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AHF News from Rumania

AHF thanks US Ambassador for his "moral and political courage in being photographed with the Szekler flag"10/25/2016 - AHF sends follow up to US Ambassador to Rumania for praising Rumania's "model democracy." "Considering the irrefutable record of discrimination, intolerance, and anti-democratic attitudes, practices and policies by Romanian authorities, not to mention your experience relative to the Szekely flag, we are puzzled... by your statement last week praising Romania for being a model of democracy and observing the rights of minorities. [read more]


In 2004, the Szekler National Council (SNC) created an emblem for the Szeklers of Transylvania, the descendants of the original Hungarian settlers. On a light blue background with a horizontal gold bar in the middle and an eight pronged gold star representing the eight Szekler regional jurisdictions and with the crescent moon next to it symbolizing the Szekler belief of a better future. The symbolism is derived from a 1659 seal of the National Assembly of Transylvania.October issue of Transylvania Today - Hungarian minority rights continue to be limited throughout Transylvania, but the people’s resolve remains strong and has been encouraged by the recent visit of the American Ambassador to Romania. [read more]


AHF thanks US Ambassador for his "moral and political courage in being photographed with the Szekler flag"9/29/2016 - The "Hungarian Free Press" attacked AHF for supporting a senior American diplomat who had the wisdom and courage to pose with the Szekely flag. While it is our general policy not to respond to such attacks, we make an exception when appropriate. [read more]


AHF thanks US Ambassador for his "moral and political courage in being photographed with the Szekler flag"9/15/2016 - AHF thanks US Ambassador for his "moral and political courage in being photographed with the Szekler flag... It is unacceptable for Romania to stifle measures by the Hungarian minority, such as using the Szekler flag, to preserve their unique culture in their ancient homeland and to overcome the effects of discrimination, persecution, and in some instances violence they have faced." [read more]


Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies sucha s the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.9/13/2016 - AHF issues statement on Minority Rights in Central and Eastern Europe. Throughout its more than 100 year old existence, AHF has decried and vigorously opposed manifestations of xenophobia, discrimination, racism and hate directed at national, ethnic, racial and religious minorities, including but not limited to expressions of anti-Semitism and hate speech directed against any minority group. Sadly the rights of Hungarian minorities have been largely ignored. [read more]


In 2004, the Szekler National Council (SNC) created an emblem for the Szeklers of Transylvania, the descendants of the original Hungarian settlers. On a light blue background with a horizontal gold bar in the middle and an eight pronged gold star representing the eight Szekler regional jurisdictions and with the crescent moon next to it symbolizing the Szekler belief of a better future. The symbolism is derived from a 1659 seal of the National Assembly of Transylvania.7/27/2016 - AHF launches "Transylvania Today." Founded over 100 years ago, the American Hungarian Federation (“AHF”) has for decades promoted human and minority rights, including the rights of Hungarians living in the countries neighboring Hungary.

AHF's International Relations Committee is proud to announce that, consistent with and in furtherance of its continuing and long-standing tradition and mission, AHF launched a new initiative -- quarterly, brief updates relating to the Hungarian minority in Transylvania. [read introductory issue]


6/17/2014 - AHF Book Review: "Transylvania Today: Diversity at Risk," edited by Csaba Zoltani. Written by noted experts, describes the issues faced by minorities in Transylvania in their effort to retain their identity in an adverse environment. The essays of the book capture some of the fault lines in Transylvania, created by the incorporation of a territory with western traditions into one of Byzantine culture. Minorities, according to the official census, constitute nearly one-quarter of the population of Romania. Contributors include Amb. Geza Jeszenszky, Prof. Andrew Ludanyi, Tilhamer Czika, Viktor Segesvary, and Andreas Bereznay. [read more]


AHF Republishes Wall Street Journal article: When Romania Turned Hungarian Bibles into Toilet Paper6/14/2014 - AHF Republishes June 14, 1985 Wall Street Journal article: When Romania Turned Hungarian Bibles into Toilet Paper. 20,000 bibles donated in the 1970s by the World Reformed Alliance of the Transylvanian Magyar Reformed Church with the permission of Bucharest were diverted to a mill in Braila, as labels on the rolls indicated, for recycling into toilet paper. The high­quality Western paper and ink, however, resisted the smashing, and the Biblical words were clearly legible in the creases. [read more]


AHF organizes meeting with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress.5/30/2014 - AHF organizes meeting with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress, discusses situation of the Hungarian minority in Romania including the revocation of the Knight's Order of the Star of Romania from Bishop Laszlo Tokes. Bishop Tokes' transgression was speaking out for the rights of the Hungarian minority in Romania. AHF has raised the issue with the US Helsinki Commission as well as with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. [read more]


