Washington, DC – The “Hungarian Review”, the English-language affiliate of the bi-monthly journal Magyar Szemle, edited by Gyula Kodolányi and John O’Sullivan, has published its second issue for 2018.
On the cover: Haystacks near Breb. Photo by Gordon McKechnie.
Most of the articles in this issue focus on the Hungarian-Polish friendship and the relationship between Central European countries and the European Union. In his editorial note entitled ‘Worlds Alongside Each Other’, John O’ Sullivan emphasizes: “Nations are many in number and in kind. They are the products of history and of many different historical events – dynasties, wars, revolutions, religious conversions, wanderings of peoples – and the differences between them are benefits to all. We are lucky to have the diversity of arts and customs they bring into our lives. Central Europe has often been faulted for being a patchwork quilt of cultures. Instead we should express gratitude for those gifts. Indeed, in this issue, as in our previous one, that is what we have done. In particular, we have been glad to celebrate the friendship, mutual assistance and cultural sympathy that have linked Hungary and Poland over the years”.
The ‘Current’ section contains a description on the Hungary Helps Initiative by former Hungarian American Coalition Internship Participant Péter Heltai, currently Ambassador-at-Large for this special project. On explaining the Initiative’s goal, Mr. Heltai writes: “… the focus is, rather than spending the same amount in Europe for immigration related initiatives, to spend it in the crisis area where the value of the same sum of money is four to five times higher, enabling more efficient help. This is how Hungary is present in the Middle East and Africa, in school and hospital construction initiatives, humanitarian work and scholarship programs, proportional to its size and economic capacities.”
This section includes other articles from György Schöpflin (“The European Union and its Travails”) and Václav Klaus (“More or Less Europe?”).
The ‘Current’ section is followed by two special pieces on the occasion of György Granasztói’s 80th Birthday, who is the founding publisher of Hungarian Review. These additions are by John O’Sullivan (“Essays of a “Dangerous Man” – Thoughts on György Granasztói’s 80th Birthday”) and György Granasztói (“A Bending Mirror – The Recent Hungarian Past on the Pages of a French Magazine”).
The periodical then continues with an ‘Essays’ section with contributions by Nicholas T. Parsons (“The Attempted Suicide of Capitalism – Abolition of Moral Hazard and the Rise of the Oligarchs”); James Allan (“Constitutionalism, Politics and Judicial Power”) and Jerzy Snopek (“A Friend of Czesław Miłosz and Zbigniew Herbert – George Gömöri under Polish Eyes”).
The ‘Essays’ section is followed by the ‘History’ section which includes articles from Zoltán Tófalvi (“A Purifying Recollection – At a Site Visit by Ex-prisoners Convicted in Romania after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956”) and Ambrus Miskolczy (“The Secret Debate of 1958 on the Origins of the Romanian People and Their Settlement”).
Finally, ‘The Arts and Letters’ section features articles by Melinda Berlász (“Zoltán Kodály’s “Journey of Triumph” in Santa Barbara, California”); Katalin Gellér (“About a Stained Glass Window Lost from View”) and Gordon McKechnie (“Breb – A Travel Essay”).
Currently, 43 issues of the Hungarian Review from 2010 through 2018 can be ordered from amazon.com; or directly from the publisher; or by calling the Coalition office in Washington.