Hungarian context, in the resonance special this has While collective a demonstrates project the Imagination/Idea radicalismaside, cunning Szentjóby's Imagination/Idea The Making of aCounter of Culture, Making The The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The the Decree on Miscellaneous Matters, and, ontheother, onMiscellaneousMatters, the Decree shop theunsuspecting made 15of byParagraph prohibited committed thecrime ontheone hand, act, By he, this 80). identity,unknown Photo Shop út theOfotért (Rákóczi of thephotocopymachine using (no. document identification AU-IV. of a assistant shop thehelpof 914887) with author,The day, theaforementioned of theafternoon in his 2and 3of pages copied data. documentor its theidentification copy of certified make to a forbidden It is 30of r.m./a. onpage section the'MiscellaneousMatters' of states: decree prohibitive The 15 in decree Paragraph theprohibitive violated deliberately Oct 27,1971,theauthor On clerk—taking advantage of her helpfulness in offered helpfulness ofin her accomplice.” goodfaith—his advantage in clerk—taking 221 , 58. The Making of aCounter of Culture, Making The , quoting Marcuse,118., quoting 22, (emphasis added). added). 22, (emphasis Imagination is seizing power seizing is Imagination Or, were at powers note,theimaginative lighter ona actual 124-125. , through the act ofdocumenting act , through the .” 220 Marcuse, This follows

219

CEU eTD Collection 224 223 222 translator. language and French Czech attention. avoid was drawing aim to explicit the aas time, at in circulation 25copies ofeach than more were Szentjóby, to because according named, not were issue underground anonymous. art be should Mauer, byDóra themade volume Otherthan recipients. new sent to five be should ofeach editors the material new and 15pages, the least at content, ofnew percentage shouldadd a certain Recipients trustful senttorecipients. five copies, then in five shouldbe made volume each instructions: with aanthology, literary create editorial differences. fellover apart the project but springof1973.Árpád in the unraveled the project before Ajtony and Ádám toTábor had collaborated circulation. in remained though fizzled, copies the had project time Haraszti. andwife his Péter Bálint, Halász István Miklós and poet sociologist Koós,Anna and dissident Erdély,Miklós Árpád Béla and Hap included project Ajtony, Beke, wellLászló as journal, the launched who watched. they being were closely The awareofhow were few holds,”though survellienceor“3/a under were not all, if behavior—most, “inimical” fortheir byauthorities well-known radicals, notorious effort was apart,” a collaborative flows most that bya meansgroupofBudapest's “writing of which Szétfolyóirat Bényi, “Egy undergroundBényi, 192. lap,” Interview, Szentjóby, May, 2009. és Kommunikáció- Médiatudományi PTE Tanszék, 2008: 187-201. Budapest-Pécs, a"Kulturális fordulat"kultúrakutatás változatai után. BényiCsilla Béla Hap, who created the first issue, worked as an editor at Corvina Publishing house, and Publishingas house, Corvina at an editor as the worked first issue, who Hap, created Béla Szétfolyóirat of issue springof1972,the with, infirst the This coincided 183 It would be in circulation more than a year before an informant filed a report, filed bywhich before an informant a year more than circulation It be would in , “Egy underground évekből: a lapa 70-es Tibor Hajas was the clearest attempt to create a “classic” underground “classic” toa issues create It ran journal. five attempt the clearest was , Péter Lajtai, Dóra Maurer, Dóra , Péter Lajtai, Tamás Szentjóby, underground artists theater

224 He was a regular at Balatonboglár and at Péter Halász's and at Balatonboglár regular was at He a eds. Havasréti eds. Szétfolyóirat,” Szétfolyóirat,”

József in

Reflexió(k) vagy "mélyfúrások"? "mélyfúrások"? vagy Reflexió(k) A

– Szijártó Zsolt, Gondolat Kiadó, Budapest– Zsolt, Kiadó, Gondolat – Szijártó 184 Szétfolyóirat

222

. the journal, title The Szétfolyóirat

came

223

Never

CEU eTD Collection 229 228 227 226 225 texts. scientific “To entitled byHalász an essay and Péter Lajtai, Bálint paper,” ofyellow a piece whichmocked Frenchjournal in the originally published poetry acoustic reviewing ofan article Studió, a ofthe translation Kassák bymembers Itwritings Hap. included byBéla volume “ appeared: text the following pulled indigo, ifthe someone so under it, with an indigo ofpaper piece Erdély, Miklós IstvánBálint, Szerb, Tibor and Hajas Tamás Szentjóby. one page, On a Ajtony made of volume 2002.His until manuscript titled Hamvas, ofBéla theses to with Along films the he where made Studió (BBS) Balázs Béla Körber,Ágnes at Corvina. a colleague Haraszti. poemsfrom wife, his artists, Miklós and poet dissident sociologist and Péter Lajtai Szeredi, Anna of music. to listen flat his to intellectuals artists invited and he often and theater apartment Make your invisible wish visible! visible! wish publishers! Make invisible the your Ah, imperialist laugh at Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat 20, (Report issued, Jan. 8,1974). 20, (ReportJan. issued, of Inner Ministry “Szétfolyóirat,” Pécsi,” 1973 November filedby“Zoltán Report Affairs, Sub-Department, III/III-4-a underground Bényi,“Egy lap,” underground Bényi,“Egy lap,” factory, in sa circulating began a that manuscript factory, wrote aboutwhich he university. from was expelled “mistakes,” he Guevara's Che which defended in Haraszti local to ata later work went He 35-5-1. 1974/1/16, Report. Box: Background this to report: According poemby a journalpublished literary After of “tranquility.” thesake socialism for goal” of In:Charles 1960s. abandoning the“final for consolidation of theera denounced socialist 1969,he in had congress youngwriters' At of Inner Ministry “Szétfolyóirat,” 1973. Affairs, 3December Sub-Department, III/III-4-a- 1973.In Hap's December flatin Stravinsky listeningto at Pécsi,” who reported wasby“Zoltán This confirmed Miklós In late 1972, another volume was edited by Péter Halász and his wife, his and Halász was byPéter volume edited 1972,another In late onthe based Koós, Anna A byÁrpád created was volume separate second, Ajtony, filmmaker, writer and ofthe member 226 Haraszti had been under watch by the regime for his radical writings and New Left sympathies since thelate since Left New sympathies writings radical and his regime for watch under hadbythe been Haraszti Hap gave his volume for copying to László Beke, Miklós Erdély, Beke, Miklós to László forcopying gave volume Hap his Tamás and Szentjóby Szétfolyóirat 229 included experimental poetry, experimental included contemporary soundbyCzech works, poetry theoretical There was significant tension within Kassák group, debates overof the proportion group,debates within Kassák tension significant was There , he had written several short stories and a longer occultist treatise, a rejoinder treatise, occultist and a longer several stories short had written , he P 194. 193. i ece-work (Workerece-work aWorkers in State) Szürke Mágia Szürke Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat 227 mizdat (Grey Magic) which remained an unpublished an whichremained Magic) (Grey channels in 1973. in channels included poetry and writings by Péter Lajtai, János Lajtai, and writingsbyPéter poetry included Six days in Surány Surány Six in days András, “The New Left in Left Hungary,” New “The Europe Free Radio a