Bishop Laszlo Tokes confers Báthory Award for American Hungarian Federation President Frank Koszorus, Jr.5/28/2014 - Bishop Laszlo Tokes confers Báthory Award for American Hungarian Federation President Frank Koszorus, Jr. In 2010, on the recommendation of the Bolyai Committee (BKB), the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania (EMNT) had bestowed the Bathory Award upon Mr. Koszorus who has championed the rights of national minorities for over thirty years, but was unable to attend the awards ceremony in Transylvania in 2010 when BKB and EMNT also bestowed the award upon 14 other awardees, including US Congressman Tom Lantos and Gov. George Pataki. The Bathory Award is given to those outstanding individuals who contributed to cause of Hungarian-language higher education in Romania. [read more]


UDMR (RMDSZ) Joins Coalition Government in Rumania, AHF calls for quick resolution to pressing problems3/9/2014 - UDMR (RMDSZ) Joins Coalition Government in Rumania, AHF issues statement calling for quick resolution to pressing problems...Prime Minister Victor Ponta of Rumania’s Social Democratic Party (USD) announced that the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) would be joining the governing coalition. In the agreement, USD promised to help solve the problem of minority cultural rights. The UMDR will hold the Culture and Environment ministries, a vice-president seat, and 14 state secretary positions. [read more]


Congressmen Frank R.Wolf (R-VA) and James P. McGovern (D-MA), Co-Chairmen of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress, today sent a letter to Traian Basescu, President of Romania, in connection with Bishop Tokes and the threatened revocation of the Order of the Star of Romania.Congressmen Frank R.Wolf (R-VA) and James P. McGovern (D-MA), Co-Chairmen of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress, echo AHF's call, and send a letter to Traian Basescu, President of Romania, in connection with Bishop Tokes and the threatened revocation of the Order of the Star of Romania. [read more]

Amerikai képviselők tiltakoznak Tőkés László miatt Amerikai képviselők tiltakoznak Tőkés László miatt: Frank Wolf és James McGovern amerikai kongresszusi képviselők, a Tom Lantos emberjogi bizottság társelnökei tiltakozó levelet küldtek Traian Basescu román elnöknek, amiért Tőkés László kitüntetését Románia visszavette. [tovább]


Demonstrators against Rumania's planned destruction of churches, cemeteries, homes and displacing an entire village to make room for one-mile-wide, open-pit cyanide mine.1/15/2014 - In 2009, PBS Television presented a documentary film on the planned open pit cyanide gold mine at Verespatak in Transylvania, now called Rosia Montana. In 2014, the Unitarian Church of Transylvania produced this English-language video entitled "Life over Gold - a Unitarian stand for Roşia Montană." [read more] and view both videos.


Romania withdraws the Knight's Order of the "Star of Romania" from hero of the Romanian Revolution, Bishop László Tőkés.AHF submits memorandum to US Helsinki Commission in follow up to both the Congressional letter to Secretary John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945" and AHF's April 25th meeting with the Commission during which AHF expressed its deep concern about threats to democracy and human rights arising from discriminatory actions and policies affecting members of the Hungarian minority in some of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.11/24/2013 - Romania revokes the Knight's Order of the "Star of Romania" from hero of the Romanian Revolution, Bishop László Tőkés. AHF writes to the US Helsinki Commission on this latest anti-Hungarian measure: "The Federation respectfully and strongly urges you  to publicly on behalf of the Helsinki Commission raise Romania’s most recent anti-Hungarian  phenomenon – the revocation of the Medal Star of Romania previously awarded Bishop Laszlo Tokes for his extraordinarily courageous  role in toppling the Ceaucescu dictatorship during the 1989 revolution.  And what was Bishop Tokes’s transgression resulting in the revocation? Exercising his constitutional rights by standing up for the interests of the Hungarian minority in Romania.  The revocation should be reversed." The revocation comes years of a coordinated smear campaign against him. [read more]

Tőkés kitüntetése - Az amerikai Helsinki Bizottsághoz fordult az Amerikai Magyar SzövetségTőkés kitüntetése - Az amerikai Helsinki Bizottsághoz fordult az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség (Forrás: MTI | 2013. november 25)
Levélben sürgette az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség (AMSZ) elnöke az amerikai Helsinki Bizottság két társelnökét, hogy mint az emberi jogok megsértését és magyarellenes jelenséget nyilvánosan vessék fel az általuk vezetett testület nevében, hogy semmisítsék meg Tőkés László kitüntetésének visszavonását. [tovább]


AHF submits memorandum to US Helsinki Commission in follow up to both the Congressional letter to Secretary John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945" and AHF's April 25th meeting with the Commission during which AHF expressed its deep concern about threats to democracy and human rights arising from discriminatory actions and policies affecting members of the Hungarian minority in some of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.6/19/2013 - AHF submits memorandum to US Helsinki Commission in follow up to both the Congressional letter to Secretary John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945" and AHF's April 25th meeting with the Commission during which AHF expressed its deep concern about threats to democracy and human rights arising from discriminatory actions and policies affecting members of the Hungarian minority in some of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. [read more]

