SAINT STEPHEN CROWNED ON CHRISTMAS DAY

The first Christian King of Hungary, was crowned on Christmas day in 1000. The cross on top of his crown was bent in the 18th century but that crown with the bent cross has become symbolic of Hungary.

(I'll be posting information on how the new Constitution of Hungary affirms the connection Hungary has had to the Christian faith for 1000 years in my January 2nd post!)

HOLY CHRISTMAS NIGHT - Szent Karácsony Éjjel : Poór Péter

BIRDS NEST AND MISTLETOE

MEN ON THE MOUNTAIN : 1942 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL BIENNALE AWARD : BASED ON THE STORIES BY JOZSEF NYIRO VINTAGE HUNGARIAN CHRISTMAS MOVIE

MEN ON THE MOUNTAIN is the story of a poor lumberjack and his wife and their Transylvanian mountain neighbors, who eek out a poor living off the land. When a big timber company buys that land and offers them work rather than eviction, they take the company up on their offer.

The drama focuses on a man whose wife is raped by the supervisor, and who then becomes ill with, perhaps depression, perhaps typhus. He takes her into the church for a pilgrimage to Blessed Mother Mary, then to doctors, but she dies, and he must take her dead body home on the train.

Though this film is in black and white (circa 1942 - when it was the winner of the Venice film festival Biennale Award) and very dark in color, none of the actors was overacting, and so I felt as though these were real people and overall it was very effecting, bringing tears to my eyes. The values and loyalty of the people on the mountain reminds me of how exceptional such loyalty is today.

I watched in on a DVD (with English subtitles) put out by Bunyik. It was written by Jozsef Nyiro and Istvan Szots and stars Alice Szellat and Janor Gorbe.

C 2011 Magyar American Blogspot

CLEVELAND HUNGARIAN HERITAGE MUSEUM PRESENTS CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

TIME TO WRITE YOUR LETTERS TO JESUS !

Linking here to the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Museum's information on Christmas Traditions in Hungary. Christmas remains a religious holiday, not taken over by Santa Claus! (This image is from their web page!)

HUNGARY ISSUES 2011 CHRISTMAS STAMPS

"The Nagykaracsony church is on the left of the HUF 90 stamp, and next to it is a detail of the largest outdoor Nativity scene in Hungary, which is to be found in Nagykaracsony.

The Roman Catholic church in Vors is on the left of the HUF 115 stamp, with a detail of the largest indoor Nativity scene in Europe, which is rebuilt every year, next to it."

DECEMBER 6th is SAINT NICHOLAS DAY IN HUNGARY

PUT OUT YOUR SHOES before you go to bed! Hopefully they will be jammed with sweets by morning light. I love the raspberry hardtack with the soft fillings, Jordan Almonds...

Just added KADMUSARTS link : FESTIVALS THROUGHOUT HUNGARY

I just added this link to my sidebar because of the comprehensive list of ARTS FESTIVALS throughout Hungary, organized by "county" and by calender dates. It's presented by the Hungarian National Tourist Office.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BUDAPEST

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - BUDAPEST offers Hungarian and English on its site, linked at the title above.

I love to go to museums and tour historical sites. And museums are especially good to go to when it's cold outside!

PURPLE MUMS

THANKSGIVING - TURKEY IS A BIRD NATIVE OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT

I would like to hear from some readers in Eastern and Central Europe about TURKEY. Has turkey meat made it's way to you?

Early American colonial settlers were more likely to serve a duck or goose for a fancy meal a couple hundred years ago.

The Thanksgiving holiday and turkey as the bird to serve came long after the establishment of the United States. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the President who created Social Security and other governmental plans to help the United States of America get out of the Great Depression of the 20th century established Thanksgiving as an official American Holiday.

Americans often love Thanksgiving above all other holidays for one reason; it is spiritual without being religious, and it is in inclusive of all people. In fact, it is inclusive of those who are not citizens. Tradition is that we must invite someone to our meal of plenty who might have no family or nowhere else to go. So several years ago I was elected to cook the bird at a dinner attended by people from Canada, China, and many other countries.

It used to be that the only time I ate Turkey was on Thanksgiving. Then, I noticed, some of my friends were also serving a turkey for Christmas. These days turkey has a year round following not only for it's flavor but the lack of fat in the meat. It's almost health food.

C Magyar-American blogspot. All Rights Reserved including Internet and International Rights.

KETO VIZSLA IN WHATS FOR DINNER

ARE HUNGARIAN AMERICANS ADDING PEPPERS TO THEIR TURKEY? : THANKSGIVING UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 2012

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States of America, 2012.  Our modern traditional feast begins with a turkey that is stuffed,  yams - often with marshmellows toasted in the oven on top, with pumpkin pies - often with a whirl of whipped cream,  vegetables - in particular green beans, sometimes squash or gourds.  Some people also have a ham, though I think ham is more popular at Christmas.