sociological essay on conditions inBudapest onconditions a essay sociological Ou (1972) and , a number ofpoemsbyIstván , a number ” 228

Drama Drama 225 His volume (1973).

CEU eTD Collection 235 234 233 232 231 230 magazine,” “little and intellectuals. artists radical between aalliance growing reflected issues, ofthe the birth As with poetry, banned ofHaraszti's appearance continued the Likewise, conceptualism. ofthe in recycled each op-art, scene—Fluxus, international with to the connect attempt clear exhibiteda general in project theater. ofHalász's flat Groh critique and byHap critiques issue of In her the journal, the Stuttgart to similar journal, of a production was second the with the first was (the identical three volumes ran ajournal,” “pseudo started She Beke. ofLászló volume inonthe 1973,based February volume new a edited aboutart. concept Friedman writingsbyKen two and carried to publishown his began disputes. over editorial apart fell the literature. about writings too versus dominant was in the groupclaimed whichsome life, theatrical about the writings Bényi, “Egy undergroundBényi, lap,” “Egy undergroundBényi, 196. lap,” “Egy undergroundBényi, lap,” news. Interview,and international Móriczka 8,1974). 1973 (ReportJan. issued, of Inner Ministry In: “Szétfolyóirat,” 20, Pécsi,” November Affairs, filedby“Zoltán Report Sub-Department, III/III-4-a “Egy undergroundBényi, lap,” 8,1974). 20 (ReportJan. issued, of Inner Ministry “Szétfolyóirat,” Pécsi,” 1973November filedby“Zoltán Report Affairs, Sub-Department, III/III-4-a

While each volume reflected the specific characteristics and tastes of its editor or editors, the oreditors, ofits editor and tastes characteristics specific reflectedthe volume each While he same time at the ofBéla and volume Hap, the alsocontinued Beke In winter 1972László a

report on an evening gathering with poet János Szerb, an article by Miklós Erdély onpopart Erdély article byMiklós János withSzerb,an poet eveningreport gathering onan was distributed to people who made seven copies each, and then passed it on. It contained essays, cartoons, contained essays, it and on.It thenpassed copies madeeach, seven people to who was distributed Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat La Revue indépendente Revue La 230 The group planned to edit another volume devoted to theatrical plays, but this plays, but theatrical devoted volume to another to edit groupplanned The underground journal, , she ran a piece by Klaus Groh, along Groh, with byKlaus ran, she a piece 196. 195. of group's volume. 194. tensions thecontent around were inner there suggests The police Schmuck László Beke, László Beke, 2009. April,

231 Translated by author for

MA, MA, , the third was a third poster-like, the , which brought together the “rebels of politics and the rebels and the ofpolitics the “rebels , whichbrought together after Kassák's which journal, after Um(n)welt Móriczka, Móriczka, Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat 233 Veronika Csikós Design). Dóra Mauer Dóra which ranissues. two which 235

234 volume,

232 His Szétfolyóirat

CEU eTD Collection 241 240 239 238 237 236 community, artistic Hungarian involved. among those especially Yet came theitself be sure, journal to chain. to the continue among artists commitment Szétfolyóirat journal the editing none continued —but Fábián and László Bujdosó, a groupofartists—Alpár to Tamás her issue passed Mauer Dóra Vekerdy last be would the appeared manifesto in whichthe volume The an end to politics.” put ofconfrontation. modes traditional power, ofstate rejection the is ultimate it instead, nordefeat: values and surrender neither establishment based.” is establishment” onwhich “the and needs values ofthe a negation culture, dominant movements. social of1960s-era trajectory inward,anti-state with inthe line verymuch a notion politics, from of issue Maurer's a manifesto. with came Hap's According to Béla dothe same. to much endeavored very this journal of art,” Interview, Roszak , Kellner, Kellner, István Underground “Silent Hungarian Hap, in Béla, Manifesto,” 11.Poggioli, Hap's manifesto expresses the notion of the underground ofthe the notion society, expresses “outside” Hap's manifesto as aseparate world Hajdu, “The Illegal “The Hajdu, Avant-garde,” The New Left, New The Left, New The The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The László It coincides with what Marcuse called a “ called with whatMarcuse coincides It collapsed. Some argue it was “laziness,” expressing frustration with the lack of lack with Some the argue frustration collapsed. expressing “laziness,” it was and incorruptible, outsider incorruptible, PRIVATEart. and ART. ungraspableun-analyzable, a unidentifiable, of It beform want?wants to underground arefreely Hungarianunderground the does shifting. What artist.The private the coordinatesbusiness of is thesuch of subjects the of or forbid asdoes order subjects,it not political the appearance all, butat underground The the ofworld. superficial supporters from notits forbid does real, organizedgame the in form another engaging wouldof movementbe a Being its existence. acknowledge establishment would on the Any attack remains but the neitherestablishment, supports nor attacks it.of outside WHATthat movement is an artistic Itart. Unofficial UNDERGROUND? IS Szétfolyóirat Beke, Beke, interview, 2009; April Tibor 22. 22. 240

: 239 “The real fight is not the political fight,” wrote Marcuse, “but to “but wroteMarcuse, fight,” political not is the fight real “The The The , quoting Marcuse,118., quoting . Balatonboglár

