Thursday, August 14, 2025

OLD TIME CUSTOMS OF HUNGARIAN BURIAL FROM BLASSA-ORTUTAY : EXCELLENT!

MEK OSZK HU : BLASSA-ORTUTAY HUNGARIAN ETHNIC BURIAL CUSTOMS Read this and be informed!

Excerpt: The burial of young men and girls who were brides- and grooms-to-be resembled a wedding in many aspects. Although there were no best men, the girls and young men walked on both sides of the coffin dressed as for a wedding. Thus among the Csángós of Hétfalu (former Brassó County) they sang the following while the coffin was carried out of the house by the maids and young men of honour:

I am too a bridegroom [or a bride]
Ready for to go soon.
Folk come here a-treading
To a woeful wedding.
I was once a flower,
But I won’t bloom ever
Laid at rest in coffin.
In my parents’ garden
I was once a flower,
Rose that won’t bloom ever,
For the Reaper cut me
When a youth unwary
With His net He snared me,
And won’t have me living,
Here I must be leaving.

Hétfalu (former Brassó County)



















Saturday, August 9, 2025

NEW SERIES : HUNGARIAN CEMETERIES : READING DEATH RECORDS, GENEALOGY RESEARCH IN HUNGARY #1

Hello my readers!  

I've decided to post genealogy research tips interspersed with some reportage on cemeteries in Hungary and the history of burials. We'll explore a bit together and it's my hope that by the end of this series, you will know much more about this subject.

This icon of an casket being pulled to the cemetery by horse and special cart will stand for the tag Hungary Death Records - Gen Tips, and when you click on that tag, it will bring up all the posts in the series.

In recent months I've made the most of using church death records to go back one more generation when the paper trail available for birth/baptism and marriages is not enough. I've written about using "house number" studies, before, and that has certainly been part of my personal research too. It was a labor of love to spend very many hours culling the death records for two villages that referred me to yet another, as the land was split among sons and some tenant farmers eventually inherited plots. I put together family groups and looked for the common ancestors among them, hoping there would be a reference or remark on one of the younger children's marriages that would help me identify who was whose father - and thus the father of the oldest child as well.

Of course, it would be interesting to take a trip to those villages and find tombstones that clearly identify some of the people on my charts. If they still stand or ever existed.

Are cemeteries in Hungary much different than American?

If you're an American, your notions about cemeteries may be about the cemetery your family uses, or perhaps the ones in your area, some which may not have markers, or simply small flat stones to identify the graves. Or maybe you know of a military cemetery in which the troops all have the same marker. I know of a cemetery in Santa Cruz where the single people were buried separately from the married, and where a small spot was for the Chinese.

Grave yards in Hungary in modern times have followed a rather predictable path that American grave yards have. People were buried on their own farmstead or where they fell in conflict. People were buried around a church. Or in a graveyard in which members were of a specific religion. As population increased and room around the church ran out, there was a movement into "park" settings, in which monuments could be larger and artistic. The public were encouraged to spend some time and stroll around to enjoy the scenery, even if they personally did not have any family buried there. 

But what is different is the history of The States and that of Hungary, for unlike Hungary, we have not had World War I or World War II, on our land, nor have we been punished for World War II involvement by loosing two thirds of our country's land. Yes, we did have wars, including the Civil War, in which many fell in battle, but you know that was not the same as the Holocaust. 

These days...

I have mixed feelings about tombstone projects. I believe that respecting the privacy of the dead is also about respecting the privacy of the living. Genealogy is about the past, our HERITAGE, and those connected to the dead who are alive should have their privacy respected.

Maybe the information doesn't feel so sensitive until you begin to see what I consider violations, such as people being allowed to put actual death certificates up to match the tombstone which give cause of death and more. I was outraged when I saw that being done at a popular tombstone search site. I'm feeling that cemeteries and burials - the whole funeral business - is becoming outrageous in costs.

So many people today are choosing cremation because the whole funeral business in the United States is financially burdensome and cremation is less expensive. There is also that some cemeteries actually consider the burial space you "bought" to be a rental and, when no family member can be located or afford to re-rent, have been known to "move" (loose) bodies.

A few years ago I had the death certificate of a woman who died in 1920 in the U.S. in hand and called the cemetery identified on it. The person I spoke with denied she was buried there and even suggested that the family might have "tried to do the right thing" by showing up with shovels in the night and putting her into the earth themselves. !!!  Then there was talk about how the place had been flooded and an old employee would have to be asked since maybe he would know where the grave was. When I said I had the death certificate and was calling to know where the grave was because some relatives from Texas wanted to pay respects, there was silence. I was requested to send the death certificate...  And the same man tried to suggest that when the grave was found, a new marker be put on it, which would cost $20,000... I could not believe what I was hearing.

So my genealogy quest hit into a sales spiel. I sent the death certificate (which mentioned the name of the undertaker, a business that was still in business into the 1970's) as well as the cemetery) and never heard back...

