Past Abstracts
1,037 abstracts found
Frederic Balazs and the Tucson Civic Opera
Music/FolkloreArizona Opera, the state’s premier company, emerged in 1971 as an outgrowth of programs at the University of Arizona, the Tucson Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and the Opera Guild of Southern Arizona (Cordeiro 1968; Miller 2016). Another important but little-known precursor emanated from the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (TSO) under the direction of Hungarian American conductor Frederic Balazs, who furnished homegrown operatic experiences to Tucsonans from 1952 to 1966.
Balazs stands among the pioneers of opera in Tucson. He not only encouraged the inauguration of a civic chorus but also was the first to chair regional auditions of the Metropolitan Opera in Arizona. He promoted opera founder Mary Fabian, assisted in the organization of the aforementioned Guild, and supported the formation of a short-lived Tucson Civic Opera (1958–59). Perhaps most importantly, Balazs produced a large-scale operatic concert nearly every year of his tenure with the TSO.
Balazs’s 1955 semi-staged performance of Boris Godunov with the TSO and the Tucson Civic Chorus offers a glimpse of his ingenious methods for cultivating community patronage for opera. Guest artist Hungarian-émigré singer Désiré Ligeti soloed in an unusual miniature adaptation of the opera that catered to musical variety and dramatic effect. Balazs likewise aimed for sensation through the special installation of recorded bell sounds played over high-fidelity loudspeakers, eliciting a favorable response.
In sum, Balazs’s multifaceted approach nurtured the potential of local support for Arizona Opera’s establishment and renders a dynamic portrait of community influence, technological innovation, and musical artistry in the mid-twentieth century.
Balazs stands among the pioneers of opera in Tucson. He not only encouraged the inauguration of a civic chorus but also was the first to chair regional auditions of the Metropolitan Opera in Arizona. He promoted opera founder Mary Fabian, assisted in the organization of the aforementioned Guild, and supported the formation of a short-lived Tucson Civic Opera (1958–59). Perhaps most importantly, Balazs produced a large-scale operatic concert nearly every year of his tenure with the TSO.
Balazs’s 1955 semi-staged performance of Boris Godunov with the TSO and the Tucson Civic Chorus offers a glimpse of his ingenious methods for cultivating community patronage for opera. Guest artist Hungarian-émigré singer Désiré Ligeti soloed in an unusual miniature adaptation of the opera that catered to musical variety and dramatic effect. Balazs likewise aimed for sensation through the special installation of recorded bell sounds played over high-fidelity loudspeakers, eliciting a favorable response.
In sum, Balazs’s multifaceted approach nurtured the potential of local support for Arizona Opera’s establishment and renders a dynamic portrait of community influence, technological innovation, and musical artistry in the mid-twentieth century.
From Both Inside and Ouside: Transylvanian Hungarians Reimagining Themselves through Language
Language/LiteratureIn the Hungarian imagination, the term Transylvania tends to carry a nostalgic and mythologized connotation. Along with this, the ethno-linguistic minority we refer to as ”erdélyi magyarok” (Transylvanian Hungarians) is often imagined from the outside as rather homogeneous and static when it comes to their social and linguistic identities. Yet, empirical data collected through narrative interviews reveal a far more complex and dynamic picture of perceived cultural memberships and language practices. The paper will discuss the preliminary findings of a longitudinal study focusing on a small group of Transylvanian Hungarians living in Hungary. Drawing on Bruner’s work on narrative identity construction (1987) and on Anderston’s construct of imagined community (1983), the study explores how participants perceive and define themselves as members of multiple communities through narratives, and how their personal and collective identities are negotiated through linguistic practices across contexts. It also looks into how different languages (Hungarian and Romanian) may gain symbolic value and inspire resistance or resilience depending on the social and political context. Participants were selected through convenience sampling by involving the author’s friends (the author herself also being a Transylvanian Hungarian now living in Hungary). Data were collected through qualitative processes. (1) Field notes documenting the author’s own experiences and observations were used to generate research questions and to get an emic perspective; (2) narrative interviews were used to gain insights into participants’ memories and reflections on their changing identities.
From Budapest to Boston: Hungarian Contributions to Pre-Clinical Medical Education in the United States (1776–2025)
Science/EconomicsThe 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence provides a fitting moment to reflect on the profound and enduring contributions of Hungarian scholars to American science and higher education. Here, we trace the influence of Hungarian educators, physicians, and scientists on the development of pre-clinical medical education in the United States over the past two and a half centuries. From early transatlantic exchanges in anatomy and physiology to the modern adoption of active learning methods, Hungarian intellectual traditions have played a formative role in shaping pedagogical innovation.