A been offered have ofexplanations to as why number Várnagy, noted in also 2009, thisApril is A Underground Hungarian Silent 241 the from within explanation resounds That Szétfolyóirat, Szétfolyóirat, Chapel Studio, Chapel new sensibility new 237

236

In classic avant-garde style, the journal style, avant-garde the In classic February 1973. February Translation in: manifesto of 116. ,” a total disengagement with the adisengagement total ,” Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat

Bényi's article, 199. article, Bényi's manifesto, carried in carried manifesto,

issue produced.issue

238

It is It

CEU eTD Collection 242 István Studió, the Kassák members including “circleoffriends,” ofhis the he printed names on which May, 2,000 invitationsthat mailedout Galántai intellectuals. ofartists and circles the widest summoned operating time bythat Exhibitions, Chapel of 1973the scrutiny. intense under under by1973had come artists and intellectuals —avant-garde summer Inthe Crackdown ofrebels.” a “community unit,” “military isolated an become whathad certainly within bymembers of“psychic liberation”—performed deviance, ofcollective ofdefiance, act itself—an act in ofpublishing the lay way: its value in this measured documents. ofits theoretical the durability orin run achievements endeavor,” “spiritual more journal a in its end- garde than rather itself, the theact valuedeed, in is its avant- the suggest, Poggioli Meanwhile, as circles. and movements ofavant-garde creativebluster and emotional the is ones—such external as over internalpressures much as apart falling often circulation, 20 early trend ofthe the ofthe tasks. editing orburden, risk, onthe to take willing ofwhichseemed small number an increasingly individuals, ofhard-core handful around a spiraled inward, instead project the “flowapart,” was to though meant it ways backfired: some ofthe the members among person. a single workloadonto editorial wascumbersome a rather what Studió—which shifted the involving Kassák forthose aproject—except solo essentially was issue each alone: reasons if forpractical even untenable, some ofwhichproved to of“rules,” a multitude with Poggioli, 24. Poggioli, Another explanation for the journal's discontinuation was, simply, discontinuation was, forthe journal's Another explanation dangerous increasingly it was however, is, There and underground ofshort-lived avant-garde It follows a precedent journals. th century literary-art press which were sporadic publications, limited in limited sporadic were publications, press which literary-art century

Kassák Studio, seemed to play some role. Meanwhile, the plan itself in plan itself the role. Meanwhile, play some seemed to Kassák Studio, without proper licensing and permissions, permissions, and proper licensing without 242

Szétfolyóirat, Szétfolyóirat,

Internal strife, especially strife, Internal hence, can be hence,

had

CEU eTD Collection 248 247 246 245 244 243 Haraszti's and the policy Leninism and “ideological expressed party fromforhaving the expelled and Iván Szelényi Kemény state.” 11around his copies of circulation forthe was arrested Haraszti Miklós young artists and intellectuals. against campaign off hauled were people bypolice. second dayofthe two On days. three oftheir of performances production separate two including number ofdifferentby a In informants. Kassák ofperformances, August, week staged a Theatre on reported eventsbeing were while the the and all and identity checks, raids police frequent were there Likewise, councils. district asand oflocal well bymembers reasons—as down forsanitary facility the officials—who to shut visitsfromdepartment trying health were site ofnumerous the became summer association. writers ofthe member Hungarian wella as station, television and radio ofstate employee an students, oflawand medical a number visitorsincluded the Chapel's noted and musicians. artists intellectuals, orcontroversial and other banned Studió Kovács Robinson, “A Blow New Nonconformists.” “A Hungarian Against Blow New 6 Nonconformists,” Hungarian Against Box 35-5-287. Reports, Number Background William F. Robinson, “A Blow New 1974, RFE/RL 6 November Nonconformists,” Hungarian Against Collection- later. years several English translation ( byGyörgy See description Haraszti, In Miklós “Forward” Konrád, of the morning raid occurred 17,1973.SeeAugust digitalArtpool archive. of The performance first Kaposvár, 22 1973. August organized assemblies atBalatonboglár,”“The thechapel at Balatonboglár,” printed legally, organized in: assemblies at were published, “The atthechapel where thematerials andtracking suggests May, in mailed The was invitation the to according were not theinvitations filenotes a digitalIII/III archive; Artpool London: I.B. I.B. London: Tauris, 1988): 246 Growing concerns around the boldness of radical youth groups prompted an intense state an intense prompted youth ofradical groups boldness around the Growing concerns In jail, he began a hunger strike and would have to be force fed. have would to be hunger strike and he began a Injail,

manuscripts abroad. manuscripts III/III Department, Chief Prosecution of Somogy County, of Prosecution Chief Somogy Department, III/III Kaposvár, 22,1973. August samizdat King Kong King of the HSWP.”of the

xi. Haraszti's Haraszti's xi. and other members of the “Budapest School” school of sociologists were schoolofsociologists “Budapest School” ofthe other members and study, 248

245 was held was on performance August and thesecond 13-14 16-18;thepolice August

Worker in aWorkers State King Kong Worker in aWorker's State 247

Ferenc performance, police raided the Chapel at dawn and 17 dawn at the Chapel raided police performance,

Fehér III/III Department, Chief Prosecution of Somogy County, of Prosecution Chief Somogy Department, III/III was arrested in July for attempting to smuggle in forattempting wasJuly arrested The VelvetThe Prison: Socialism, State Under Artists King Kong King (London: Penguin Books, 1977) was published in published 1977) was Books, (London:Penguin political views . . . opposed to Marxism- to .opposed views political , and charged against with “incitement , a three-act play which spanned play which , a three-act András 244