I have now attended some "ethnic" Thanksgiving feasts at other people's homes where Ecuadorian tamales, or Italian Lasagna, as examples, were served, and I was thinking about HUNGARIAN FOOD, and how Hungarian Americans might cook for a Thanksgiving holiday.

ARE WE 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation HUNGARIAN AMERICANS AMERICANIZED when it comes to this very American HOLIDAY?  Are we adding peppers, cabbage, pork, or other popular Hungarian ingredients to our meals?  WHAT ABOUT DESSERTS?! 

THE THIN SEXY HOT HUNGARIAN WOMEN ALL GET FAT AS SOON AS THEY GET MARRIED! STEREOTYPE OF HUNGARIANS

Is it true?! I've even heard this from American tourtists.

You see, we Hungarian and Hungarian-American WOMEN are so MAGICAL, that we are sexy, thin, and hot before we get married. Then POOOOF! we suddenly blow up and are fat matrons. There is no slow way to fat. We cook and cook and cook, to make our husbands happy. Then stay thin and we go POOOOF!   

Please, will some sexy, thin and hot MARRIED women tell me this stereotype is not true!

C 2011 Magyar-American BlogSpot

GOAT CHEEZE AND PUMPKIN CHEESE and OLIVE OIL - HUNGARIAN HEALTH FOOD - POGASCA

Health food in Hungary? Well here's a recipe that includes some healthy ingredients? Are you Americans going to try this recipe for Thanksgiving?

ARE YOU A HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN OR HUNGARIAN WHO IS VEGETARIAN ?

VEGETARIAN? Recently going through a Hungarian cookbook that my aunt from Hungary gave me looking for a dish to add to my Thanksgiving meal. I noticed that the food was heavy on the meat, and the lard, and that while there were fruits, there was not the variety of vegetables we Americans have become accustomed to.

Peppers, yes. Cabbage, yes. Onions, yes. Carrots, yes.
But no Broccoli, or Cauliflower, or Squash.

I would like to know how you Hungarians are adapting to vegetarianism!

CHICAGO HUNGARIANS PRESENT A BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED MINI VERSION OF HUNGARIAN HISTORY - THEY SAY THE ARISTOCRACY WAS TO BLAME

I enjoyed reading this history of Hungary, as presented by the Chicago Hungarians site.

MUMMIES - THE HUNGARIAN KIND

These aren't EGYPTIAN MUMMIES, they're Hungarian Mummies, and they got that way by natural means. My scientific mind was working while I was looking at these. Now,these mummies are not unknown people. They are members of a family whose pine coffins may have helped preserve them. Above I'm linking to a news article that says that Micheal Orlovits was scanned in a CT machine at Columbia Saint Mary's hospital! We know that Veronia Orlovits, born in 1770 died of TB. And then there is their son Johannes, born 1800. They were discovered in Vacs, Hungary, in a crypt that had been last sealed in 1838.

Since the Mummies of the World YouTube video expired, May 31, 2021, I replaced it with this one!

THE MYSTERY OF THE HUNGARIAN PLAGUE MUMMIES - TIMELINE

film went poof! taken down oct 2022

CANDLES FOR THE ANCESTORS : AN ORIGINAL FILM FROM SZOMBATHELY, HUNGARY

St Martin Cemetery, Hungary, Szombathely : What an interesting video with original music by Ityko.

BELA LUGOSI (Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó ) FIND A GRAVE

Friends, I blogged about Bela Lugosi, known for his horror films in early Hollywood, before and I've posted a link to his official web site before also. (You can find it on the sidebar!) But today I'm linking to his FIND A GRAVE page, where there is some genealogical information for Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasko. He is buried in Los Angeles at Holy Cross Cemetery.



I thought Bela yesterday when, for the first time, I saw the film he stared in called "THE RAVEN" in which he acted the part of a doctor who loves Edgar Allen Poe, the poet who wrote the poem called "The Raven" and many other dark pieces. In this movie, which I saw in black and white, the doctor has a prison basement where he has built various torture devices that Poe only imagined in his fiction. The doctor lures a group of people to a party, intent on getting the young beautiful woman he has fallen in love with, his personal torture being that he can't have her. And it goes from there...

NO JACK O LANTERNS IN HUNGARY BUT ANCESTOR WORSHIP IS REAL!

In Hungary there is no Halloween, but there is All Souls Day (early November) when people go to the graves of their ancestors to clean the stones (or right the posts), leave flowers, but also REMEMBER their friends and family who have gone before them.

HALLOWEEN GREETINGS : TIME TO TELL GHOST STORIES

So there is no Halloween in Hungary. But I can bet there are plenty of spook or ghost stories in Hungary. Would you like to tell one to us? Use comments!

HUNGARIAN STEREOTYPE : WE HAVE A HIGH SUICIDE RATE AND ARE REALLY REALLY DEPRESSED

We are supposed to be drowning in sorrows and suicidal more than most ethnic groups... hmmm... is this genetic depression or one more stereotype?