Kiállást vár az amerikai Helsinki Bizottságtól az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség6/19/2013 - Kiállást vár az amerikai Helsinki Bizottságtól az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség: Az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség feljegyzésben szólította fel ismételten a szervezetet, hogy június 27-ig "nyilvánosan és bizalmasan is vesse fel" a romániai egyházi és közösségi javak, beleértve a levéltárak igazságos és azonnali visszaszolgáltatásának kérdését. [tovább]

John Kerry és a Helsinki Bizottság segíthet a magyaroknak6/19/2013 - Kiállást vár az amerikai Helsinki Bizottságtól az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség: Az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség feljegyzésben szólította fel ismételten a szervezetet, hogy június 27-ig "nyilvánosan és bizalmasan is vesse fel" a romániai egyházi és közösségi javak, beleértve a levéltárak igazságos és azonnali visszaszolgáltatásának kérdését. [tovább]


Representatives Andy Harris (R-MD), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Chris Smith (R-NJ) and David Royce (R-OH) and 17 other Representatives submitted a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945.”Representatives Andy Harris (R-MD), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Chris Smith (R-NJ) and David Royce (R-OH) and 17 other Representatives submitted a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945.”6/14/2013 - Representatives Andy Harris (R-MD), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Chris Smith (R-NJ) and David Royce (R-OH) and 17 other Representatives submitted a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945.” The letter also asks Secretary Kerry to focus the State Department’s attention on the upcoming legal proceeding against Attila Markó, Tamás Marosán and Silviu Clim. [read more]

US Congressmen press for return of church property from Romanian gov’t6/14/2013 - US Congressmen press for return of church property from Romanian gov’t: Twenty US congressmen turned to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to put pressure on the Romanian government to restitute Hungarian church property confiscated after 1945. The letter signed by US representatives including Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chair of the committee for foreign affairs, and Christopher Smith, co-chairman of the US Helsinki Committee, said illegally confiscated religious institutions should be immediately returned in a fair and equitable manner. [read more]


United States Helsinki Commission holds Hearing entitled, "The Trajectory of Democracy – Why Hungary Matters" -  AHF ISSUES STATEMENT3/19/2013 -- United States Helsinki Commission holds Hearing entitled, "The Trajectory of Democracy – Why Hungary Matters" to "examine Hungary’s constitutional changes with a particular view to the independence of the judiciary, present-day Hungary’s relationship to its Holocaust-era past, and the implications of Hungary’s sweeping legal changes for civil society, including an independent media and religious organizations." AMERICAN HUNGARIAN FEDERATION TESTIMONY ENTERED INTO RECORD. [read more]


AHF and Members of the Community show Support for Autonomy of Rumania's ethnic-Hungarian community.3/10/2013 -- AHF and Members of the Community show Support for Autonomy of Rumania's ethnic-Hungarian community... Carrying Szekely Flag and a sign that read "Autonomy for Szekelyland," the group marched around the White House in Washington, DC, and raised awareness of the situation facing the ethnic-Hungarian community in Rumania. Numerous demonstrations were held in Europe and in North America. [read more]


Adrian Cosmin Vierita, Rumanian Ambassador to the United States: AHF sends follow up letter to Romanian Ambassador Vierita and the Helsinki Commission regarding the Szekely-Miko Case.8/21/2012 - AHF sends letter to Romanian Ambassador and the Helsinki Commission regarding the Szekely-Miko Case: AHF is "deeply concerned that the prosecution of former state secretary Attila Marko, Silviu Vlim and Tamas Marosan in connection with the restitution to the Reformed Diocese of Transylvania of the Szekely Miko Evangelical Reformed College (“MEC”) in Sfantu-Gheorghe, Romania was not justified.  It only serves to further stall, and in this instance reverse, the lawful restitution of church properties and discriminate against Romania’s Hungarian minority... [read more]


AHF is deeply concerned that the prosecution of former state secretary Attila Marko, Silviu Vlim and Tamas Marosan in connection with the restitution to the Reformed Diocese of Transylvania of the Szekely Miko Evangelical Reformed College (“MEC”) is a baseless and blatant attempt by the authorities to further stall and reverse the lawful restitution of church properties seized by the communists7/17/2012 - AHF releases statement, "Romania: Reversing Lawful Church Property Restitution, Through Criminal Prosecution." AHF is deeply concerned that the prosecution of former state secretary Attila Marko, Silviu Vlim and Tamas Marosan in connection with the restitution to the Reformed Diocese of Transylvania of the Szekely Miko Evangelical Reformed College (“MEC”) is a baseless and blatant attempt by the authorities to further stall and reverse the lawful restitution of church properties seized by the communists. [read more]

MTI - Aggódik az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség a Székely Mikó Kollégium ügye miatt17.07.2012 - Aggódik az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség a Székely Mikó Kollégium ügye miatt. [tovább]