Hegedüs, István Hegedüs,

The Chapel that Chapel The 243 A file police

CEU eTD Collection 254 253 252 251 250 249 behavior, “anti-social displayed group's members the account, the rulesofthe [and] donot observe György Pór, in agitation. 1968forMaoist and been convicted whotried had critics. artists and art avant-garde included often 25people, but around 20to small, were audiences scene.Halász's detailofthe record every to assigned were ofinformants and a number in and out, going members intercepted its audience surveillance, underground constant ofBudapest's ofgravity was under center flat placed scene.His the become had theater inapartment 1972,his July public bannedin from performing being artists. Since dissident he had become and bythen failed had Halász to control authorities and opposite mind.” are ofan inimical distributors editors and the the because leanings. “anti-communist” to behave deemed some could writings,” kind ofpolitical from any “free theappeared journal noted alone. onthis subject fourreports were there detailed: and extremely lengthy the 1960s. late since onvariousactivities information police feeding been secretly had László other,Algol, and the “ one code-named journal, information onthe reported who informants involved. groups and to disbandthe ofits volumes one to obtain plan” F “Nature New Gautam Dasgupta of Theatre York,” Western at: on theevent reflections in his see the1970s, apartment theater visited the Gautam Dasgupta critic theater Ibid. Innerof Affairs,III/III-4-a Sub-Department, on Report No.Folder O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) “Egy undergroundBényi, 197. lap,” Innerof Affairs,III/III-4-a Sub-Department, on Report No.Folder O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) 1974, RFE/RLNovember Box 35-5-287. Reports, - Number Background Collection older No. O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) Ministry of Inner O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) older No. Affairs, 24. 1974.January Sub-Department, III/III-4-a Halász's involvement was especially problematic, in the state's eyes: every attempt by eyes: every state's in the problematic, especially was Halász's involvement of wind caught police November 1973,secret In late György occasionally Haraszti and Miklós Konrád, 251 “Zoltán Pécsi,” who was a poet and trusted member of avant-garde who trustedofavant-garde member a poet and was Pécsi,”who “Zoltán bureau report to the According 253

Of particular concern was the affiliation the and concern was between Halász particular Of 14 December 1973. 14December 1973. 14December Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat Performing Performing Journal Arts and action plan for attaining one of its volumes, planforone attaining and action of its volumes, planforone attaining and action Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat , 7/1 (1983):, 7/1 7-20. János Kenedi, as well as international as well Kenedi, as János les enfants terribles les 249 László

There were at least two at were least There and produced an “action and produced has a “dangerous factor, a “dangerous has 254 While “Zoltán Pécsi” “Zoltán While

,” believed to be artist ,” to believed 252 By one informer's By one

250 ofBudapest's The reportsare

Ministry Ministry

CEU eTD Collection 260 259 258 257 256 255 György given Breznyik, an eight- had been Péter IstvánBálint, Haraszti—who Koós, Miklós Galántai, groups. disbandthe onhow plan to with a 16-pointed 1974came from January report police circles. and artistic effort intellectual upradical heightened to break ofInterior Ministry bythe A secret prohibited!” about. It tobe should write only nolonger be satisfied [can] community a socialist something [is] and“it concluded: attitude,” “hostile displaying members a its “a parody ofgoodtaste” and “immoral,” as the gatherings described reporter at Balatonboglár, activities the denouncing and would. Beke orLászló Erdély Miklós showed Hap police. the secret from under directions journal, fora copy heHap ofthe asked where Hap's flat, and affectionate“trustful way.” a him looking in at after apartment, their toat a performance him invited couple the 30, 1973,when informer,an Koós at the and Halász having heruninto reported as onNovember ofMusic Academy Szétfolyóirat ofthe group.” disruption measure the to control...and a strict under ofHalász activity inimical keep the in order to ofthe use regulation further oncriminal. borders morality,” to arecommon “injurious performances their life;”and community social socialist which Ibid. Ibid. F No. 2325.21 Jan. 1974. the Crypt.” in “Happening László Szabó, Ibid. F older No. O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) Ministry of Inner O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) older No. Affairs, 1974. 24January Sub-Department, III/III-4-a older No. O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) Ministry of Inner O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”) older No. Affairs, 24. 1974. January Sub-Department, III/III-4-a In the middle of December an article appeared in appeared an article ofDecember In the middle the poetry his in had published “regrettably” admitted he “ZoltánPécsi,” The informant, certain “signs of retreat and fear,” ofretreat “signs certain thought ofthe but first volume he had nocopies and insisted volume produced by Halász in 1972. Halász for sure had no idea that “Zoltán Pécsi”was noidea “Zoltán that had in forsure 1972.Halász produced byHalász volume 255 with activities his After discovering 257 The following night, “Zoltán Pécsi” went to a small gathering at Béla at gathering a small Pécsi” wentto “Zoltán following night, The 258 Népszabadság

256

259

Meanwhile, the discoveryof the Meanwhile, reporting rumors of “group sex” at the Chapel. the Chapel. of“groupat rumors sex” reporting The , Dec. 16, 1973. In Radio Free Europe, Hungarian PressSurvey. Free Hungarian Radio Europe, 16,1973.In , Dec. Népszabadság Szétfolyóirat, Szétfolyóirat, , “Happening in the Crypt,” in the “Happening authorities Szétfolyóirat planned “the planned prompted a prompted 260

Halász,

CEU eTD Collection 266 265 264 263 262 261 had been intellectuals three the and that state institutions” against ofincitement “evidence contained Power and ofKonrád a where manuscript home, Szentjóby Györgywriters Konrád, volumes. Irodalmi Folyóirat saidaboutin them forwhat was Office the not Minister's were responsible what heardthey and that had police. over to the be would turned otherwisethey participation, in the participation Office Information bythe summoned Ministers’ were Szentjóby ofthe totheir explain Council emigrantcircles.” rightist by“western being circulated was it that Ajtony, towhichwhere Paris, with him journal the 1973,had February taken in had defected who existence ancopy. actual recovered ever police secret whether the unclear is it contained, ofwhatit and provided journal, details copy ofthe the had read the agents case. to one ofthe assigned were the informants” reportsindicate “network While sentence—and suspended month Tamás Szentjóby, new two holds,”and put on“confidential were It was later published: published: Itwas later Bényi, “Egy undergroundBényi, 197. lap,” Interview, 2009. Beke, May Budapest, Interview, 2009. Beke, May Budapest, ofMinistry Inner Affairs, Sub-Department, III/III-4-a F “Egy undergroundBényi, 197. lap,” older No. O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”), Report on the Szétfolyóirat and action plan for attaining one of its volumes, one of attaining actionplanfor and ontheSzétfolyóirat Report O-16268/2 (“Fishermen”), older No. was confiscated. In October 1974, the List Publishing House in Munich reported to Radio Free Europe that FreeEurope to inRadio Munichreported Publishing House List In October 1974,the journal cultural in the appeared an spring, article But that 265

a samizdat samizdat . 264 Szétfolyóirat a but released, were The three The Intellectuals on The Road to Class Power Roadto onThe Intellectuals The 266 journal, stating it was then in circulation in Paris. circulation then it in stating was journal, Ivan Szelényi and Ivan Szelényi The report said that the manuscript, which had already been in circulation, been whichhad already manuscript, the saidthat The report . They were told they would have to sign a statement attesting to their to attesting . to a sign statement they have would told were They Tamás a searchof after been arrested Szentjóby had 14 December 1973. 14 December Szelényi's Szelényi's fter this, most of the editors burned their most ofthe fter this, ( 262 New New York 1979). Jovanovich, Brace : Harcourt