Hungarian-born scientists such as Albert Szent-Györgyi, John von Neumann, George von Békésy, and Michael Polanyi have not only advanced biomedical research but also brought European rigor, mentorship, and integrative reasoning to American universities. Their emphasis on inquiry, experimentation, and humanistic reflection established a foundation for problem-based and flipped classroom learning models that define the pre-clinical medical curricula today.
Through a historical and educational analysis, we demonstrate how Hungarian pedagogical values, rooted in scientific precision, mentorship, and ethical inquiry, continue to inform the principles of student-centered, active learning across U.S. medical schools. By situating these developments within a 250-year narrative, we seek to honor the shared transatlantic legacy that unites Hungarian and American academic traditions in advancing medical education.
Hungarian-born scientists such as Albert Szent-Györgyi, John von Neumann, George von Békésy, and Michael Polanyi have not only advanced biomedical research but also brought European rigor, mentorship, and integrative reasoning to American universities. Their emphasis on inquiry, experimentation, and humanistic reflection established a foundation for problem-based and flipped classroom learning models that define the pre-clinical medical curricula today.
Through a historical and educational analysis, we demonstrate how Hungarian pedagogical values, rooted in scientific precision, mentorship, and ethical inquiry, continue to inform the principles of student-centered, active learning across U.S. medical schools. By situating these developments within a 250-year narrative, we seek to honor the shared transatlantic legacy that unites Hungarian and American academic traditions in advancing medical education.
From Budapest to Broadway: Hungarian Operetta Voices in America
Music/FolkloreHungarian operetta has long served as a vibrant bridge between
Europe and the United States, carrying with it a distinctive blend of
lyricism, humor, and national identity. This presentation explores the
journey of Hungarian operetta singers who emigrated to America from
the early twentieth century onward, tracing how their artistry helped
shape the musical theater scene and popular entertainment on
Broadway and beyond. Drawing from archival sources, concert
programs, and historical recordings, the research examines
emblematic figures—such as Sári Barabás, Mártha Eggert, and Imre
Palló—who brought the Viennese Hungarian style to American
audiences.
Through a musicological and cultural-historical lens, the presentation
highlights how these artists preserved the essence of Hungarian
operetta while adapting to American tastes, language, and stage
traditions. It also considers how their contributions fostered
intercultural exchange and influenced the evolution of American light
opera and musical theater.
In celebrating 250 years of Hungarian-American cultural ties, this
project underscores the ongoing resonance of operetta as both a
symbol of nostalgia and a vehicle for artistic innovation. The
presentation concludes with selected audio-visual examples, including
a brief live musical excerpt, to demonstrate how the “Hungarian voice”
continues to echo in American performance culture today.
Europe and the United States, carrying with it a distinctive blend of
lyricism, humor, and national identity. This presentation explores the
journey of Hungarian operetta singers who emigrated to America from
the early twentieth century onward, tracing how their artistry helped
shape the musical theater scene and popular entertainment on
Broadway and beyond. Drawing from archival sources, concert
programs, and historical recordings, the research examines
emblematic figures—such as Sári Barabás, Mártha Eggert, and Imre
Palló—who brought the Viennese Hungarian style to American
audiences.
Through a musicological and cultural-historical lens, the presentation
highlights how these artists preserved the essence of Hungarian
operetta while adapting to American tastes, language, and stage
traditions. It also considers how their contributions fostered
intercultural exchange and influenced the evolution of American light
opera and musical theater.
In celebrating 250 years of Hungarian-American cultural ties, this
project underscores the ongoing resonance of operetta as both a
symbol of nostalgia and a vehicle for artistic innovation. The
presentation concludes with selected audio-visual examples, including
a brief live musical excerpt, to demonstrate how the “Hungarian voice”
continues to echo in American performance culture today.
From Chastened to Unchastened Crowd, 1989 to the Present
History/Political ScienceCrowd politics has been an essential element of Hungarian nationalism since the nineteenth century. Political scientists have made a sharp division between crowd politics and festive gatherings, between grassroots activism and government orchestrated events. But Hungarian politics invariably interconnect the two. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán operates within this tradition. Since 1989 he has employed political demonstration theater.
This paper will examine the assumption of the role of crowd leader by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán including his ability to use, seize, or orchestrate both festive gatherings and politically defiant crowds for regime change or to increase his hold on power; for electoral victories or parliamentary advantage, to attract international support or rally internally against foreign opinion.
This paper will examine the assumption of the role of crowd leader by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán including his ability to use, seize, or orchestrate both festive gatherings and politically defiant crowds for regime change or to increase his hold on power; for electoral victories or parliamentary advantage, to attract international support or rally internally against foreign opinion.