Oh how I felt for that woman who had been buried there, who had died at 26 of cancer, after having given birth to two children and who was likely quite sick when she gave birth to the second one. I wondered when last anyone had visited the grave. But perhaps visiting graves is not something people do much, not even on Memorial Day. Perhaps even those graves with expensive tombstones or markers go unvisited.  Do cemetery employees notice which graves have been "attended" by family?  I think they do.

To me, $20,000 on a tombstone is ridiculous. That's better spent on someone's college education.  And so I do not anticipate burial or a tombstone for myself.

But back to genealogy. I also have a sort of reverence for the people who came before me and who I would not know about if it were not for the research. I always research around the person, so I can better understand the kind of life they must have lead, and with that, the kind of life span and death. The priests in the villages were very busy people. I showed copies of a death register from the early 1800's to a friend who is an anti-vaxer and said "This is a testimonial to the need for childhood vaccines."

C 2025  Magyar-American BlogSpot  All Rights Reserved including Internet and International Rights.   This genealogy series can be brought up using the tag Hungary Death Records - Gen Tips

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN

In this blog, I suggest many places in the country of Hungary that are quite wonderful to visit.  I realize though that many of you have no money left after you pay your rent or mortgage especially, for travel outside the country.  

May I encourage you to consider your own town or area as the perfect vacation spot by playing the tourist there?  Or simply staying closer to home by taking a few long weekends?

I do think we need new sights and sounds and experiences to keep us bright and lively. Have you explored the history and culture of your area? Gone to every museum? Historical sight? 

I live in an area right now where the Parks and Recreation people are behind a great number of movies in the park and other activities aimed to keep children entertained. There are also cultural festivals ongoing though I'll admit lately I don't want to be out in the heat. Still, there are many places that I went once long ago that have probably changed in all that time, that could reengage my interest.

When is the last time you went to a public swimming pool?

Took a long walk in nature?  An arboretum?

Had a cookout or picnic?  Tried a new recipe?

Toured a historical site?

Seen some of your relatives?

Gone fishing?

May I suggest one day out and the next day in so that you can rest between adventures?


C 2025 Magyar American - BlogSpot  


Saturday, July 5, 2025

WONDERFUL HUNGARY SERIES

In PAGES I have a list of the many places in Hungary that are interesting to visit. I'm going to print the list here too, and suggest that if you want to read more about any of these places, you can bring the post up using the search feature or the tags.  On a Google Blogger, clicking on the tag below brings up all posts with that tag.

THIS IS A LIST OF PLACES COVERED IN THE SERIES


Click on the label Wonderful-Hungary to get to the entire series on this theme.


2020

#1 CSESZNEKI VAR CASTLE :  WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY  
posted 21 July 2020

 #2 THE CAVE BATH OF MISKOLCTAPOLCA: WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY
posted 24 July 2020

 #3  BOKOD FLOATING HOUSES : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY
posted 29 July 2020

 #4 ENERGY LINES and HEALING STONES IN HUNGARY : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 10 August 2020

2021

 #5 CELEBRATE FARSANG in MOHACS : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY
posted 5 January 2021

#6 SZAMOS CHOCOLATE MUSEUM in BUDAPEST : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 10 Feb 2021

 #7 THE WORLD TREE IN GODOLLO HUNGARY : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY
posted 10 April 2021

 #8 THE VALLEY OF THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN in EGER REGION  : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 14 June 2021

 #9 HEVIZ : SWIM IN WORLDS SECOND? LARGEST MAGICAL THERMAL LAKE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 17 July 2021

 #10 A SCULPTURE MUSEUM THAT REQUIRES YOU TO LOOK THROUGH A MICROSCOPE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 22 September 2021

2022

 #11 AN ODORLESS SALT LAKE INLAND : LAKE SZELID : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 14 May 2022

 #12 THE BEST ZOO IN EUROPE : NYIREGYHAZA ZOO : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY (PIGMY HIPPOS BREEDING!) posted 11 July 2022

 #13 PANNONHALMA ARCH-ABBY : OVER 1000 YEARS OLD - SAINT MARTIN   :  WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 9 August 2022

#14 FOLK LIFE PRESERVED at  SKANZEN OPEN AIR MUSEUM - SZENTENDRE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 7 September 2022

WORLD PEACE GONG in GODOLLA HUNGARY : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY #15 posted 29 December 2022

2023

 #16 CAVERNS OF AGGTELEK NATIONAL PARK : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY
posted 23 February 2023

 #17 PECS CHRISTIAN CRYPTS IN ONE OF HUNGARY'S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES :  WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted  2 April 2023

 #18 BUKKABRANY VILLAGE MUMMIFIED FOREST : BUKK NATIONAL PARK :  WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY  posted 24 June 2023

 #19 THE ISEUM : A TEMPLE TO GODDESS ISIS  - ARCHAEOLOGY  - THE ROMANS IN HUNGARY : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY  posted 22 July 2023

 #20 HEREND MANUFACTORY : SEE THE MUSEUM - TAKE A TOUR OR A CLASS!  HEREND HUNGARY : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 4 November  2023