Intellectuals on the Road to Class Road to onthe Intellectuals László Beke, Miklós Erdély and Erdély Miklós Beke, László Tamás 263 Irodalmi Folyóirat they had no claimed The trio 261 suspected secret police The proclaiming

idea

the

CEU eTD Collection 270 269 268 267 an “underground.” had become what lighter—playful, was project far Imagination/Idea Where Beke's above. reaction to be affiliated indicated byHap's publication as dangerous possess, with orto exceptionally it an art—made oncontemporary taboo ideas foreign artists, writers, alone—banned contents an to garner was was it meant freedom the if,Beke said, as nomatter imagination, the ofthe power mind, affirmed capacity creative It idea. ofthe the is itself. art,documentation is process art idea ofthe creative The documentation affirmed ofthe potency incalculable the power. conceptualizing to ofthethis project power word, durability and the More accentuating than taboo: strictly remained that ofan act performance establishment.” to “the opposition in identities collective form spirit,” a “sectarian to display Poggioli, begin groups to according when, in opposition collectively artists gather avant-garde where movements, in avant-garde moments “antagonism” as describes whatPoggioli parallels This the country.from emigrate to being “advised” after released were theCharges detainees and dismissed, eventually were code.” Hungarian penal violating the an act charged out partially carrying and with “planning Ibid, 30. 30. Poggioli, Interview, Szentjóby, May Budapest, 2009. Box 35-5-287. Reports, Number Background William F. Robinson, “A Blow New 1974,RFE/RL 6November Nonconformists,” Hungarian Against Collection- It was a “heavy” journal, reflecting the serious moods of artists, many who by then operated in operated manybythen who ofartists, themoods serious reflecting journal, a “heavy” It was Szétfolyóirat Szétfolyóirat fore: into force the ofillusion full brought project Imagination/Idea Beke's of a inwave 1972prompted The crackdown state's 268

Szentjóby left for Switzerland before the end of the year. end ofthe before the forSwitzerland left Szentjóby was more serious, buoyed by the weight of a movement under pressure. Its under pressure. ofa movement bythe weight morebuoyed serious, was 270

That opposition would manifest, albeitprivately, opposition manifest, That would collective in the illusion act of putting ideas to paper, ideas ofputting ofthe aspects the transformative * . publishing. publishing. to society, officialdom. this case,to orin samizdat projects and oppositional activity, and oppositional projects samizdat was a road was 269

267

It is It

CEU eTD Collection 271 states: Szétfolyóirat orlongevity,content role a organizing as but forits force in its much benot sought so can is on.But its value caught police once destroyed them of copies irreverent— Ibid, 30. “ hostility isolates, on the one hand, but reunites onthe butother.” reunites one hand, isolates, onthe hostility Szétfolyóirat gave shape to and membership within a dissident intellectual subculture—as Poggioli intellectual a dissident within and membership gave to shape oozed with subversiveness, demonstrated by the fact that thosein possession that fact bythe demonstrated with subversiveness, oozed within the avant-garde. Inthis way, the avant-garde. 271

CEU eTD Collection 274 273 272 around Budapest.” flats this was, as circles, private and tables kitchen across “scattered ofpages thousands recalls, Altorjay classic the defied much and very immense was project Hamvas the circles, disorganization and artistic intellectual within of someemerging level subculture. ofthosetexts revealed avant-garde reproduction actual the While movement. dissident intellectual a broader into coalesced avant-garde the and authorities, as to opposition sharpenedaround more radical, political, more became 1970s, Inthe artists pressure. of state aofcollective wave 1970s, ofthe where moments solo and early the first “happening,” around Frey,Krisztián Perneczky. Gábor criticGéza Gyulaand Konkoly art Tót, west. Heller,Ágnes Ferenc Fehér, Györgyto the had emigrated Iván Szelényi sociologist Mária Márkus, and “underground” ofthe dissident heady depths mid-1970s. laborious, bythe the more mid-1960sto ofthe experimentalism ofbuoyant burst an initial itself—from movement Conclusion: and “First the Politics, Art, Interview, Altorjay, May 2009. Berlin Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of Times the play, in New culturallife of alternative thecenter became York, for award, independent theater an in Obie, the and 1981won New moved to York Squat where theyopened City Theater, in storefront Chelsea. in group theater avant-garde The an Forgács, Neo-Avant-Garde,” theHungarian “Strategies of 272 The circulation of Hamvas' early texts laid the laid groundwork—ideologically, texts early ofHamvas' The circulation the spiritually—for moments “activism” Underground with inbeginning thisstages, era publishingmoved in philosophers along with and Halász IstvánBálint, groupofPéter theater 1976,the By entire from projects, ofsamizdat The arc Several artists had already left in the early 1970s, including László Lakner, 1970s, early including in the left had already artists Several Méhes, László , Oct. 17,1982. , Oct. Mr. andMrs. Free Dead samizdat 274

It reflected, at the very least, an overwhelming demand for Hamvas's texts as model—these were no slim volumes of poetry or journals passed around in passed ofpoetry orjournals volumes noslim were model—these . See a review by Roger Copeland, “Squat byRoger “Squat review Copeland, . See Convention,” a Explodes Theater Laura? Laura? samizdat Samizdat to samizdat 47. 47. Szetfoiyorat journals, and peaked around the “antagonism” around the and peaked journals,

thegroup theRotterdam, and Paris a in After stay short projects appeared during the initial duringround the appeared projects Generation” , mirrored Hungary'savant-garde , mirrored 273