18.07.2012 - Mikó ügy: tisztességes és gyors restitúciót akar az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség [tovább]


AHF Reacts to Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, who questioned democracy in Hungary and criticized expressions of concern for Hungarian minorities.AHF Reacts to Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, who questioned democracy in Hungary and criticized expressions of concern for Hungarian minorities. AHF's letter expressed its steadfast conviction that judgments be "objective, fair, balanced and based on facts and not generalizations and speculation." It also urged the Helsinki Commission not to ignore the Hungarian minorities but to publicly and privately encourage Slovakia and Romania "to build tolerant societies by respecting the rights of their Hungarian and other minorities and the rule of law." [read more]

Levélben fordult az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség (AHF) Benjamin Cardin demokrata párti amerikai szenátorhoz, aki a múlt héten a Kongresszusi Közlönyben Magyarországgal kapcsolatos nyilatkozatot tett közzé.Levelet írt az egyik szenátornak az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség [tovább]

Miért támadja Magyarországot az amerikai szenátor? [tovább]

American-Hungarian federation strike back at US senator over critical comments, by MTIAmerican-Hungarian federation strike back at US senator... [read more]


The American Hungarian Federation Expresses Concern About Romania Ignoring Minority Rights... as Romania considers "redistricting."6/28/2011 -- Romania considering redistricting to eliminate Hungarian majority counties and any hope for automony: The American Hungarian Federation Expresses Concern About Romania Ignoring Minority Rights... The statement expressing AHF's concern that more than two decades after the collapse of Communism, Romania has yet to fulfill its promises to its ethnic Hungarians. Although Romania was accepted into NATO and the EU based, in part, on these promises, the irrefutable record demonstrates that its laws and practices continue to fail to conform to European and Western standards relating to human and minority rights, but in effect aggravate inter-ethnic tension. [read more]


AHF remembers the ill-advised treaty and publishes essay by Sir Bryan Cartledge who calls the treaty "the greatest catastrophe to have befallen Hungary since the battle of Mohacs in 1526."6/4/2011 - On the 91st Anniversary of the Treaty of Trianon, AHF remembers the ill-advised treaty and publishes essay by Sir Bryan Cartledge who calls the treaty "the greatest catastrophe to have befallen Hungary since the battle of Mohacs in 1526." Over the course of its more than 100-year history, the American Hungarian Federation has commemorated the Treaty of Trianon, highlighting the gross injustices wrought by that treaty (better described as a diktat) and the entire Versailles so-called peacemaking. Trianon continues to plaque the region. [read more]


On the recommendation of the Bolyai Committee (BKB), the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania (EMNT) bestowed the Bathory Award upon 15 awardees, including Frank Koszorus, Jr., President of the American Hungarian Federation. Previous awardees include US Congressman Tom Lantos and Gov. George Pataki11/7/2010 - Báthory Award for American Hungarian Federation President Frank Koszorus, Jr. On the recommendation of the Bolyai Committee (BKB), the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania (EMNT) bestowed the Bathory Award upon 15 awardees, including Frank Koszorus, Jr., President of the American Hungarian Federation. [read more]


How Hungary Shrank: Ostensibly in the name of national self-determination, the Treaty dismembered the thousand-year-old Kingdom of Hungary, a self-contained, geographically and economically coherent and durable formation in the Carpathian Basin and boasting the longest lasting historical borders in Europe. It was imposed on Hungary without any negotiation by vengeful leaders who were ignorant or ignored the region’s history, and mercilessly tore that country apart. By drawing artificial borders in gross violation of the ethnic principle, it also transferred over three million indigenous ethnic Hungarians and over 70% of the country's territory to foreign rule.4/7/2010 -- AHF article on Autonomy for Romania's Hungarian Communities published in Foreign Policy Review...The article entitled, "Autonomy:  The Path to Democracy and Stability in Romania," makes a compelling case for the recognition of autonomy as a means of strengthening democracy and stability in Romania.
[read more]


The American Hungarian Federation urged Vice President Biden to discuss policies with his 'Romanian interlocutors that they should adopt to strengthen Romania's democratic institutions and respect the rights of its Hungarian minority' during his trip to Romania.1/12/10 -- The American Hungarian Federation urged Vice President Biden to discuss policies with his "Romanian interlocutors that they should adopt to strengthen Romania's democratic institutions and respect the rights of its Hungarian minority"  during his trip to Romania. Frank Koszorus, Jr., co-president and chairman of the Federation's International Relations Committee reports, "We understand that issues relating to the Hungarian minority were raised." [Read more] The letter to the Vice President included a statement on AHF's concerns for the Hungarian minority in Transylvania.