From Conflict to Flourishing: How Work–Family Balance, Social Relations and Workplace Conditions Shape Well-Being
Science/EconomicsExploring the factors influencing workplace well-being and the relationships between them can provide significant information for employers to make decisions and measures related to attracting and retaining valuable, talented employees (Venczel et al. 2023). Seligman and Csíkszentmihályi identified five pillars of well-being – Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships Meaning, Accomplishment (PERMA) (Seligman 2011, 2018, Seligman & Csíkszentmihályi 2014). Workplace well-being is thus a complex concept represented by closely related influencing factors. Our study aims to publish the results of our research aimed at exploring the relationships between the factors influencing workplace well-being. Our questionnaire survey was aimed at medium-sized or large companies operating in Hungary in terms of the number of employees. During the computer statistical data processing, we conducted analyses focusing on work-family conflicts, job and life satisfaction, and the correlations showing the impact of workplace conditions and social relationships. Based on the results of the research, it can be stated that two-way conflicts related to work and family have a clear negative impact on both job and life satisfaction, as well as on the development of positive workplace experiences. The results clearly highlight that reducing conflicts and promoting a supportive workplace environment are key to increasing the overall satisfaction perceived by employees. The analysis confirms that the different dimensions of workplace well-being are closely related to each other and that improving one factor can have a positive impact on other areas as well.
From Detroit to Padova. The Romance of a Gypsy Violinist and the Daughter of a Millionaire
Music/FolkloreJancsi Rigó, the world famous Hungarian Gypsy violinist met Clara Ward at the end of the 19th century in Paris. Clara was born in 1873 in Detroit, she was the daughter of captain Eber Brock Ward, who had iron and steel manufacturing in the United States and he was one of the richest men of the State of Michigan. Clara married a Belgian prince Marie Joseph Anatole Erie de Chimay-Caraman, although she fell in love with Jancsi Rigó. Finally, she divorced in 1897 and married Jancsi. This was one of the biggest scandals in high society in the 19th century in Europe, moreover, all around the world. Later Clara became a dancer in the Folies Bergère and in the Moulin Rouge. The famous French painter, count Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made a lithograph of her and Rigó, called „Idylle Princière”. This painting now can be seen in Cleveland. Clara was photographed on numerous postcards. The publication of her photos was forbidden in the German Empire by Kaiser Wilhelm II. After their famous marriage Clara and Jancsi divorced fairly soon. Clara moved to Italy and met her third husband. After a few years she married her fourth husband, also an Italian.In the last years of her life she lived in Padova. She died there in 1916. Rigó remained in the United States working as a violinist in a Hungarian restaurant in New York, called Little Hungary. He was not as successful as earlier in Europe. He died probably in 1927. His tomb can be found in the Kenisco Cemetery.
The story of Clara Ward and Rigó Jancsi’s scandalous marriage reflects the cultural and social history of that time, and especially women’s and minorities’ status in a changing civil society, carrying the remains of the feudal society. At the same time it is a special item in the American–Hungarian relations.
The story of Clara Ward and Rigó Jancsi’s scandalous marriage reflects the cultural and social history of that time, and especially women’s and minorities’ status in a changing civil society, carrying the remains of the feudal society. At the same time it is a special item in the American–Hungarian relations.
From Functional to Fancy: Proofreading Technical English in a Trilingual Environment
Education/Social SciencesEnglish is the primary language of technology. Thus, researchers are required to be proficient not only in their relevant fields of science, but also in using English to report their findings. Therefore, the correct use of academic English should by definition be included in the engineering education curriculum. Nevertheless, researchers must often rely on the skills of a proofreader/editor to ensure the accuracy of reporting their findings in professional journals or other publications. Subsequently, the proofreader is expected to have multiple talents in multiple fields: fine-tuning skills to improve texts, vocabulary knowledge in the given technical field, and, especially in a bilingual environment, linguistic competences in the first language of the text writer. Subotica Tech - College of Applied Sciences, located in the area of Vojvodina (Vajdaság), finds itself in a unique setting in terms of the linguistic composition of both staff and students. While education is carried out in two languages, Serbian and Hungarian, with many first-language Hungarian speakers there is also language transfer from the majority language, Serbian. Additionally, the functional use of English is required in technical writing, resulting in functional trilingualism (Serbian, Hungarian, English), but not without language transfers. Errors or non-native patterns in language are often mirrored in academic writing, showing peculiar linguistic error patterns detected during proofreading. This paper will explore the strong first-language influence (either Serbian, Hungarian, or both) in English academic technical texts. It will also explore the often-bewildering questions with which proofreaders are faced: “Mit akart pontosan az iró mondani” – what exactly is the original writer attempting to say?