MARISKA HARGITAY and HUSBAND ADOPT ANOTHER CHILD : NOW FAMILY OF FIVE

Hungarian-American actress MARISKA HARGITAY and her husband, Peter Hermann, announced a second adoption today, making their family five - their natural son, a daughter adopted six months ago, and now this baby. ANDREW NICOLAS comes six months from the adoption of AMAYA JOSEPHINE. Linking to one of many articles on the net about this today, Mariska, Peter, and five year old August are THRILLED!

It is so wonderful that people with the means to do so - the money and the love - are adopting!

RADIX LISTS THE MOST COMMON HUNGARIAN SURNAMES

RADIX, a popular Hungarian genealogy site, lists the most common Hungarian surnames...

94 YEAR OLD ZSA ZSA GABOR BACK IN THE HOSPITAL

A gorgeous picture of Zsa Zsa on this LA TIMES mini article (so many on the net!) about her latest health crisis. She has been eating solid food but also has an infected feeding tube.

THE RAVEN KING by MARCUS TANNER EXPLORES MATTHIAS CORVINUS and THE FATE OF HIS LOST LIBRARY

MARCUS TANNER IS THE AUTHOR!

An excellent book!

I'm thoroughly enjoying reading this one!

If you, like me, feel that there isn't much known about King Matthias and the 15th century, this book will prove us wrong! The story of Matthias and his book collection - illustrated manuscripts - and what happened to it, winds through the early history of Hungary. At the time Italians at court had influence as did Matthias' wife Beatrice who never did take much to Hungary, Hungarians, or the language, but brought some refinement with her from Naples and ended up back there as a broke widow.

While the Ottoman Turks attempted to take over Hungarian lands warfare and intrigue dominated the lives of the court and the people, Matthias continued to collect books.

To this day it is unknown how many books he actually had and estimates vary wildly. When he was dead and his people were no longer in power, the library was carried off so that today few books surely his survive. The quality of his books as well as the quantity are debatable.

I learned a lot about Hungarian history as a result of reading it through the characters in this book.

COUNTRYSIDE

NOBLE ROT WINES OF TOKAJ

New VIDEO May 31 2021

FAT TAX IN HUNGARY STARTS TODAY : PAY MORE FOR FOODS THAT ARE BAD FOR YOU

All we eat is goulash? Apparently not. Hungarians are getting fat on junk food - just like Americans. So, to encourage Hungarians to eat more Healthy, a FAT TAX begins today (or yesterday depending on which clock you use.)

... "Hungarians will have to pay a 10 forint (€ 0.037) tax on foods with high fat, sugar and salt content, as well as increased tariffs on soda and alcohol. The expected annual proceeds of €70 million will go toward state health care costs, including those associated with addressing the country's 18.8 percent obesity rate, which is more than 3 percent higher than the European Union average of 15.5 percent according to a 2010 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In Germany, by comparison, 13.6 percent of adults are obese, with Romania at the bottom of the list with 7.9 percent."

DANCES FROM KALOTASZEG

WHAT'S IN A HUNGARIAN NAME? NAME DAYS ARE CELEBRATED

What's in a name?

Perhaps your Hungarian family named their children by tradition, naming their first son Andras (Andrew), their second Janos (John), their third Istvan (Steven), a first daughter Maria, a second daughter Elizabeth, and so on.

PERHAPS INSTEAD THEY USED NAME DAYS. Children could be named based on a calender of saints celebration days, Catholic saints, and the calender would differ from the saints celebration days calender used in Poland.

A bride had her choice of what her name would be after marriage. She could keep her maiden name. (When I do Hungarian genealogy research I find that the maiden name is used in birth and marriage records. I do not find notations that tell me that this person continued to use the maiden name however. I believe in small towns where everyone knew everyone it was common knowledge.)

A bride could also keep her given name and use her husbands last name as we do most of the time in the United States (where some brides choose to keep their maiden name). However, in Hungary the family name is the first name and the given name the last. Therefore someone called Maria Szabo in the United States would be called Szabo Marie in Hungary.

Another option : The bride could be called her husband's name such as Istvan Szabone (the ne suffix at the end) as her official name, though her friends would still call her Maria.

RUSSIA : GERMANY : TURKEY : THE CZECH REPUBLIC : POLAND : READ MAGYAR-AMERICAN : ETHNICITY and 9/11 CELEBRATION

Thank You to new readers for stopping by my blog from these countries!

You know, my blog is about the Hungarian American experience and connection to the motherland of Hungary. But as we all know, due to war and politics, borders in these countries have been redefined many times as have the names of cities and towns which sometimes have three or four different language variations. "Ethnic" populations of Hungarians are in all these countries as are people of various "Ethnic" populations living within the borders of Hungary.

And in the United States people of Hungarian family origins are everywhere, though there are concentrations of Magyar-Americans in places where people who came during the industrial revolution resided.