New YorkNew

CEU eTD Collection 275 publications appeared when tensions between artists and authorities had reached an apex, which in what had evolved into collective, oppositional subcultural movement. Likewise, the underground differently: most notably, these were group projects, which brought together various avant-garde “circles” that matched revolutionary thought with radical action. revolutionaries were busily destroying. It was a performance, an expression of art = life, a “happening,” sheer avant-garde experimentalism, meant to shatter taboos, and to revel on the anti-stage the young revolutionary boost. Those early transpired. The publicity around the event, their newfound dissident celebrity certainly added to the months, each launch countercultural scene. That the two individuals who commandeered the first “happening” would, within “happenings” had, at least in the United States, become a more popularized anti-establishment ritual of the socialist societies may have carried more energy, a bigger thrill, than those in the West, where artistic expression—as “happenings” did anywhere, East or West. But the taboo-breaking experience in and officialdom. Certainly, the events would obliterate the bounds of anything that resembled “traditional” transformed both the cultural climate and dynamics within the avant-garde and between the avant-garde self-examination. the exotic cosmos of one's own mind—or according to Roszak, the inward “trip,” toward higher levels of mass exodus among the 1960s-era youth generation away from traditionalism and toward mysticism, Zen, alternative “world view.” That spiritual turn among Hungary's artists and intellectuals was in step with the stands as an early indicator of a young generation self-consciously orienting themselves around an much it showed an insatiable craving for “the forbidden” among young artists and intellectuals. Moreso, it Roszak , The burst of Much of what evolved in the 1960s sprung from “happenings,” the advent of which in Hungary The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The 275 samizdat samizdat journals and projects that appeared in the 1970s operated somewhat publications is an indicator that, at the very least, something revelatory had samizdat , 63. projects—Szentjóby's The Menu , Altorjay's Laura?

—were

CEU eTD Collection 277 276 broader underground both the and within literature v.“Artistic” “political” poetry.”to from “politics transcendence spiritual and forthe generation's new “end ofpolitics,” the establishment, who Marcuse, urged ideas from the movement,and with rejection total forthe countercultural contemporary with then in keeping alsoverymuch was it restrictions, obvious themselves. and to due instruct to in to part, stir this was, was While aim internal—the in c openly sitting bourgeois Romantic like public the broader journals. orto “instruct” pamphleteers, among small circles of artists and intellectuals, t underground publications were planned, produced, distributed and housed. bonds and social networks that transcended government-controlled channels of communication—where enclaves provided a sanctuary, where young intellectuals and artists formed close intellectual and creative forbidden things: the private domain. Cauldrons of dissident activity and “other thinking,” these private for “prohibited” activities—spots where one might go when one wanted to do the most salacious, subversiveness—amplified by and in reaction to state pressure. collective writing projects into collective acts of defiance, of deviance, of rebelliousness and role in fueling collective dissent. Namely, it is the demonstrates the inherently reactionary, or defensive, nature of these projects as much as it does the state's Roszak , Poggioli, This draws back to the question of how this ofera ofhowunderground the this question back to beThis situated draws might publishing Yet The structure of Kádárism itself added to it: the so-called three Ts is some way marked off territory 277 The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The it is important to look closer at to the “private” nature of these projects: circulated in secrecy, Theory of the Theory of Avant-Garde

afés

editing pages of their radical “little magazine.” was magazine.” work “little radical rebellionat here oftheir pages The editing samizdat , 24. , quoting Marcuse,118., quoting he aim was neither to stir the crowds like19 crowds the to stir neither the was he aim illegality samizdat of the endeavor itself which transforms these tradition, and how closely these closely and how tradition, anti -political ethos of the era's ethosofthe -political 276 Nor were artists were Nor

samizdat

century

CEU eTD Collection 282 281 280 279 278 rally. would intellectuals whichartists and around it publications and the itself, the movement But core wasidea the over artsand culture control government movementand continued avant-garde ofthe entire veryheart at the was censorship against to a bepush sure, while, questionable: is model revolutions. democratic ofmodern a core aspect been has ofthe press” the for“liberty call English revolution, ofthe time from the that shows change democratic excluded from or strive to countercultural movements, “routinization and institutionalization,” which omits, by definition, protests and demonstrations, social and voluntarily joined by ordinary citizens organizations, and associations that are on the one hand, and the state and market, on the other. This space consists of intermediary groups, and associate within the public 'space' that is distinct from the individual, family, and friendship networks, widely accepted definition of civil society, which he sees as a “community of citizens, who come together western democratic systems, transfers awkwardly into socialist societies. Howard, for instance, offers a community. political democratic samizdat at a “pre-Gutenberg” even of“classic,” stage. a form resembled projects society adherents, civil Among John Keane,John Howard, Press, 1997). University Cambridge Institutions: Politics. Comparative Theory in Advancing Charles Tilly, “Towards in Revolution,” and Movements onSocial An Perspective Integrated differently. movements” and “social society” “civil Scholars treat Sidney Doug McAdam, this For see: Tarrow and Press, 2002).University oncivil in: society work Howard's eds. Uslaner M. Citizens Do Join Not “Why Post-Communist MorjéMarc Howard, Voluntary Eric Badescu and Gabriel In Societies,” 10-11. 1980s-era Skilling and from isperspective This thedominant Civil society proponent is often seen as a step toward the growth of Habermas's “public sphere” and the creation ofa creation sphere” and the ofHabermas's growth “public assteptowardthe often is a seen The WeaknessThe Society of Civil The Media and Democracy andDemocracy Media The Social Capital andTransition Capital Social Democracy to not 280 associate with formal state institutions. informal associations, “unofficial groups,” many which are either purposely John Keane, for instance, examining the relationship between and media relationship examiningthe forinstance, John Keane, The WeaknessThe Europe SocietyPost-Communist of in Civil 278

The concept of civil society, however, so narrowly configured around , 39. (Cambridge: Polity Press,1991):22. Polity (Cambridge: .” formally established, legally protected, autonomously run, and 279 According to Howard, civil society requires a degree of Marc Irving Lichbach and and IrvingMarc Lichbach eds. Zuckerman, (Cambridge: Alan (London: Routledge, 2003): (London: Routledge, samizdat 282 Yet this era of whether scholars, as reviewed in the introduction. See pp. See astheintroduction. reviewed in scholars, 281