From Jesuit Missionaries to Scholars of Sinology. Crossing Linguistic Boundaries through Editing Hungarian–Chinese Dictionaries (Panel)
Cultural Studies/ArtsFacing a new society, one of the first boundaries to overcome is the one of linguistic differences. Especially so in cases when already the script is unintelligible at first sight, such as in Hungarian–Chinese encounters. Nevertheless, numerous tools can facilitate negotiating and reimagining this boundary, of which dictionaries are traditionally regarded as crucial. Thus, it is hard to wonder that subsequent generations of Hungarians, who aimed to develop a better understanding of China, embarked on the tedious journey of compiling bilingual dictionaries. The exact methods, scope, and motivation of these compiling generations, however, display significant differences, which can provide insights into the development of bilateral relations between the two countries. Therefore, this presentation aims to provide an overview of the dictionary writing processes of the last century, starting from the Hungarian Jesuit missionaries in the Chinese town of Daming, through the works of professors Hamar Imre, Bartos Huba, and Galambos Imre around the turn of this century, to the current magnum opus of the Akadémiai Kiadó. After a historical overview of earlier editions, the presentation will detail the editorial process of the most recent version, of which the author himself was part for the last more than two years.
My paper is part of the proposed CESAR Panel
Name of the proposed panel: CESAR Panel - Trajectories of academic study of religions in Central and Eastern Europe.
Panel lectures:
1. Márk, Nemes and Boros, Péter - Introduction of CESAR at AHEA 2024
2. Márk, Nemes - The study of new religions in Hungary before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain
3. Péter Boros - From Jesuit Missionaries to Scholars of Sinology.
Crossing Linguistic Boundaries through Editing Hungarian–Chinese Dictionaries
My paper is part of the proposed CESAR Panel
Name of the proposed panel: CESAR Panel - Trajectories of academic study of religions in Central and Eastern Europe.
Panel lectures:
1. Márk, Nemes and Boros, Péter - Introduction of CESAR at AHEA 2024
2. Márk, Nemes - The study of new religions in Hungary before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain
3. Péter Boros - From Jesuit Missionaries to Scholars of Sinology.
Crossing Linguistic Boundaries through Editing Hungarian–Chinese Dictionaries
From Kálmán Imre to Emmerich Kálmán: Framing Hungary in “Der Zigeunerprimas”
Music/FolkloreViennese operetta often reduced Hungary to gypsies, uncontrolled passion, “paprika,” and an elemental link with a mythic past. But for the most successful Hungarian composer of operettas, Kálmán Imre—or Emmerich Kálmán, as he became known after moving to Vienna in 1908—these tropes could not be taken seriously. This paper examines how Kálmán both embodied and exploited Hungarian clichés and simultaneously put these clichés in quotation marks, enjoying their pleasure but clearly marking them as fantasy.
Kálmán began writing operettas in Budapest, where his early works (such as “Tatárjárás” [1908] and “Az Obsitos” [1910]) contained relatively little that the Viennese would recognize as Hungarian—as was conventional for operetta in Budapest at the time. “Der Zigeunerprimas” (1912), however, his first operetta written for Vienna, presents a different picture. Loosely based on the life of the real violinist Rácz Pali, it concerns a multigenerational family of Roma musicians struggling with tradition and modernization. Despite “gypsy” music and characters, and a marketing campaign touting his Hungarian authenticity, Kálmán and his Viennese librettists treated the material with a light hand, portraying characters with humanity and depth who assume Roma garb and clichés to make a living rather than possessing the wild souls of legend. Yet he still offered a tribute to the artistry of Rácz Pali. This suggests that the Hungarian in Viennese operetta could be more self-conscious and more multifaceted than simple exoticism, and its cosmopolitanism transcended self versus other binaries.
Kálmán began writing operettas in Budapest, where his early works (such as “Tatárjárás” [1908] and “Az Obsitos” [1910]) contained relatively little that the Viennese would recognize as Hungarian—as was conventional for operetta in Budapest at the time. “Der Zigeunerprimas” (1912), however, his first operetta written for Vienna, presents a different picture. Loosely based on the life of the real violinist Rácz Pali, it concerns a multigenerational family of Roma musicians struggling with tradition and modernization. Despite “gypsy” music and characters, and a marketing campaign touting his Hungarian authenticity, Kálmán and his Viennese librettists treated the material with a light hand, portraying characters with humanity and depth who assume Roma garb and clichés to make a living rather than possessing the wild souls of legend. Yet he still offered a tribute to the artistry of Rácz Pali. This suggests that the Hungarian in Viennese operetta could be more self-conscious and more multifaceted than simple exoticism, and its cosmopolitanism transcended self versus other binaries.
From Kossuth’s Twin-Soul to the Nation’s Chief Nurse: the Legacy of Zsuzsanna Kossuth Meszlényi
History/Political ScienceThe youngest sister of Governor Lajos Kossuth died in exile in New York at the age of only 37. By the time she arrived in the United States in 1853, her personal life had been full of ups and downs: lost her husband and baby son within a year of each other; spent months in prison twice; and became sick – first she had only coughs, then pneumonia and finally „pulmonary affections”. But she also had a career, quite unusual at the time: in April 1849 she was appointed the Chief Nurse of camp hospitals during the Hungarian War of Independence. Not as famous as Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern nursing, Zsuzsanna Kossuth organized 72 camp hospitals and a network of volunteer nurses, 5 years earlier than the Crimean War.
