Tag: history
“Never again shall we tolerate subjection to the like of this.”* The Hungarian Parliament decided in 2000 that 25 February in each year will be dedicated to remember the victims of communism based on. This is a very sensitive issue in Hungary, and I imagine all of the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe, since it was something that was un-talked about for long decades of the socialist era. Generations grew up learning from textbooks that were intentionally falsifying history, describing the socialist regime as liberators and heroes who saved our country. When after World War II the world could…
It’s Europe Day! 62 years ago today, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented the idea and plan to create a supranational European community. This event, commonly known as “The Schuman Declaration”, is considered as the birthday of the European Union.
Jókai Mór: Erdély aranykora “Apafi leült, mint valami áldozatra szánt bárány, s első kezdetnek akkora betűt kanyarított a pergamenre, hogy a török fölugrott ijedtében, s azt kérdte, hogy mi az. – Ez egy M betű – válaszolt Apafi. – De hát a többinek is hagyjon kend helyet. – Ez csak kezdőbetű, a többi majd apró lesz. – No hát mondja kegyelmed fennhangon, hogy mit ír. Apafi reszketve írt és mondá: – Minekutána… A basa elkapta előle dühösen a pergament, s ráordított: – Mit "minekutána” és “annakutána”! Mit cikornyázza kegyelmed. Írja kegyelmed úgy, ahogy szokás: “Mi Apafi Mihály, Erdély fejedelme, parancsoljuk…
One last poem for today. This one relates to my addiction to international relations, quoted many times by Hungarian international law scholars when speaking about the function of international law. János Arany, famous Hungarian poet was much upset about the outcome of the Russo-Turkish war in 1878 when the Congress of Berlin met to reorganize the countries of the Balkans. Not many were satisfied with the unjust resettlement, many still consider these decisions as starting point eventually leading to World War I. Civilization is a short poem with much irony expressing the popular opinion of that time. I like to think…