116 (New (New York: Cambridge Ideals, Interests,Ideals, and , emphasis added. See also See added. emphasis samizdat fits that

CEU eTD Collection 285 284 283 the “artistic,” as a separate, lesser category of dissent. Not only has this led to a distortion of the deeply democratic sensibilities, so that we might categorize underground writing by “political,” and cordon off among western created, from its producers, from the scene around which they were created. It has been the pervasive trend organize by theme, by genre—which extracts the materials from the environment in which they were mission that sought to destroy the lines between art and politics, between art and life. capacity of art, and artists, in creating social change. It was a movement fueled by the core avant-gardist inside, via “psychic liberation” or “spiritual liberation,” one that that foregrounded the revolutionary —rather, it was aligned with the countercultural movement's missions to build a new world from the make changes within the existing political system. demonstrations, marches, public petitions—ways in which groups assert a set of civil rights and attempt to institutionalized political participation, “visible protest” or classic modes of political contestation—street long overlooked by western scholars: it jostles against western political theory which seeks out forms of defender of liberty against despotic states, a check against state power. diverged radically from the classic western liberal media model, in which a “free press” is cast as the inherent democratizing forces, but rather to suggest that in mode, style and mission, this era's While this is not argue that those movements were “anti-democratic” or would not somehow contain to traditional values, modes of behavior, forms of interest articulation, civic engagement and protest. — bourgeois classic than radical was upsurges—it more inspired, anti-bourgeois, was anti-establishment entrenched in the 1960-era culture of “antis,” and the spirit of avant-gardism, which stood in opposition to Democracy (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1998) Littlefield Publishers, (Rowman & Democracy to Sidney Doug McAdam, by: protest and movements bysocial See thework Tarrow and Charles Tilly, Contention From Keane, Roszak , This demonstrates, too, the deficiency of purely content-based analyses of It is in part for these reason that “artistic” Media andDemocracy Media The Making of aCounter of Culture Making The samizdat scholars to scour content for evidence of political intonation, for signs of , 16. , 45. samizdat, 285 Hungary's avant-garde would making no such claims and the “artistic underground,” 284

samizdat

has been so , the effort to samizdat

283

CEU eTD Collection 286 art. especially “anything,” about University ofFine athe professor as at job he knows insists nothing he in Budapest,although Arts onawall. his Szentjóby, oftext at thosepages look 1990,now a after holds to Budapest returned who to home 80peoplehis heinto had smuggled after Budapest,fourdecades in exhibit Imagination/Idea ofthe director now Hungarian ofthe Institute History Art ofSciences, Academy own their legacies. re-make in are positionsto now and inlife, artistic post-1990 positions history. and dissident ofHungary'savant-garde sacredfigure mythic,nearly a become he buthas already unfolding, still history is imprintonHungary'scultural Halász's world. over the all ofthe the Palace at bymedia covered event into act—an art, life art into life final Budapest—his Arts in own his funeral whichhe staged in 2006, before cancer death his until from antheater independent ran New in theaters experimental innovative York, Squat the Theater, 1990.He to Budapestafter returned home. returned and 1970s, 1960s some the record. historical spota in the a stood blank there once where heroes off who cast were those Among in Post-1990: Legacies, Martyrs and Heroes prohibited. what Szentjóby articulated when explaining the motives behind his first much as we can dice up and evaluate detectable in its content, the politics of the endeavor was entrenched in the of the “deed” itself. Although the subversive, political nature of these publications was not always overtly political, the anti-political, nature of so-called “artistic” Interview, Gábor Gábor radical the as stintspotlight his in 1990,and though Germany after in remained Altorjay onto hold have prestigious moved ofthe avant-garde participants radical oftheMany most “first The ofthe legacy Szentjóby, 2009. May Budapest samizdat 286

samizdat generation” is growing: there is now a hall of now martyrs and ofnow a hall now is growing: is there generation” Peter Halász, who had gone on to run one of the most runone ofthe had gone onto who Halász, Peter , its most potent and basic force may just come down to samizdat, but it has missed the point of the activity, samizdat act of publishing itself. For as project: it was recently mounted his mounted recently László Beke, László

CEU eTD Collection “happening” that June in 1966, when the police made them famous revolutionaries. professor, enigmatic his wielding running the day Bekebe would one university be would a Szentjóby ofSciences, that Academy years. recent grown in only that beginning: from the planned this all they to had think likes Altorjay his in fact interest that bythe pronounced impactis over a year—his a little was Hungary journal his to first “happening” the Hungary brief—from in was artist

powers over the next generation. next generation. over the powers That it all stemmed from the first Laura? Laura? to his escape from to escape his Laura?

has

82 CEU eTD Collection Horváth, Sándor.Horváth, ofthe “Myths Great Tree and Urban Constructing Spaces Gang: Youth in Culture Hammer, Hungary.” Socialist Jeans in “Blue Ferenc. Hajdu, Mary.Gluck, “Toward Georg ofModernism: Definition a Historical Lukacs and the Avant-Garde,” Gelder, Ken. Hungarian Neo-Avant-Garde ofthe Strategies Forgács, under Pressure? Grow “Does Éva. Democracy Socialism, Erjavec, Czigány, Lóránt. Botar, Oliver I.“From the A. Avant-Garde to 'Proletarian Art': Hungarian Emigré Journals The (Winter, 1993): 157-168. Berghaus, Benson, Timothy Forgács, and Eva O. eds. Bellamy, Edward. and Before Performance: “The Hungarian László, Beke, After Tibor Hajas,” László. Beke, Zygmunt. Bauman, and and Urban World. in Joanna Herbert. by Edited Budapest,'” ‘Socialist Agency, – 30th March Conference, and Spaces Mediations, Norms, April 2006,Cambridge. 1st, Júlia Journal ofHistory Modern 1970s,” and the 1960s late Throughout the 44-50. 26/1 (Autumn, 1972): Gardes (1910-1930) 1992. Mücsarnok, Soros Foundation, Hungarian in Contemporary Revisions Ar Structures 2009. July in forthcoming Society-tranzit.hu, Art Akasztott EmberAkasztott István Klaniczay and Edit Sasvári. Budapest: Budapest: Sasvári. and Edit Klaniczay Artpool-Balassi Aleš Günter. The SubculturesThe Reader , , “The Illegal Illegal , “The Avant-garde,” Imagination/Idea, 1971: The Beginning of Hungarian Conceptual of Beginning 1971:The Imagination/Idea, Art. e London: University of California Press, 2003. ofCalifornia London: University d. “