This paper is going to discuss the primary and secondary sources of her life and work, her supporters – both Hungarian exiles and American intellectuals. And finally a new image, probably used as a carte de visite (i.e. “visiting card”), will be presented, as a way of her prominence, up-to-datedness, and businesswoman-like attitude.
The year 2017 was dedicated in Hungary to her memory in particular commemorating the 200th anniversary of her birth, and to nursing as a profession in general. Her legacy should be promoted globally.
This paper is going to discuss the primary and secondary sources of her life and work, her supporters – both Hungarian exiles and American intellectuals. And finally a new image, probably used as a carte de visite (i.e. “visiting card”), will be presented, as a way of her prominence, up-to-datedness, and businesswoman-like attitude.
The year 2017 was dedicated in Hungary to her memory in particular commemorating the 200th anniversary of her birth, and to nursing as a profession in general. Her legacy should be promoted globally.
From Liberal to Illiberal Crowd: 30 Years After
History/Political ScienceA revised version of my book, Nationalism and the Crowd in Liberal Hungary, 1848-1914, is being translated into Hungarian for publication by l'Harmattan. The original epilogue focused on 1989. The new epilogue would benefit tremendously from feedback at the NEHA conference.
The paper will follow the remolding of Hungarian politics since the end of Communism. It will use the lens of crowd politics and the new statuescape to follow the changes in political goals, national imagination, and political control. Viktor Orbán began as a student leader of Fidesz and speaker at the reburial ceremony for Imre Nagy. As the Communist era lost its historical nuance, reform communism was discredited and the celebration of 1956 has dimmed. March 15 moved from a family-friendly holiday to a caustic one inappropriate for children. Interwar leaders gained pedestals in the renewed nationalist rhetoric.
Crowd politics has been an essential element of Hungarian nationalism since the nineteenth century. Political scientists make a sharp division between crowd demonstrations and festive gatherings, between grassroots activism and government orchestrated events, but Hungarian politics invariably interconnect the two.
The opposition has at several points engaged in crowd protest. The recent crowds protesting proposed overtime work seemed to catch the government flatfooted, but Orbán's political acumen has in part been his ability to use, seize, or orchestrate both festive gatherings and politically defiant crowds for regime change or to increase his hold on power; for electoral victories or parliamentary advantage; to attract international support, or rally internally against foreign opinion.
The paper will follow the remolding of Hungarian politics since the end of Communism. It will use the lens of crowd politics and the new statuescape to follow the changes in political goals, national imagination, and political control. Viktor Orbán began as a student leader of Fidesz and speaker at the reburial ceremony for Imre Nagy. As the Communist era lost its historical nuance, reform communism was discredited and the celebration of 1956 has dimmed. March 15 moved from a family-friendly holiday to a caustic one inappropriate for children. Interwar leaders gained pedestals in the renewed nationalist rhetoric.
Crowd politics has been an essential element of Hungarian nationalism since the nineteenth century. Political scientists make a sharp division between crowd demonstrations and festive gatherings, between grassroots activism and government orchestrated events, but Hungarian politics invariably interconnect the two.
The opposition has at several points engaged in crowd protest. The recent crowds protesting proposed overtime work seemed to catch the government flatfooted, but Orbán's political acumen has in part been his ability to use, seize, or orchestrate both festive gatherings and politically defiant crowds for regime change or to increase his hold on power; for electoral victories or parliamentary advantage; to attract international support, or rally internally against foreign opinion.
From Madéfalva to Bukovina to Saskatchewan: Using Y-DNA Testing, Genealogy Software, and the Internet to Connect Bukovina Székely Families to their Canadian Cousins and their Transylvanian Roots
Science/EconomicsAbout fifteen years ago, a genealogy project was initiated to document all the inhabitants of the five Székely villages founded in Bukovina in the 1780s under the auspices of the Austrian government. These villages existed for more than 150 years until the inhabitants left in 1941 to be resettled first in Bácska,and ultimately in Tolna and Baranya counties after the end of World War Two.
This data has been entered into a searchable computer database, which now contains the data of more than 93,000 individuals, mainly extracted from the Bukovina church registers. Via the Internet connections have been made between Canadian and American descendants and their Hungarian extended families, which resulted in a 2005 trip by a group of 18 Canadians to visit Bukovina descendants in Tolna County and also to Bukovina itself. In many cases, family contacts were made in Tolna County, and, in addition, research has been done in the Romanian National Archives (Csíkszereda and Sepsiszentgyörgy), but with limited success. In any case, these written records go back only to about 1700, leaving open the question of whether Bukovina families of the same surname are genetically related to each other or not.