PBS airs documentary on Cyanide Mine in Transylvania... Rumania plans the destruction of churches, cemeteries, homes and displacing an entire village to make room for one-mile-wide, open-pit cyanide mine.PBS airs documentary on Cyanide Mine in Transylvania... Rumania plans the destruction of churches, cemeteries, homes and displacing an entire village to make room for one-mile-wide, open-pit cyanide mine. On Tuesday, the 21st of August at 9 PM EST, PBS Television will show a documentary film on a planned open pit cyanide gold mine at Verespatak in Transylvania, now part of Romania. "Gold Futures" is a David-and-Goliath story set in a scenic Romanian village in the heart of Transylvania. [read more]


The Rev. Arpad Szabo of Romania is Bishop of the Unitarian Church of Romania. The Unitarian Church was founded in 1567 in Transylvania, then an organic part of Hungary. Transylvania was transferred to Romania by the Treaty of Trianon following the First World War. There are currently over 80,000 Unitarians in Rumania.6/14/2007 - "There are no Nationalities in Romania?" The American Hungarian Federation Co-Hosts Lecture by Bishop Arpad Szabo from Kolozsvar... The Federation and the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America (HRFA) sponsored a presentation by Dr. Arpad Szabo entitled "In Europe, but . . ." at the HRFA Kossuth House. Bishop Szabo is the head of the Unitarian Church in Romania and is in the United States to attend the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The Federation’s program was the latest in its series of lectures relating to Central and Eastern Europe. [read more]


How Hungary Shrank: Ostensibly in the name of national self-determination, the Treaty dismembered the thousand-year-old Kingdom of Hungary, a self-contained, geographically and economically coherent and durable formation in the Carpathian Basin and boasting the longest lasting historical borders in Europe. It was imposed on Hungary without any negotiation by vengeful leaders who were ignorant or ignored the region’s history, and mercilessly tore that country apart. By drawing artificial borders in gross violation of the ethnic principle, it also transferred over three million indigenous ethnic Hungarians and over 70% of the country's territory to foreign rule.6/4/2007 - "Trianon: Tragedy, Dissolution, and Remedy." Frank Koszorus, Jr. and the AHF International Relations Committee release essay on treaty's 87th anniversary. "...Ostensibly in the name of national self-determination, the Treaty dismembered the thousand-year-old Kingdom of Hungary, a self-contained, geographically and economically coherent and durable formation in the Carpathian Basin and boasting the longest lasting historical borders in Europe. It was imposed on Hungary without any negotiation by vengeful leaders... it also transferred over three million indigenous ethnic Hungarians and over 70% of the country's territory to foreign rule." [read more]


The American Hungarian Federation responds to European Commissioner Rehn's view that conditions relating to the Hungarian historical community living in Romania are satisfactory.1/25/2007 - "Romania respects the rights of its Hungarian minority and fulfills the political criterion for membership of the EU.” The American Hungarian Federation disagrees with the Directorate General of the European Commission and continues efforts to educate the pubilc, including the European Union, on Romanian minority rights record. In a follow up to an earlier communication, AHF issues second letter to Commissioner of Enlargement Ollie Rehn and refers to the recent ouster of two Hungarian professors at the Babes-Bolyai University. Commissioner de Lobkowicz referred to the “tri-lingual (Romanian / German / Hungarian) Babes-Bolyai state university in Cluj" as an example of the so-called respect for the rights of the Hungarian minority. The AHF letter says, "Considering the dismissal of Professors Peter Hantz and Lehel Kovacs from Babes-Bolyai in November for promoting bilingualism, Mr. de Lobkowicz’s statement is incredible." "Failure by the EU to insist that its new members comply with the Copenhagen criteria, on the other hand, would undermine the values that have enabled the EU to succeed in promoting stability, security and the economic welfare of Europe." [download] the letter.


The Babes-Bolyai Univeristy had its origins in 1581 when Hungarian Transylvanian Prince Stephen Bathory founded a college in Kolozsvar (Cluj in Rumanian) After Rumanian annexation of Transylvania in 1920, and especially under the Ceaucescu dictatorship, Hungarian studies were significantly reduced. After the collapse of the Ceaucescu regime in 1989, it was hoped that re-establish the prevalence of professionalism in the university and to integrate it in the world of the free world values.  Recent events indicate a different story. The University was named after two prominent Transylvanian scientists, the Romanian scientist Victor Babes and the Hungarian mathematician János Bolyai.
Hantz Peter
[Click] to see the video
12/18/2006 - The American Hungarian Federation Condemns Latest Minority Rights Violations By Romania: Sanctions Against Hungarian Professors At Babes-Bolyai University For Promoting Bilingualism. "Although Romania joined NATO and will be accepted into the EU, the irrefutable record demonstrates that its laws and practices fail to conform to European and Western standards relating to human and minority rights. A few examples of Romania’s less than exemplary record will suffice..." [read more][tovább magyarul]
12/1/2006 - Budapest Needs to Support Legitimate Aspirations of Hungarian Minorities, Not Eliminate Institutions. The American Hungarian Federation is concerned that revised policies by Hungary may not be sufficient to protect the Hungarian minorities living in the Carpathian Basin. The Federation hopes that other organizations and individuals, especially those who address minority rights issues, will join the Federation in its expression of concern. The full text of the Federation's statement, in English and Hungarian can be viewed below.
  • AHF Statement (English) [read more]
  • AMSz Nyilatkozat (Hungarian/Magyarul) [tovább]

How Hungary Shrank, stranding millions across artificial borders6/7/2006 - "Trianon Binds No One Except Hungarians," AHF Issues Statement on the 86th Anniversary of theTrianon Tragedy. Hungarian American communities join in protest. AHF's Assoc. President Frank Koszorus, Jr., writes, "Two of the new states cobbled together by the victorious Entente “peacemakers” at Versailles ceased to exist years ago, and even part (Moldova) of the third successor state succeeded to gain its independence it never had before. Ironically, the winds of change that swept through the region and rearranged the old Cordon Stalinaire after 1989, left untouched the very people who have suffered the most under a punitive treaty – the thousand plus year old indigenous Hungarian communities living under the rule of states that are mostly different from those stipulated at Trianon 86 years ago...Even as Montenegro declares its independence and Kosovo’s status remains on the front burner, Budapest appears content to sit on the sidelines and conspicuously refrains from espousing the democratically expressed aspirations of autochthonous Hungarian minorities for autonomy in Vojvodina, Transylvania, Slovakia and Karpatalja (Ruthenia)." [download entire statement]


The American Hungarian Federation responds to European Commissioner Rehn's view that conditions relating to the Hungarian historical community living in Romania are satisfactory.4/18/2006 - The American Hungarian Federation responds to European Commissioner Rehn's view that conditions relating to the Hungarian historical community living in Romania are satisfactory. The letter, drafted by AHF 1st Vice President Frank Koszorus, Jr., cites specific examples of Rumania's "less than exemplary record."

"...the evidence is to the contrary. The irrefutable record demonstrates that Romania must take concrete steps before its laws and practices conform to European and Western standards relating to human and minority rights. A few examples of Romania’s less than exemplary record will suffice. More than a decade after the collapse of Communism, Romania has yet to fulfill its promises to its more than 1.5 million strong ethnic Hungarians. While Bucharest lavishly funds the Orthodox Church that is engaged in a church building spree, it has returned to the rightful Hungarian owners only a tiny fraction of the more than 2000 religious and communal properties illegally seized from them during the Communist era.states, "More than a decade after the collapse of Communism, Romania has yet to fulfill its promises to its more than 1.5 million strong ethnic Hungarians." [download full letter]


Secretary Rice12/2/2005 - AHF urges US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to call attention to Hungarian Minority on her visit to Rumania...

On behalf of the American Hungarian Federation, Frank Koszorus, Jr., submitted a letter to Secretary Condoleezza Rice, on the eve of her trip to Europe that includes Romania, calling attention to the fact that Romania must continue its reforms relative to its Hungarian minority. The Federation’s letter urges Secretary Rice to raise several issues with her interlocutors, including:

“Romania’s failure to restore church properties confiscated by the previous communist regime; Romania’s failure to adopt the law on national minorities living in Romania; Romania’s refusal to support the Hungarian national minority communities’ (cultural and territorial) autonomy proposals that would ensure local self-governance and the protection of their unique culture and ethnic identity; and Romania’s refusal to establish a Hungarian-language state university.” The letter concludes by noting that Secretary Rice’s “trip presents a wonderful opportunity to promote continued progress by Romania in developing laws and practices toward its minorities that are compatible with Western values and NATO’s security goals and that thereby will advance vital U.S. interests in a stable and democratic Central and Eastern Europe.”
[download the full letter]

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Rumanian Seal10/24/2005 - Rumanian Senate rejects minority status law. AHF Issues Statement. Rumanian Senator Paunescu's earlier statement telling Hungarians to "return to the depths of Asia" on September 29th (see the report from MTI) during senate debate on the law has even led the Rumanian government to express concern over nationalist movement in the Senate.

The measure was defeated 63-43. The ultra-nationalist Greater Rumania Party senator Gheorghe (George) Funar and conservative senators Ion Iliescu and Adrian Paunescu led the opposition to the measure despite appeals to Western European democratic values and previous commitments by senators György (George) Frunda and Béla Markó.

AHF issued a statement (in Hungarian) which was read on Marosvasarhelyi Radio in Transylvania. It opens with "Az Amerikai Magyar Szövetséget nem lepte meg, hogy a román szenátus elutasította a kisebbségi törvénytervezetet és a kulturális autonómiára vonatkozó fejezetet. A román politikai elit bebizonyította, hogy még mindig nem fogadja el azt a vitathatatlan tényt, miszerint a multietnikus Közép-és Kelet-Európában a kisebbségi jogok szavatolása, a jogbiztonság, a tolerancia és a személyi, kulturális és területi autonómiához való jog alapveto feltétele a demokráciának és a regionális stabilitásnak." [download]

Read the full article in Hungarian published on www.erdely.ma: "A Szenátus elutasította a kisebbségi törvény tervezetét."