Postmodernism and the Postsocialist Condition: Politicized Politicized Condition: Under Postsocialist Late Postmodernism andthe Art Jancsó Country: Miklós Jancsó and the Hungarian New Cinema,” Cinema,” Hungarian New and the Country: Jancsó Miklós Jancsó Looking BackwardLooking 2000-1887. “ Happenings in Europe in the '60s: the Europe'60s: in in Happenings Trends, Figures.” Leading Events, and Socialism: The The Socialism: Active Utopia. . Cambridge: MIT. Cambridge: Press, 2002. , 1922-23,” , 1922-23,” Testimonies of the City. Identity, aContemporary andChangein Community , 58/4 (Dec., 1986): 845-882. , 58/4 1986): (Dec., Art Journal . Edited byKen Gelder.. Edited 2005. Routledge, London: The The Between Worlds:Between A Sourcebook Central European of Avant- Bibliography t, Budapest: Experimental Budapest: Experimental t, Foundation, Art - Adelaide Centropa Balatonboglár Balatonboglár , 52/1 (Spring,1993): 34-45. , 52/1 Ashgate: 2007,73-93. Aldershot, Courier Dover Publications, 1996. Courier Publications, Dover New York: Meier, & Holmes 1976. Paper for the Citizenship and Consumption: forthe Citizenship Paper 36-48. VIII (2008): Chapel Studio, 1970-1973 Chapel Studio, , 2003. Interrupted Dialogue: Interrupted ” Film Quarterly Film

Budapest: . Edited by . Edited TDR. TDR. Egység

Open

37/4 The ,

CEU eTD Collection Pók, Pók, and Modern Sociology “Modern Attila. inArt Early Twentieth Hungary,” Century Poggioli, Renato. Pataki, Néray, “From Neo-Avantgarde Katalin. to transavantgarde,” ofReason: Dictatorship “The Benjamin. Nathans, Aleksandr Volpin and Sidney Doug, McAdam, Tarrow and Charles Tilly, “Towards onSocial Perspective Integrated An and “Confrontation S.A. Mansbach, Hungarian in the Accommodation Avant-Garde,” in alsoreviewed is it Karl. Mannheim, and Company, Brown 1990. Ludmilla, Alexeyeva, Lóránd, Komaromi, Ann. Unofficial Culture.” “The Soviet ofLate Field ofSoviet Existence Material “The Komaromi 2005. Routledge, Kellner, New andLeft,” the Marcuse Politics, “Radical Douglas. John. Keane, Morjé. Marc Howard, Do Citizens Join Not Post-Communist Morjé,“Why Marc VoluntaryHoward, Societies,” and the Zugló circle (1958-1968)” Zuglóand circle the ofFine Museum 1991. Art, Socialism” Developed Press, 1997. Politics. Revolution,” Movements and (Spring 1990): 9-20. Europe,in Central 1949-1999. 605-629. Press, 2002. University Cambridge 2003. Routledge, andTransitionCapital Democracy. to Gábor. Hegyi. Edited by Edited The Media andDemocracy. Media The “Two School, (1945-1948) European the connections: Franco-Hungarianart chapters in “ Central Europe as a Hypothesis and a asHypothesis Europe a Central Way ofLife,” The Theory of the Avant-Garde. Essays on the Sociology of Knowledge. of Knowledge. onthe Sociology Essays

Essays on the Sociology of Culture onthe Sociology Essays Marc Irving Lichbach and IrvingMarc Lichbach University Cambridge Cambridge: Zuckerman. Alan The Thaw Generation: Coming of Coming Climate. Generation: Thaw The theAge Post-Stalin in The WeaknessThe Europe. Post-Communist in Society Civil of Slavic Review Slavic Ideals, Interests,Ideals, andInstitutions: Comparative in Theory Advancing Museum moderner KunstLudwig Stiftung moderner Museum Wien, 2000. French Studies Cultural 66/4 (Winter 630-663. 2007): Edited by Gabriel Badescu and Eric M. Uslaner. M. and Eric byGabriel Badescu Edited Cambridge: Polity Press, 1991. Polity Cambridge: Samizdat, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1968. ” (London: Routledge, 1992). Routledge, (London: London: RKP, 1952. Slavic Review,Slavic Catalog Hommage a El Greco HommageaEl Catalog 11 (2000): 397-408. Slavic Review,Slavic The New Left and the 1960s, Left andthe New The Aspects/Positions: 50YearsAspects/Positions: of Art the Idea ofRightsunder the Idea 63/3 (Fall 2004),597-618. 63/3 (Fall 66/4 (Winter, 66/4 2007): New York: Art Journal Boston: Little, Boston: Hungarian Social London: , Budapest:

London: London:

, 49/1

CEU eTD Collection Wohl, Robert. Várnagy, Tibor. by curated exhibition and fromElsewhere,” Tibor Hungary Story: Samizdat “Hidden Mihály.Szegedy-Maszák, ofBourgeois and Fall (1945-1949)” “Thein Hungary Rise Literature Hungarian The Avant-Garde: andThe Eight The Activists. and Programs: Julia. Hungarian “Ideas Background ofthe Szabó, Philosophical The Avant-Garde.” Press, 1989. University State Ohio Gordon. H. Skilling, Carl. Schorske, Youthful Opposition. Roszak, Theodore. Várnagy and John P. andVárnagy John 27-November 10,1990. September Furnace, Franklin Jacob, Hungarian Studies Studies 9/1-2 (1994): 65-71. 9/1-2 The Generation of 1914. Generationof The Fin-de-Siecle Vienna:Fin-de-Siecle andCulture. Politics The Making of aCounter-Culture: MakingThe of onthe Technocratic Reflections andits Society Samizdat and Independent Society in CentralEurope. andEastern in Society andIndependent Samizdat 13/2 (1998/99): 199-214. 13/2 London: Faberand Faber,London: 1970. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979. University Harvard Cambridge: New York: 1979. Knopf, Hayward Gallery: London, 1980. Gallery: Hayward Columbus: Columbus: