AHF eNews - October 2012: The American Hungarian Federation

October 23, 2012 - AHF Honors the heroes of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, the first tear in the Iron Curtain. Hungarians from all walks of life rose up against insurmountable odds to fight the brutal Soviet installed Hungarian communist government. Thousands died fighting, others tortured and executed, while 200,000 were forced to flee. 2012 marked the 56th Anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.

10/23/2012 - AHF Issues Statement on the 56th Anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution entitled, "The Hungarian 1956 Revolution and Freedom Fight: A Nation of Heroes." 1956 was not the first time in Hungary’s thousand year history that the Hungarian nation -- the people -- stood up for liberty, independence and democracy. One just needs to remember the Revolution of 1848 when Hungarians rose up against Hapsburg oppression and with Lajos Kossuth at the helm championed freedom and democracy. Or one can recall July 1944 when a Hungarian armored division blocked the deportation of more than 200,000 Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary. Or one can point to 1945 when despite Soviet occupation, Hungarians resoundingly rejected the Communist Party and elected the Smallholders Party. [read more]

October 23, 2012 - AHF Honors the heroes of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, the first tear in the Iron Curtain where Hungarians from all walks of life rose up against insurmountable odds to fight the brutal Soviet-installed Hungarian communist government.

1956 Video: "News Magazine of the Screen" presented "Flight from Hungary" in early 1957 featuring video taken after the brutal Soviet re-occupation. "This is battered Budapest under the brutal Russian boot, Soviet tanks roams the streets under the ruins they laid as communist secret police hunt down heroic Freedom Fighters. 25,000 Hungarians are dead." A fascinating video, it also includes news about the Suez Crisis and more glimpes into life during this time.

Thousands died fighting, others were later tortured and executed, while 200,000 were forced to flee. October 23, 2012 marks the 56thAnniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

„Magyarország elkötelezettje a demokratikus értékeknek” – '56-os ünnepségek az USA-ban: "...Az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség a történelem más eseményeivel kapcsolatban is bizonyítja a magyar nép töretlen szabadságvágyát. Példaként hozza az 1848-as forradalmat és szabadságharcot, azt az eseményt, amikor 1944-ben magyar páncélos ezred mentett meg kétszázezer zsidót a deportálástól a nácik által megszállt Magyarországon.

„Aki nem ismeri Magyarország gazdag történelmét, a nemzeti karaktert, arra az elhamarkodott következtetésre juthat – és képes a külföldi közvéleménnyel elhitetni –, hogy Magyarország ma nem igazán elkötelezett a demokrácia megőrzésében. Az igazság azonban az, hogy Magyarország továbbra is erős elkötelezettje a demokratikus értékeknek. A NATO tagjaként továbbra is szolgálja a szabadságot a NATO küldetések teljesítésében – írja Koszorús Ferenc, az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség elnöke." [tovább]

The Diplomats: Right to Left - Pat "Ringo Jancsi" Fitzgerald, Akos Veisz, Bryan Dawson, David Rakviashvili

10/5/2012 - "'The Diplomats' Pursue Rock-And-Roll Outreach." NPR's Metro Connection, hosted by Rebecca Sheir, featured the Hungarian Embassy's Rock Band. Bryan Dawson, AHF's Executive Chairman, sings for the group. Rebecca and her popular NPR program has recently been exploring unique ways diplomacy works. The bandmembers shared their experiences with communism and the suppression of creative freedom. The peoples of the captive nations had to find unique ways to express their discontent while staying under the radar of communist authorities to avoid sometimes harsh punishment. One of the songs the Diplomats perform is by a Hungarian group formed in 1982 called Bikini. Akos Veisz, the band's saxophonist and bass player explained, "The Hungarian title is "Adj helyet magad mellett," which is, like, "Give Me a Place Right Next To You." So they were trying to write songs, which had these double meanings. So this one is about love, one meaning, the other is the love for freedom." [Read more] and listen to the radio program!

8/31/2012 - Amerikai magyarok is tiltakoznak a Mikó Kollégium ügyében: „A magyar kisebbség érthető okok miatt nem csupán egy restitúciós problémát lát a sepsiszentgyörgyi Mikó Kollégium ügyében, hanem egy közösség elleni célirányos tevékenységet, az intolerancia, diszkrimináció megnyilvánulását. A bigottság, az intolerancia a demokráciában hívő emberek meggyalázása, és sérti a nyugati értékeket, normákat” [tovább]

22.08.2012 - Indokolatlannak tartja a sepsiszentgyörgyi Székely Mikó Kollégium restitúciója ügyében érintett személyek elleni bűnvádi eljárást az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség (AMSZ). Tízezres nagyságrendben várnak tüntetőket Sepsiszentgyörgyre a Székely Mikó Kollégium visszaállamosítása elleni tüntetésre szeptember elsején. [tovább]

London 2012 saw Hungary repeat its historic Olympic excellence. Some have called Hungary's 2012 Olympic performance a "miracle," but in reality, the miracle has been Hungary's historic performance since 1896. Hungary's 17 medals and incredible 8th ranking in total Gold in London is exemplary of where Hungary has been for the last century! Hungary ranked 5th in Gold per Capita!

As we celebrate the Spirit of the Games and the success of Hungary and all the Olympic athletes and express our gratitiude for their excellence and to their families who have sacrificed so much, we also also take the opportunity to congratulate Hungarian-Americans Rebecca Soni (Sőni) (2 Golds and a Silver with 2 World Records) and Susan (Zsuzsanna) Francia (Gold Medalist and 5-time World Champion!), and Julie Zetlin, (the United States’ only representative for Rhythmic gymnastics and the first and only rhythmic gymnast to qualify from the United States since 2004) on their fantastic London 2012 performances for the United States! We also congratulate the Hungarian Paralympians who earned an additional 14 medals (2 gold, 6 Silver, and 6 Bronze!)

As of 2012, Hungary Ranks 8th in Gold Medals! More than Russia, Australia and Japan! Hungary also Ranks 8th Overall! More than China, more than Russia! [read more] on Bryan Dawson's "Nobel Prize Winners and Famous Hungarians."

Featured Books & Articles
AHF presents articles written by distinguished AHF members. AHF encourages all members to submit scholarly essays, books, and other materials which will be featured on our Publications page. 1956 Revolution-related materials are featured on www.hungary1956.com