Just at that point, some new technology came along to definitively answer this question. Y-DNA testing (that is, testing of male-line DNA) became available to the general public for a reasonable price. Y-DNA does not recombine, but is rather handed down virtually unchanged from father to son over thousands of years, making it very valuable for genealogical testing. In the four years since the DNA project was begun, over 200 samples of Bukovina and Transylvania Székely DNA have been collected, with interesting results which give hints about the ancient origin of the Székely as well as making it possible to know which surname lines have the same ancestor and which do not.
This data has been entered into a searchable computer database, which now contains the data of more than 93,000 individuals, mainly extracted from the Bukovina church registers. Via the Internet connections have been made between Canadian and American descendants and their Hungarian extended families, which resulted in a 2005 trip by a group of 18 Canadians to visit Bukovina descendants in Tolna County and also to Bukovina itself. In many cases, family contacts were made in Tolna County, and, in addition, research has been done in the Romanian National Archives (Csíkszereda and Sepsiszentgyörgy), but with limited success. In any case, these written records go back only to about 1700, leaving open the question of whether Bukovina families of the same surname are genetically related to each other or not.
Just at that point, some new technology came along to definitively answer this question. Y-DNA testing (that is, testing of male-line DNA) became available to the general public for a reasonable price. Y-DNA does not recombine, but is rather handed down virtually unchanged from father to son over thousands of years, making it very valuable for genealogical testing. In the four years since the DNA project was begun, over 200 samples of Bukovina and Transylvania Székely DNA have been collected, with interesting results which give hints about the ancient origin of the Székely as well as making it possible to know which surname lines have the same ancestor and which do not.
From Madéfalva to Bukovina to Saskatchewan: Using Y-DNA Testing, Genealogy Software, and the Internet to Connect Bukovina Székely Families to their Canadian Cousins and their Transylvanian Roots
Science/EconomicsAbout fifteen years ago, a genealogy project was initiated to document all the inhabitants of the five Székely villages founded in Bukovina in the 1780s under the auspices of the Austrian government. These villages existed for more than 150 years until the inhabitants left in 1941 to be resettled first in Bácska,and ultimately in Tolna and Baranya counties after the end of World War Two.
This data has been entered into a searchable computer database, which now contains the data of more than 93,000 individuals, mainly extracted from the Bukovina church registers. Via the Internet connections have been made between Canadian and American descendants and their Hungarian extended families, which resulted in a 2005 trip by a group of 18 Canadians to visit Bukovina descendants in Tolna County and also to Bukovina itself. In many cases, family contacts were made in Tolna County, and, in addition, research has been done in the Romanian National Archives (Csíkszereda and Sepsiszentgyörgy), but with limited success. In any case, these written records go back only to about 1700, leaving open the question of whether Bukovina families of the same surname are genetically related to each other or not.
Just at that point, some new technology came along to definitively answer this question. Y-DNA testing (that is, testing of male-line DNA) became available to the general public for a reasonable price. Y-DNA does not recombine, but is rather handed down virtually unchanged from father to son over thousands of years, making it very valuable for genealogical testing. In the four years since the DNA project was begun, over 200 samples of Bukovina and Transylvania Székely DNA have been collected, with interesting results which give hints about the ancient origin of the Székely as well as making it possible to know which surname lines have the same ancestor and which do not.
This data has been entered into a searchable computer database, which now contains the data of more than 93,000 individuals, mainly extracted from the Bukovina church registers. Via the Internet connections have been made between Canadian and American descendants and their Hungarian extended families, which resulted in a 2005 trip by a group of 18 Canadians to visit Bukovina descendants in Tolna County and also to Bukovina itself. In many cases, family contacts were made in Tolna County, and, in addition, research has been done in the Romanian National Archives (Csíkszereda and Sepsiszentgyörgy), but with limited success. In any case, these written records go back only to about 1700, leaving open the question of whether Bukovina families of the same surname are genetically related to each other or not.
Just at that point, some new technology came along to definitively answer this question. Y-DNA testing (that is, testing of male-line DNA) became available to the general public for a reasonable price. Y-DNA does not recombine, but is rather handed down virtually unchanged from father to son over thousands of years, making it very valuable for genealogical testing. In the four years since the DNA project was begun, over 200 samples of Bukovina and Transylvania Székely DNA have been collected, with interesting results which give hints about the ancient origin of the Székely as well as making it possible to know which surname lines have the same ancestor and which do not.
From Mátraverebély to Appalachia: Martin Himler, Transnational Identity, and the Making of an American
Cultural Studies/ArtsThis presentation explores the extraordinary transnational life of Martin Himler (1888–1961)—a Hungarian immigrant from Mátraverebély whose journey from poverty and caste barriers in northern Hungary to the coal fields of Eastern Kentucky reveals profound links between Hungarian history and American Appalachia. Drawing from Himler’s autobiography The Making of an American, archival research conducted in both Hungary and the United States, and my current development of a feature documentary, this talk examines how one man attempted to build a utopian, Hungarian-led community—Himlerville—in the heart of the Appalachian coalfields. The project illuminates key cultural parallels between Hungarian village life and Appalachian mining towns, including traditions of mutual aid, the role of ethnic identity in labor organization, and the tensions between local autonomy and corporate or state power. Himler’s story also offers a unique lens into the immigrant experience of the early twentieth century, one shaped by ambition, ingenuity, and the constant negotiation of belonging.
Beyond his Appalachian achievements, Himler later served as an officer in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) during World War II, interrogating leaders of Hungary’s fascist regime. His life therefore embodies a full arc of Hungarian-American identity: from immigrant laborer to community builder, from Appalachian entrepreneur to wartime intelligence officer shaping postwar justice in Europe.
This presentation integrates historical analysis, transnational cultural comparison, and documentary storytelling. I will share insights from both my archival research and my cinematic development process, arguing that Himler’s story not only connects Hungary and Appalachia, but also challenges us to reconsider what it means to become—and make—an American.
Beyond his Appalachian achievements, Himler later served as an officer in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) during World War II, interrogating leaders of Hungary’s fascist regime. His life therefore embodies a full arc of Hungarian-American identity: from immigrant laborer to community builder, from Appalachian entrepreneur to wartime intelligence officer shaping postwar justice in Europe.
This presentation integrates historical analysis, transnational cultural comparison, and documentary storytelling. I will share insights from both my archival research and my cinematic development process, arguing that Himler’s story not only connects Hungary and Appalachia, but also challenges us to reconsider what it means to become—and make—an American.
From Periphery to Periphery? From the Outer Empire of the Soviet Union to the Margins of the West
History/Political ScienceThe proposed lecture is designed to reassess the political, military, economic and cultural integration of the countries between Germany and Russia in the Atlantic community and the European Union from the perspective of their emancipation between the Nation-States in Europe. My hypothesis is that both the major powers of the European Union, namely France, Germany and Britain and the United States, are in fact entering a period of readjustment of their policies within NATO and the European Union towards the new democracies. The adoption of the Lisbon treaty will redefine the formation of the shifting alliances within the European Union. Central Europe’s path from the Soviet external empire to the Atlantic area, the successful democratic transformation of totalitarian regimes, should be relevant to other regions as well. This study will be the first of its kind and should be highly useful for decision-makers of European policy and important for reassessing the future role of the Central European states in European and transatlantic relations. The project, although primarily of an academic nature, will furnish basic arguments for a readjustment of the European Union’s policy in this region.
The methods of research are based on a cross-disciplinary and comparative analysis of the integration processes of the Central European countries and the major European Union actors (France, Germany, and United Kingdom). I try to assess the preconditions for an emancipation of Central European states in the Atlantic and European institutions, a new Marshall Plan to facilitate the entry of these countries into the European Economic and Monetary Union, and a minimum of Great Power consensus (the USA, Russia, France, UK, Germany, Italy) to assure peace and security in the region, to pacify and quickly integrate the Balkans into the new Europe.
The methods of research are based on a cross-disciplinary and comparative analysis of the integration processes of the Central European countries and the major European Union actors (France, Germany, and United Kingdom). I try to assess the preconditions for an emancipation of Central European states in the Atlantic and European institutions, a new Marshall Plan to facilitate the entry of these countries into the European Economic and Monetary Union, and a minimum of Great Power consensus (the USA, Russia, France, UK, Germany, Italy) to assure peace and security in the region, to pacify and quickly integrate the Balkans into the new Europe.
From the History of the First Hungarian Barber-Chirurg-Guild: The Chirurgs in Cluj-Napoca
History/Political ScienceThe history of Cluj-Napoca in the middle- and early modern age compared with other Hungarian cities is one of the most particularly revealing research-field. Specifically, the history of the handcraft, of the guilds as their advocacy system, their multi-layered tasks (taking part in the city-administration, in the social network) became well-known in the last decades.
Among the crafts the guild of the chirurgs, surgeons (barbers), is of special interest, as it is today difficult to imagine how healthcare could work as a union of craftsmen. Surgery meant, over centuries, the medical attendance to injuries; it meant only accident surgery.
Moreover, the chirurg-guild in Cluj-Napoca founded in 1568 was the first barber-guild of Hungary. Its constitution from 1648 we can get a glimpse of how the craftsmen in the guild worked. By now we know that about 80% of the barbers in Cluj Napoca were of Hungarian desendence; they came from Cluj-Napoca, from the town of Cibiu, Bihar county and from the villages in Kolos county. Furthermore, we know that in addition to three doctors in 1790 in the city, there were still six chirurgs.