There's a challenge because just about everyone is proud of (or at least not ashamed) of their ethnicity. WE CAN BE PROUDEST OF HAVING MUTUAL RESPECT for our similarities as well as our differences. I believe in the United States intermarriage has, one relationship at a time, made a big difference in how we think about what makes an American. There is a lot of diversity here. I have one friend who counts 6 different ethnicities in her blood; Irish, Polish, Croation, Hungarian, Slovak, German; in the United States we suspect that everyone has a "wee bit" Irish.

On Sunday I attended one of the many small community 9/11 memorial services in a big city. There were beautifully singing young girls, a bag pipe player, a violinist, and representatives from five different religions from Jewish and Moslem, to Catholic and Christian to New Age speaking, as well as representatives from the fire department and the police. It wasn't a spectacle but it was well attended. Fire department helicopters flew over in formation, the boy scouts carried flags, and the names of the 83 Californians who died in the terrorist attack were read, while 83 white doves were let out to fly around the park.

MAGYAR AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SEATTLE WASHINGTON

"The Hungarian American Association of Washington is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Hungarian heritage and to creating better understanding and appreciation of the Hungarian culture in the community.

Founded in 1984, the Association serves people of Hungarian descent and those interested in Hungarian culture with educational and social events. The Hungarian American Association of Washington is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Hungarian heritage and to creating better understanding and appreciation of the Hungarian culture in the community."

Want to go hiking?

LINK CHECKED JULY 2022  https://haaw-seattle.org/en/home-2/

FRANZ LISZT HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY NUMBER TWO

THE FOUNDING OF HUNGARY STEPHEN I of HUNGARY 1011 YEARS AGO

In August 1000, Stephen I of Hungary founded Hungary as a Christian kingdom.

HUNGARIAN CITIZENSHIP OPEN TO THOSE HUNGARIANS WHO WERE LEFT LIVING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AFTER 1920

"Citizenship "is a form of symbolic relationship - recognition that after 90 years of living without Hungary we maintain our identity, we value our mother tongue..."

Officially Romania has about 1.5 million ethnic Hungarians.

Southern Slovakia is home to roughly 500,000 ethnic Hungarians, about a tenth of the country's population.

More than 250,000 ethnic Hungarians also live in Serbia

Link to the BBC news article from January 2011 explaining the changes.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS SPECIAL ABOUT BEING HUNGARIAN or HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN?

We know that there are stereotypes of Hungarians and Hungarian-Americans.

But what do you think is special about us?

SAINT STEPHEN'S BASILICA BUDAPEST HUNGARY OFFICIAL SITE

This is the official site...lots of slideshows!


(Click on the title of this post to get to the link!)

LATEST ZSA ZSA NEWS : SHE AND HER HUSBAND CELEBRATE 25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

After 8 divorces, Zsa Zsa Gabor, married Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, and that marriage has lasted 25 years. The anniversary was August 14th. From her bed, 92 year old Zsa Zsa watched a star studded party in their honor. A month ago a huge billboard appeared on Sunset Boulevard that showed the couple on their wedding day. Some articles on the net mention that in December the couple will auction many of Zsa Zsa's dresses. Meanwhile their Bel Air house remains for sale. Linking to one of many articles, this one from the LA Times.

HOWLING WOLF : WOLF in HUNGARIAN is FARKAS

THE MOON AND THE NIGHT SPIRIT by HOLDTANC

WINE GLASS MUSIC HARP HUNGARIAN DANCE NUMBER 5 by BRAHMS

wine glass music-glass harp Hungarian dance No. 5-Brahms

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HELLO TO SERBIA and RUSSIA and ROMANIA and LATVIA

Recently readers from these countries stopped by to MAGYAR-AMERICAN.

And there were also people stopping by from IRAN, INDIA, and MALAYSIA, as well as the UK, AUSTRALIA, and GERMANY.

WE HAVE THE ROSE BOWL PARADE - HUNGARY HAS THE CELEBRATION OF FLOWERS IN DEBRECEN : 100 YEAR HISTORY

IN THE UNITED STATES WE START OUT THE NEW YEAR WATCHING THE ROSE BOWL PARADE - floats covered with flowers or at least vegetable matter - imaginative and creative - and the sun is always shining because it's in Southern California - Pasadena.

In Hungary an equally wonderful festival that features flowers in all their glory, as well as a parade of floats and entertainment is THE CELEBRATION OF FLOWERS IN DEBRECEN. It's taken place for 100 years.

Like at the Rose Bowl Parade, millions of flowers are used in the most interesting ways.


I'm linking to an older site here above and will continue on this subject on the next post: The 2011 festival begins August 15th!

HUNGARIAN CONSULATE NEW YORK CITY on HUNGARIAN CITZENSHIP

CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY page LINK HERE!

It looks like you must show that you can read, write, and speak the language as one of the qualifications. There are several years of residency in Hungary as well.