 #21 HUNGARIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM : LET'S LOOK AT CURRENT EXHIBITS : A COUNTRY FOR WOMEN VIRTUAL TOUR : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 5 December 2023

2024

 #22 LAKE FERTO / NEUSIDEL - A BIOSPHERE RESERVE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 27 April 2024

#23 CASTLE FUZER BUILT DURING THE OTTOMAN WARS  : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 15 May 2024

#24 SAINT ELIZABETH'S CATHEDRAL IN KASSA/ KOSICE  : MEDIEVAL EUROPE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 15 June 2024

#25 SZEGED : THE THIRD LARGEST CITY AND ART- NOUVEAU ARCHITECTURE and PUPPETRY MAKES IT UNIQUE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 25 July 2024

#26 CAVE DIVING UNDER BUDAPEST : MOLNAR JANOS CAVE SYSTEM : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 19 October 2024

2025

#27 ROWBOAT THROUGH TAPOLCA CAVERN LAKE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY posted 18 January 2025 

#28 KIRALY KASTELY : ROYAL PALACE OF GODOLLO (GRASSZALKOVICH.)
posted 17 May 2025


IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

Saturday, June 21, 2025

BENCH (What does it say?)

 


THE LOVE OF OUR MOTHER AND FATHER IS IN US?
THE LOVE OF OUR MOTHER OF GOD IS IN US?

HUNGARIAN SPEAKERS!  LEAVE A COMMENT!

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

BIG NOSE KATE and DOC HOLLIDAY and the AMERICAN WILD WILD WEST : MARY KATHERINE HORONY CUMMIINGS WAS DOC HOLLIDAY'S LONG TIME COMPANION

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Nose_Kate


Mary Katherine Horony Cummings

Most people don't think of Hungarians as integral to American History or having much to do with it until the Industrial Age but there were some ... I don't know how I came across this Wikipedia site, but I found it all very interesting. She was the only woman Doc Holliday had a relationship with... and it's all tied into Wyatt Earp as well as the Gunfight at OK Corral! 

Friday, May 30, 2025

PALACE IN GODOLLO HUNGARY



A painting from 1869 representing the palace from Godollo, Hungary. Photo by Sandor Brodsky.


 

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

MARISKA HARGITAY REVEALS SHE IS NOT MICKEY HARGITAYS BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER AND....

SHE WILL REMAIN HERE AT MAGYAR-AMERICAN AS OF HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN ANCESTRY.  She is more than an honorary member of our tribe!

Saturday, May 17, 2025

GODOLLO CASTLE ( GRASSZALKOVICH CASTLE) : LARGEST BAROQUE CASTLE IN HUNGARY : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY #29

 

KIRALY KASTELY HU : ROYAL PALACE OF GODOLLO (GRASSZALKOVICH CASTLE)

This is one of many day trips from Budapest

As a note the term "Castle" in Hungary does not mean a fortressed residence.  In general it means a large estate or house.

At each link you will get a short start paragraph and in English an "I'll read it" button that takes you to the longer article.  This is the largest Baroque castle in Hungary and it figures into the story of King Franz Jozef and his wife Queen Elizabeth.

Excerpt:  On MAY 11, 1867, Erzsebet saw the Godollo castle for the first time as a coronation gift. The oath he took at the coronation ceremony in 1867 obliged Ferenc Jozsef I to stay in Hungary regularly.  According to this, the Hungarian government wanted to please the Royal couple by building rural residences suitable for relaxation net to the Buda castle, which is considered the political center.  of these, only Godollo was realized..... The baroque castle with the largest floor area in Hungary was built in the 18th century.  It was built in the middle of the 20th century by one of the country's most prestigious lords, Antal I. Gassalkovich (1694-1771)...

Go to the link to keep reading.


Excerpt: The Via Habsburg, a Cultural Route certified by the Council of Europe, now has a Hungarian location.  As the initiation ceremony of the Royal Palace of Gödöllő, one of the most beautiful baroque buildings of Hungary, took place on 13 October 2023. ...  here might not be other palace or historical building in Hungary that the public associates with the Habsburgs as much as the Royal Palace of Gödöllő, and there are several reasons for this:

A Hungarian nobleman Antal Grassalkovich, an important ally of Maria Theresa, had the grand palace built in the mid-18th century.  Their relationship was not only a political relationship but also a mutual deep sympathy that later turned into a friendship. Therefore, the Queen of Hungary paid a visit to the palace in 1751, which was her easternmost visit. ...


Click on the label Wonderful-Hungary to bring up all posts on this theme.

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Saturday, May 10, 2025

XPAT LOOP : TAKE A LOOK EVEN IF YOU DON'T PLAN TO LIVE IN HUNGARY!

XPATLOOP.COM 

This is a VERY commercial site, but I decided to post a link to it anyway, knowing that I do not necessarily recommend the businesses advertising on it, because there is some good free information of interest to those who may be tourists now but considering residency in Hungary, in particular Budapest.

Christmas markets, charity events, rental cars, INTERVIEWS.....