6/13/2005 - Two Transylvanian boys attacked for "speaking Hungarian" in Marosvasarhely (now called Tirgu-Mures after Rumanian annexation). Tirgu-Mures, home to Rumanian radical politician George Funar, has long been known for violent Rumanian nationalism and anti-Hungarianism.

The incident occurred on June 2nd, Hungarian Television reported. While on boy escaped heavily beaten and bruised, the other boy was hospitalized for both a broken nose and broken cheek bone. The Rumanian attackers cursed the boys calling them "Bozgors," or "homeless." This is the way Rumanian radicals refer to Hungarians as a sarcastic way to remind them they lost Transylvania, their "home." At least they acknowledge that fact. Similar incidents occurred recently in the Transylvanian town of Sepsiszentgyörgy.


Congressional Seal6/1/2005 - AHF Applauds US Congress and urges the community to thank the co-sponsors of House Resolution 191...The United States House of Representatives recently passed H. Res. 191 on May 23, urging the "Government of Romania to recognize its responsibilities to provide equitable, prompt and fair restitution to all religious communities for property confiscated by the former Communist government. . . ." -- a measure which goes beyond mere symbolism and expresses the unequivocal opinion of the United States House of Representatives. [read more]


Congressional Seal5/24/2005 - SUCCESS! AHF ACTION ALERT UPDATE on our grassroots action on House Resolution 191 urging the "prompt and fair restitution of church properties by Rumania." AHF wishes to thank ALL those who participated in this successful campaign! [read more]


Congressional Seal4/8/2005 - HOT NEWS: House Resolution 191 moves forward urging the "prompt and fair restitution of church properties by Rumania." AHF strongly supports this measure and will continue its efforts aimed at swift adoption.

“We applaud Representatives Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO) for their leadership on an issue that goes to the very heart of democracy, rule of law and minority rights in Rumania – the return of religious properties illegally confiscated by the former Communist government,” noted Frank Koszorus, Jr. “This has been a long process, beginning with statements in 2002 by Representatives Lantos, Tancredo and Robert Matsui urging the prompt and fair restitution of properties by Romania and Slovakia and continuing in 2004 when Representative Tancredo introduced a similar resolution that was cosponsored by 15 Members,” he added.

[HOW CAN YOU HELP? READ MORE!]

[download the resolution] here or on the right under "Related Downloads." The resolution is also available online at www.congress.gov. Select "by bill" and enter "H.Res. 191"


4/1/2005 - AHF joins statement entitled,"PROVOCATIVE ANTI-MINORITY STATEMENT UNDERMINES DEMOCRACY IN ROMANIA"

Full text:
We the undersigned believe that an indispensable component of stability and security in Central and Eastern Europe is a demonstrable and sustained commitment to democracy, including the respect for the rule of law and the rights of national and religious minorities. Tragically during most of the last century these ideals were frequently sacrificed. As much as we welcome newly-elected President Traian Basescu’s pledge to implement reforms in Romania, we are appalled by former President Ion Iliescu’s shocking statement on March 25 blaming Hungarians of Tirgu Mures (Marosvasarhely) for the violence in March 1990 when ethnic Romanians brought in by trucks viciously attacked ethnic Hungarians who were seeking rights denied them by the dictator Ceausescu. As noted by Andrei Codrescu in his acclaimed book, “The Hole in the Flag,” the “trucks and the weapons resembled very much the trucks and weapons with which Iliescu’s ‘workers’ had gone to work on the [pro-democracy] demonstrators of Bucharest. It was no coincidence.” We are confident that all democratic-minded Romanians will reject former President Iliescu’s blatant attempt to rewrite history and we urge them to speak out against such revisionism that only serves to foment ethnic hatred and intolerance and thereby undermines genuine democracy in Romania.

Downloads


3/11/2005 - AHF Meets Rumanian President Basescu and urges him to Support Restoration of Church Properties to Hungarian Minority - Rumanian President Traian Basescu kicked off a two-day visit to Washington Tuesday (8 March), with the aim of strengthening the US-Rumanian strategic partnership at the political, military and economic levels. [read more]

Basescu on FoxGeorge W. Bush praises Basescu as a "special friend" and "special leader." "Rumania is a 'special ally' because Rumania shares the same values we do: human rights, human dignity, rule of law, transparency in government, anti-corruption." AHF knows the situation is far from Bush's rosy picture, but hopes Mr. Bush's encouraging words bring change to Rumania.