HUNGARIAN WEIGHT PULLING DOGS : SEE THEM SWEAT AND STRAIN! : IS THIS ANIMAL ABUSE?

I didn't know if I should be sorry for these dogs or proud of them! Researching a bit about "Hungarian Dogs" I found this video! Crazy?! I want to know more about this subject! I told some friends about this video and others like it and they said "That's Animal Cruelty." Anyone want to leave an opinion?

KARPATIA Délvidéki szél

PALEY CENTER LOS ANGELES FEATURES WEEKEND OF ZSA ZSA GABOR and EVA GABOR's TELEVISION USA

Gabor-i-vision! is the name of the weekend...coming up end of July for you LA based Hungarian Americans or tourists passing through. I've been to the Paley Center and it's so interesting to watch old television shows - commercials and all!

Zsa Zsa Gabor
Selections include: Ford Theatre: Autumn Fever, The Steve Allen Show, The Jack Paar Program, Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In, Night Gallery, and The Late Show with David Letterman.

Eva Gabor
Selections include: Goodyear Playhouse: One Mummy Too Many with Tony Randall; Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle and Frank Sinatra; plus Here’s Lucy, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Tonight Show.

ZSA ZSA's FAMILY INFIGHTING... PALM SPRINGS NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON THE HE SAID SHE SAID

"As the former socialite and actress lies motionless — unable to eat, barely able to communicate, hardly knowing where she is — tensions seethe between the two people closest to Gabor: Her husband of 25 years, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, and her only daughter, Francesca Hilton."

The last of the Gabor sisters, who brought exotic Hungarianess to Hollywood, Zsa Zsa Gabor seems to be in the process of dying. She is the only sister to have a child and she has this one daughter from her marriage with Hilton. Both Zsa Zsa and her husband seem to be eccentrics. We can only hope that all of this drama will be resolved peaceably!

SO YOU WANT TO BUY A HOUSE ON THE LAKE? HOW ABOUT AN ABBEY?

This article is a year old but it's a good review of the real estate available in Hungary from the International Real Estate section of the New York Times.

"There are no buying restrictions for European Union citizens; other foreign buyers must apply for permission from the government. The process is relatively straightforward and takes about six weeks, Mr. Torok said; the fee is 50,000 forints ($250)."

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM EXHIBIT ON THE HABSBURGS

A slideshow and a bit of information on the Hapsburg's from 1400-1600...

SON OF THE LAST HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR, OTTO HABSBURG PASSES at 98

By SETH LIPSKY WALL STREET JOURNAL July 6 2011

"The death of Otto von Habsburg takes from us one of the most admirable figures of the 20th century. The son of the last emperor of Austria-Hungary, he died on Monday at the age of 98." (That's yesterday!) ...Habsburg got elected to the European Parliament in 1979..."

Link to the breaking article by clicking on the title of this post!

MAGYAR POSTA

IT'S THE SUMMER EQUINOX IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE and ANCIENT PAGAN HUNGARY

If you're like me, you find the news of giant black holes gulping down whole stars and other space science / astronomy fascinating.

But what of the ancient "Pagans" of Hungary? Is all the knowledge we have now "mythology?"

What did the people believe about God before Christianity was accepted as the national religion? Did these ancient Hungarian people watch the night sky for signs?

Here is an article that uses linguistic origins for words and understandings. As unsual the understanding is based on assumptions that those ancients came from some unknown place, bringing culture with them.

I hope to learn more about this subject, the pre-Christian Hungarians.

SALT PLAIN 1933 FILM

the great coat is of interest to me - lonely herdsman - British attitude - class distinction - horses at the top.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD HUNGARIAN WINE WHILE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES?

There are a couple stores that carry Hungarian wine in my city, but they are specialty stores with a few bottles. There are also a couple Hungarian restaurants and only there have I had a glass of Hungarian wine. It seems a shame to not have more experience with Hungarian wine, which seems to be so much part of the culture, but there are so very many other local and imported wines that are less expensive.

BUDAPEST

HUNGARIAN VIZSLA SOCIETY

Thought you'd find it interesting that the Vizsla is considered a Hungarian Breed... and now the scientists are looking to DNA to solve a health issue for these dogs.

THE BUDAPEST SUMMER FESTIVAL BEGINS TODAY! A LOVE OF LIFE!

The Budapest Summer festival begins today, so I'm linking to information about the events. Yes, this link is very touristy, but it's the official site of Hungary for tourism... the theme is A LOVE OF LIFE!

BIRD IN CHERRY TREE

I bought some cherries at the market this past weekend - origin unknown. But it's May and the Cherry Blosson festival is happening in Washington D.C, so I think North American!

NATIONAL AND HISTORICAL SYMBOLS OF HUNGARY

HIDAS NEMETI COAT OF ARMS... from the National and Historical Symbols of Hungary site! EXCELLENT INFORMATION! Link above! Find the Coat of Arms for the city or town of your family.