T. Zane Reeves: "Shoes Along the Danube." Based on a true story, this amazing book follows the lives of two extended Hungarian families, the Rézlers and the Földes, one gentile and the other Jewish, through three decades. The story begins in pre-World War II Budapest, as increasing fascism and anti-Semitism lead Hungary to become an ally of Germany. In 1944, Germany invades Hungary to exterminate Europe’s last remaining group of Jews at the infamous Auschwitz death camp. The story builds through the siege of Budapest, the Russian occupation of Hungary, and separation by exile. It includes the story of Col. Ferenc Koszorus and the battle against Nazi forces. Buy [his books] and other products on the AHF Amazon Store
[read more] about Zane and "Shoes Along the Danube"
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Through an American Lens, Hungary, 1938: Photographs of Margaret Bourke-White. Kadar Lynn's recently discovered a treasure trove of mostly unpublished photographs taken during the artist's month-long trip to Hungary in 1938 by Life Magazine's most renowned photojournalist, Margaret Bourke-White. The photographs not only furnish us with a look at pre-WWII Hungary and its people, but because Bourke-White took unsentimental portraits of the major political figures in Hungary, from the far right to the far left, Communists, Fascists, Socialists, Social Democrats, Smallholders, as well as the primary government officials, it provides us with an insight into these individuals and history provides us with the consequences of their actions. Purchase this book on [read more]
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Deborah Cornelius’ Hungary in World War II: Caught in the Cauldron (Fordham University Press, New York 2011) gives an excellent overview of the events leading up to and the horrendous events of World War II in Hungary. Hungary in World War II: Caught in the Cauldron by Deborah Cornelius, Fordham University Press, New York, 2011. Csaba Zoltani writes: "Deborah Cornelius’ Hungary in World War II: Caught in the Cauldron (Fordham University Press, New York 2011) gives an excellent overview of the events leading up to and the horrendous events of World War II in Hungary. The effect of the Treaty of Trianon, that without plebiscites, truncated Hungary and deprived it of its natural resources and forced a sizeable portion of its population to live under alien jurisdiction, set the political and sociological climate in Hungary from the 1920's on. Cornelius gives an excellent overview of the readjustment that expressed itself in the politics and led to the belief that revision of the treaty was only possible through German intervention." [read more] Buy it now on AHF's Amazon Store!
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Meet Zsuzsa Hanto, author of "Kitiltott Családok" (Banished families. Communist repression of "class enemies" in Hungary) New Zsuzsa Hanto, book published: "Kitiltott Családok" (Banished families. Communist repression of "class enemies" in Hungary) Hantó Zsuzsa az elszenvedők és visszaemlékezők emlékeit is magában foglaló könyv történész szerzője nem kevesebbre vállalkozik, mint az 1950-ben és 1951-ben vidékről és Budapestről a kommunista rezsin által kitelepített, kitiltott családok szenvedéseit, megpróbáltatásait, nem egyszer pusztulását mutatja be. [tovább]
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Tokaji Wine: Fame, Fate, Tradition: A Journey into Tokaji Wine History - By AHF's Miles Lambert-Gocs. This is a book that Wine Spectator called "the most comprehensive reference book on Tokaji available in the English language."

How did a wine from a remote corner of Europe gain unparalleled fame worldwide? This is the central question answered on virtually every page of Tokaji Wine: Fame, Fate, Tradition, a new book that promises to be a touchstone for all future writing on Tokaji. The world's first botrytis wine, Hungary's Tokaji won an enviable reputation centuries ago. But never before have the development of its winetypes and the story of its ups and downs in fame and prestige been presented so fully in English. [read more] or Buy his books now on the AHF Amazon Store
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Scarlett Antaloczy's "FREEDOM ’56: True Stories of the Hungarian Revolution"... is a timely compilation of true accounts of the Hungarian freedom fight of 1956. What started out as a personal family tribute to Scarlett’s parents blossomed into a worldwide journey leading to a host of discoveries and the posing of serious questions about civilization, global domination and political agendas. FREEDOM ’56 is derived from a wealth of interviews and submissions of first-hand information from survivors and friends of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 against the Soviet occupation and the Hungarian Communist party. These are the personal experiences and reflections of individual contributors, from all walks of life and from all over the world, who looked back across more than fifty years of history to share their still-vivid memories of the Revolution with readers of FREEDOM ’56. [read more] and Buy her book now on the AHF Amazon Store

AHF Store on
Help AHF by purchasing all your products using the AHF Amazon Store! You pay nothing more and AHF earns a small percentage! Start your search [here]!

More member books on AHF's Amazon Store:

Miles Lambert-Gocs: "Tokaji Wine: Fame, Fate, Tradition: A Journey into Tokaji Wine History." Wine Spectator called it "the most comprehensive reference book on Tokaji available in the English language." [read more] and Buy his books now on the AHF Amazon Store

"The Porcelain Figurine" (A Porcelánbaba) by Eva Mecs. [read more] and Buy her book now on the AHF Amazon Store

Kitty Gogins: "My flag Grew Stars" by [Read more] about the book or purchase the book on

Lapossy, Susanna (Zsuzsanna):
Life Behind the Iron Curtain. [Read more] about thebook or purchase the book on

Simon, Paul M: "The Old lady and the Fawn," the first bilingual edition of "Öreg néne ozikéje" (Hungarian)