Researching the Hungarian guild-database we managed to compile last year the protocols of the barber-guild in Cluj Napoca in the 17th and 18th centuries. Based on these protocols containing the names of every guild-members, we developed new ideas about the guild-system, the influence of the craftsmen in the city, and about their numbers. The number of the barbers in Cluj Napoca is unique even in European context: we can examine masters, fellows, servants in the documents.
Above all we have to ask: why were there so many healer persons in Cluj Napoca? Might we witness an unprecedented phenomenon, a „healer college” in the frame of a guild?
Among the crafts the guild of the chirurgs, surgeons (barbers), is of special interest, as it is today difficult to imagine how healthcare could work as a union of craftsmen. Surgery meant, over centuries, the medical attendance to injuries; it meant only accident surgery.
Moreover, the chirurg-guild in Cluj-Napoca founded in 1568 was the first barber-guild of Hungary. Its constitution from 1648 we can get a glimpse of how the craftsmen in the guild worked. By now we know that about 80% of the barbers in Cluj Napoca were of Hungarian desendence; they came from Cluj-Napoca, from the town of Cibiu, Bihar county and from the villages in Kolos county. Furthermore, we know that in addition to three doctors in 1790 in the city, there were still six chirurgs.
Researching the Hungarian guild-database we managed to compile last year the protocols of the barber-guild in Cluj Napoca in the 17th and 18th centuries. Based on these protocols containing the names of every guild-members, we developed new ideas about the guild-system, the influence of the craftsmen in the city, and about their numbers. The number of the barbers in Cluj Napoca is unique even in European context: we can examine masters, fellows, servants in the documents.
Above all we have to ask: why were there so many healer persons in Cluj Napoca? Might we witness an unprecedented phenomenon, a „healer college” in the frame of a guild?
Fulbright Hungary and the Diaspora: A Quarter Century of Friendship
Education/Social SciencesFulbright Hungary with its over 900 US and a similar number of Hungarian alumni, not only engages with Hungarian-American diaspora issues, but has its own "American-Hungarian" diaspora.
True to its mission, Hungarians and Americans living in either country now form Fulbright's own diaspora-alumni network, a network that supports all aspects of cultural, research and practical exchange. But how will Fulbright Hungary and its diaspora tackle the next 25 years?
True to its mission, Hungarians and Americans living in either country now form Fulbright's own diaspora-alumni network, a network that supports all aspects of cultural, research and practical exchange. But how will Fulbright Hungary and its diaspora tackle the next 25 years?
Gastronationalism or Globalism? In Which Direction is Hungarian Gastronomy Headed?
Cultural Studies/ArtsCultural historians have called food “fundamentally political” and “one of the essential commodities with which political powers at various levels are concerned,” because food is an expression of both identity and identity maintenance. Gastronationalism or culinary nationalism is the use of food and its history, production, control, preparation and consumption as a way of promoting nationalism and national identity. Will fusion cuisine (=combines elements of different culinary traditions that originate from different countries) destroy Hungarian identity, even if it is Hungarian Sushi at a Michelin starred restaurant in Budapest? Or should we recall that paprika, pasta, and sweet peppers introduced to Hungary from foreign lands have completely infiltrated its historic gastronomy? Will Mangalica pigs raised in the USA challenge Hungary’s claim to fame? Is the European Union threatening Hungarian gastronationalism? For example, Pick “Téliszalami” was declared a “Hungaricum” in 2014, meaning that it has a value worthy of distinction and highlighting, and with its characteristic features, uniqueness, distinctiveness, and quality, the peak achievement of Hungarianism. In early 2023, a 250-gram packet of téliszalami in a German shop cost EUR 5.70, but in Hungary around EUR equivalent 8.90-10. How heavily will local Hungarians protest this intrusion? A 2020 article published by Cambridge UP found that while the concept of gastronationalism had not been fully developed in academia, scholarship is developing quickly. This paper seeks to demonstrate that Hungarian gastronationalism has the potential – or NOT - to challenge the conceptions of the homogenizing forces of globalism.
George Creel and Hungary: An Improbable Diplomat
History/Political ScienceIn the period from the First World War until the Cold War there was no more unusual connection and friendship in the political arena than that of the Damon Runyonesque George Creel of the United States with some of the leading political figures of Central and East Europe. Creel served as one of the closest advisors to the cerebral and Calvinistic President Woodrow Wilson and as a member of his cabinet during the First World War. At Wilson's behest,Creel became involved with Central and East European affairs at the conclusion of World War I. This paper will focus on the largely unknown history of Creel's relationship with Hungary from WWI until the dawn of the Cold War