BUDAPEST BULLET : "OVERDOSE" the HORSE PRIMED FOR RACING

"Although it sounds unlikely, half of Hungary will be tuned into live television coverage of the Betfred.com Temple Stakes at Haydock on Saturday when Overdose, the 'Budapest Bullet’, makes his British debut and attempts to improve on his record of 15 wins from 16 starts."

Zoltan Mikoczy is the owner.

"Yesterday, Mikoczy, a steel trader and Hungary’s biggest owner, spoke about how his life was now all-consumed by the horse and how 'Dozy’ had turned around Hungarian racing after the previous Government sought to wind it down and sell Kincsem Park, the country’s only racecourse, as a shopping mall, like it had done the local trotting track.

“They almost achieved what they wanted. Then came Overdose. Hungary was once a great racing nation and is eager for some sporting success on the international stage."

ZSA ZSA GABOR IN COMA AND FAILING - BREAKING NEWS

Zsa Zsa Gabor, after two weeks in the hospital, may just be dying this time.  Just recently it was reported that after Elizabeth Taylor died she said she would be next.  Gabor is said to be 92, and as we know the Gabor sisters were known for hiding their true ages, and she has been in very poor heath for some time.  I'm linking to the LA Times blog here, the local newspaper for Hollywood.

Zsa Zsa and her sisters brought wit and feminine glamour to Hollywood.

HUNGARIAN AMERICAN : DREW BARRYMORE

DREW BLYTH BARRYMORE has been on the COVER of HUNGARIAN ELLE and other magazines in Hungary. Maybe the Hungarians are even more knowledgeable about who in America is of Hungarian heritage than we are!

Drew was born in Culver City (where there has been movie making since the silent film era, most famously the location of Charlie Chaplin's studio), on February 22, 1975. She is Hungarian- American through her mother, actress Ildiko Jaid Makó (Her great-grandfather, Maurice Barrymore was of English heritage, and the Barrymores were famous in old Hollywood.) Her first movie role was as a child actress in E.T. The Extraterrestrial, a warm hearted tale. She went on to produce a remake of Charlie's Angels, in which she also starred. And to star in the hit television show, Grey Gardens.

Click on the title to get to MAGXONE which has the cover, of Drew apparently posed underwater, in August 2009.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2011: Adding DREW BARRYMORE OFFICIAL SITE TO SIDEBAR and here: http://www.drewbarrymore.com/film-whipit.html

HEREND PORCELAIN : GIFT TO WILLIAM AND CATHERINE :THE ROYAL WEDDING!

"A Herend porcelain dinner set was presented on Thursday at the Hungarian embassy in London as Hungary and President Pal Schmitt's gift for the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton....

Laszlo Szesztay, commercial director of the Herend Porcelain Manufacture, said the original Victoria pattern has been given a "youthful and modern" feel dominated by greens and yellows. He noted that Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana had also received a Herend set from Hungary for their wedding in 1981."

LINK THE THE ARTICLE HERE!

HEREND OFFICIAL SITE MUSEUM HISTORY ETC

Thought you'd like to link to HEREND since the gift of Hungary to William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was a tea set of their porcelain china.  Queen Victoria was the first to purchase Herend - a Chinese style pattern.

NEW LINK Oct 2022https://herendshop.myshoplocal.com/

GETTING READY FOR EASTER IN HUNGARY or AMERICA BOILING AND DECORATING EGGS

Americans tend to color eggs with dye kits, coloring eggs with wax crayons or stickers.  Hungarians decorate eggs simply too, but there is the tradition of the flower and symbol decorated eggs.

There is also the custom of "SPRINKING."  Females decorate a couple dozen eggs (traditionally red) to gift to the males who come to visit and "sprinkle"  (in some cases douse) with water or perfumes.  Of course, both folk customs are rooted in SPRING, and notions of FERTILITY and usually this occurs after the religious observances of Easter Sunday, on Easter Monday.

ARE YOU FEELING HUNGARIAN TODAY?

What does it mean to feel your Hungarianess?

For some Americans this is a bad feeling, a feeling of shame.

Two and three and four generations have been born since the Industrial Revolution and the great serge of immigrants from Hungary to the United States.  Yet, there are those who are still feeling the prejudice.

One friend of mine tells me "My parents changed their names.  They didn't want anyone to know."

OUR SKIN IS EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL : HUNGARIAN STEREOTYPE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE FROM!

SKIN... That's right.  OUR SKIN IS SUPPOSED TO BE BEAUTIFUL.  Especially the woman. Creamy.  Fine Pores.

I guess this means no one in Hungary gets zits?!  Or is it that when the zits are over, our skin then BLOOMS!

Well, this is one stereotype that is true (ha ha!) and as a result there are dozens of Hungarian skin care programs, hundreds and hundreds of products.  Including organics... that includes (of course) PAPRIKA! 

SKIN CARE IS ONE AREA IN WHICH HAVING A HUNGARIAN SURNAME (or even given name) NAME HELPS!

C 2011 Magyar-American BlogSpot

WILLY POGANY ART DIRECTOR IN 1930'S HOLLYWOOD

WILLY POGANY is a famous art director and artist of Hungarian origin.  I'm linking to the IMDB  movie/film database that has some information on him.


(Link at title!)

SPRING ARRIVES

DNA STUDY - ANCESTRY FROM BUKOVINA ?!

"This is a Y-DNA project to investigate the genetic origins and family history of the people who lived in the five Hungarian villages of Bukovina (Andrásfalva, Hadikfalva, Istensegíts, Fogadjisten, and Józseffalva). The villages were founded in the 1780's by Hungarian-speaking settlers after Austria acquired Bukovina from the Ottoman Empire. The majority of the settlers were Roman Catholic Székely from Transylvania, especially from the counties of Csík and Háromszék. A smaller number were Calvinists, who settled mainly in Andrásfalva. Some have been traced back to Szatmár-Németi and Nagybanya, and others to Maros County. Over the years, some people of other ethnic groups were absorbed into the village populations (predominately ethnic Germans, but also a few Romanians, Gypsies, Ukrainians, Poles, and Ruthenes). Between 1905 and 1914, about 600 people from the five villages emigrated to Saskatchewan, where they homesteaded and founded the village of Arbury (Székelyföld) near Punnichy, northeast of Regina."


DNA is such a fascinating subject.  You might have this heritage and have settled outside this town in Canada...

Note August 2022  DNA STUDIES BEING WHAT THEY ARE, this information may have been updated quite a bit in the last decade.

MAGYAR-AMERICAN WILLY POGANY (1882-1955) ARTIST and ART DIRECTOR IN HOLLYWOOD

William Andrew ("Willy") Pogany  who was born Vilmos Andreas Pogány in Szeged, Hungary on August 1882, died in 1955 after an amazing career as an artist and illustrator.

The pictures are a teaser here.  They come from and are owned by the site I have linked to and I really truly want you to take a look at that site.  I understand that besides illustrating children's books and "how to" art books, Pogany was an art director in Hollywood for some time.

BOOK EXCERPT : REZSO KASZTNER by LADISLAUS LOB

REZSO KASZTNER
The Daring Rescue of Hungarian Jews" A Survivor's Account
by Ladislaus Lob C 2008
Pimlico is the Publisher
page 266

"Nor were the Jews of Hungary as unaware of the danger as Kasztner's enemies assert. Some were misled by soothing lies. Others did not want to know the truth. They believed, or tried to make themselves believe, that such horrors might happen elsewhere, but not in Hungary: the Hungarians would reward the Jews for their loyalty or realize that by harming the Jews they would be harming their own economy and culture. However, by the time of the German occupation the majority of Hungarian Jews had some idea of the massacres in the east, thanks to reports by refugees or Zionists activists.


"Even though as a young child I did not understand what people in Budapest were fretting, speculating, arguing and agonizing about, I could tell that it was a matter of life and death..."

MAGYAR POSTA

OLD HUNGARIAN DNA and HUNGARIAN HISTORY : ősmagyar dna-magyar őstörténelem

This YouTube presented video entitled : the old-hungarian dna and the hungarian history-ősmagyar dns-magyar őstörténelem and features music by singer Lorrena McKennit called "Night Ride Across the Caucasus."

GOOGLE PANORAMIO KEY TO PHOTOS OF HUNGARIAN TOWNS and VILLAGES

Recently I decided to click on a new feature of Google called Panoramio.  By putting the name of my ancestral villages and towns into the search, up came both satellite pictures of the places now (all those fields) as well as the map feature (the names of streets) with photographs of local sites such as churches and ruins, which gave me a better feel for those places.  This seems to be a contributory photography opportunity!

HIDAS NEMETI COAT OF ARMS

1931 HUNGARIAN WEDDING - VINTAGE FILM!

HAPPY HUNGARIAN VALENTINES : ‘Bálint Nap’ or ‘Valentin’Day

Yes Hungarians DO celebrate Valentine's Day, and though it is not as commercialized as it is here in the United States, maybe that's for the best, for there is still an appreciation for a poem, card, or other items that are one of a kind, hand made. Chocolate, flowers, champagne, going out to celebrate your love is all good, but perhaps celebrations are more for city people.  Linking above to a page all about it from HUNGLISH.ORG

Seems to me that some of the positive (it's all true!) stereotypes of Hungarians are that they/we make for passionate lovers, romantic, sexy.... OK.... HOT!  You know... lots of talking over coffee, wine, cigarettes... lots of standing on tables to recite original poetry...  Confess!

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ORDERING A BRIDE FROM HUNGARY ?

No joking!  I found some web sites that are owned by matchmakers or marriage brokers importing beautiful Hungarian women to marry American men. 

The idea makes me personally uncomfortable because I think that a woman is a long way from home when she comes to the United States for the purpose of marrying a man she may not have spent enough time with to make such a decision.  And if it is citizenship she's after this may be a very high price.  Also I have met women and men who entered into this kind of arrangement of other nationalities here in the United States and what is telling is that a year after the person becomes a citizen (7 years?) they usually get a divorce.  During that time both have been off the market - theoretically.

And what about men who just can't seem to enjoy an American woman?  Usually they say that American women are just too liberated or not feminine enough, something like that.  But as a woman it makes me wonder because many of these same men are not in position to marry a woman who doesn't also have a job or career and some of them seem to resent the traditional male role.

But with Internet, web cams, e-mail, videos, and not to mention world travel what it is, perhaps in some or even many cases the couple do get to know each other well enough to make such a decision.


What do you think?

94 YEAR OLD ZSA ZSA SPENDS BIRTHDAY AT HOME ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINK SERANADES!

ZSA ZSA, whose age has been kept mysterious by her, reportedly spent her birthday at home after another 5 days in the hospital.  Serenaded by her friend Englebert Humperdink,  contrary to rumors that she could not even recognize her own husband anymore, there was a party for a few.

We know we all gotta go sometime and Zsa Zsa has lived a life rich with experiences and people, but perhaps what the story of Zsa Zsa and her hip replacement gone wrong is that she has the famous Hungarian spirit... NEVER GIVE UP!

LEARN SOME SEDUCTIVE HUNGARIAN NOW !

  "I think you are special!"  "I like to spend time with you!"  "I would love to spend more time with you!"

BUDAPEST TIMES NEWSPAPER IS IN ENGLISH

Want to read about HUNGARY in ENGLISH?  For many of us Magyar-Americans, Hungarian is a lost language and the renown difficulties of learning it keep us from even trying!  Still, we don't have to remain ignorant of the NEWS in Hungary!

RADIX is a TERRIFIC GENEALOGY SITE FOR US TO USE FOR OUR RESEARCH!

I've known about Radix for several years, and it is an increasingly valuable site for those who want to trace their roots to Hungary.  RADIX has over 900 links... You can find some interesting statistical information here for starters such as

Emigration from Hungary to the USA 1899-1913. Data of Hungarian counties.
Emigration from Hungary / the figures of European ports between 1871-1913
The ethnic division of immigrants from Hungary to the USA between 1900-1912
Immigrants from Hungary to the USA 1898-1913 : Break-down by states

IS THERE A MAGYAR-AMERICAN YOU ADMIRE ?

Is there a Hungarian-American /Magyar-American who you admire? 

Please leave suggestions for me on comments.  *If you do not want me to publish your comment let me know...

I'm interested in hearing about the men and women of Hungarian heritage who have been successful in some way or interesting!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

SKIING is the NUMBER ONE SPORT OF HUNGARIANS - AND THEY TRAVEL TO SKI

According to one site I read, skiing and snowboarding are extremely popular sports for  Hungarians to indulge in... But, since the country itself doesn't have many tall mountains or much snow fall, about a half million Hungarian skiers go outside their own country to ski!

ICE SKATING

As children we hosed down our flat back lawn and created a small patch of ice to skate on...

REMEMBERING THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS NORA HOFFMAN

 - So sorry the video is down -

Nóra Hoffmann (born April 8, 1985 in Budapest, Hungary) is a famous Hungarian ice dancer. With partner Maxim Zavozin, she is the 2009 & 2010 Hungarian National Champion. This video is from about a year ago European Figure Skating Championships.

HUNGARIAN ALPHABET

ZSA ZSA GABOR in LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION - YOUR PRAYERS PLEASE!

Over the last couple days, several news agencies have reported that Zsa Zsa Gabor, who is about 92 years old, is in a life or death situation.  Her husband, Prince Frederic von Anhalt told one news agency that he is faced with this decision:  The doctors want to amputate her leg, which is infected or continue her on antibiotics for a few months but either way she might not survive the surgery or the antibiotics could harm her kidneys.

We report on Zsa Zsa on this blog because she is one of the most famous Hungarian-Americans ever.  She and her sisters are known for their beauty, witt, and many marriages which have given so many Americans the impression that Hungarian women are sexy, charming, demanding, and very feminine!

TO MY READERS AROUND THE WORLD! HAPPY 2011!

Hello my friends from around the world!  Happy New Year 2011!

I want to thank my new readers who are connecting here not just from the United States, which I expected (and am very happy about) but also in CANADA, UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, HUNGARY (how would I feel if absolutely no one in Hungary had yet noticed this blog ? Terrible!), CHILI, SPAIN, SOUTH KOREA, GERMANY, and SOUTH AFRICA!

If you are in CHILI, SOUTH AFRICA, or another country and are of HUNGARIAN ANCESTRY please let me know!

2011 HAPPY NEW YEAR MOBILE PHONE VIEW IS NOW ON!

Just turned the CELL PHONE VIEW OPTION ON FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO want to keep up with MAGYAR-AMERICAN blog on yours!