Szekelyudvarhely3/10/2005 - A rare event: Hungarian Church wins battle with Rumania to get back confiscated building: The Rumanian Government's Committee on Restitution, in a rare move, sided with the Hungarian Reformed Church and returned its Theological College Building in the Transylvanian city of Szekelyudvarhely. The seminary was founded in 1670 by Count Bethlen. Current tenants in the building, rebuilt in 1886, including Rumanian government offices, can stay and pay nominal rent.
[Read More in Hungarian]


Rumanians beat Hungarians in Bucharest3/7/2005 - Hungarians beaten by Rumanian Hockey Fans - Several ethnic Hungarians were beaten by Romanians after a hockey game in Romania's capital, Bucharest, reported the online magazine www.erdely.ma. The Hungarians who arrived by bus from Csik were unharmed, but those who came in small groups were attacked by fans of the opposing hockey team, the Romanian army’s Steaua.

Andras Lenard, a Hungarian victim, described the attacks: After the game, we left and wanted to call a cab, because we parked our car far from the stadium so it would not be vandalized. We couldn’t find a taxi, so we started to walk. Meanwhile, we noticed that 4-5 Romanians passed us, and I suspect that they signaled to others because suddenly we were attacked from multiple directions. There were about a hundred of them. I was hit from the back with a hard object, I fell to the ground, and they started kicking me. I tried to cover my face, I raised my arm. I was laying on the ground for about 20-30 minutes, the others were beat up too, a boy from Vasarhely was in the worst condition. The attackers did not come empty handed, they came with various objects.

Another witness, Imre Csato said that the attackers used chains and sticks, and used ethnic slurs against the Hungarians. They called them “bozgor,” which means “one without a homeland” an ethnic slur used by the Romanian majority to express their domination over the ethnic Hungarian minority. The police only intervened after the Hungarians were beaten so badly that they had to be hospitalized. The injuries of the young man from Vasarhely included a broken arm and a fractured skull. "This is another violent example of anti-Hungarian sentiments that still exist in Romania. We have to take it seriously." - stated Sandor A. Nagy, president of CHACR.

[< Go to all AHF news]

In 2004, the Szekler National Council (SNC) created an emblem for the Szeklers of Transylvania, the descendants of the original Hungarian settlers. On a light blue background with a horizontal gold bar in the middle and an eight pronged gold star representing the eight Szekler regional jurisdictions and with the crescent moon next to it symbolizing the Szekler belief of a better future. The symbolism is derived from a 1659 seal of the National Assembly of Transylvania.
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Today:" A Quarterly Report
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Why So Many Hungarians Across the Border?

How Hungary Shrank: Ostensibly in the name of national self-determination, the Treaty dismembered the thousand-year-old Kingdom of Hungary, a self-contained, geographically and economically coherent and durable formation in the Carpathian Basin and boasting the longest lasting historical borders in Europe. It was imposed on Hungary without any negotiation, drawing artificial borders in gross violation of the ethnic principle, it also transferred over three million indigenous ethnic Hungarians and over 70% of the country's territory to foreign rule.One thousand years of nation building successfully delineated groups based on culture, religion, geography, and other attributes to create the countries with which we are so familiar. While some Western European nations would continue power struggles and princely battles and civil wars, Hungary, founded in 896, was a peaceful multi-ethnic state for a 1000 years and her borders were virtually unchanged. Until 1920...

The Treaty of Trianon in 1920... in the aftermath of WWI, was extremely harsh on Hungary and unjustifiably one-sided. The resulting "treaty" lost Hungary an unprecedented 2/3 of her territory, and 1/2 of her total population or 1/3 of her Hungarian-speaking population. Add to this the loss of up to 90% of vast natural resources, industry, railways, and other infrastructure. The clear winner of the land grab, was Rumania, who, established only 60 years earlier, more than doubled in size overnight.

Ethnic Distribution in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1910 (Hungarians shown in red)

Ethnic Distribution in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1910 (Hungarians shown in red)
[download extra large image 4962x3509]
[download large image 1000x707]

Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies such as the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.

Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies sucha s the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.

  • In Upper Hungary (awarded to Slovakia, Czechoslovakia): 1,687,977 Slovaks and 1,233,454 others (mostly Hungarians - 886,044, Germans, Ruthenians and Roma) [according to the 1921 census, however, there were 1,941,942 Slovaks and 1,058,928 others]
  • In Carpathian Ruthenia (awarded to Czechoslovakia): 330,010 Ruthenians and 275,932 others (mostly Hungarians, Germans, Romanians, and Slovaks)
  • In Transylvania (awarded to Romania): 2,831,222 Romanians (53.8%) and 2,431,273 others (mostly Hungarians - 1,662,948 (31.6%) and Germans - 563,087 (10.7%)). The 1919 and 1920 Transylvanian censuses indicate a greater percentage of Romanians (57.1%/57.3%) and a smaller Hungarian minority (26.5%/25.5%)
  • In Vojvodina 510,754 Serbs and 1,002,229 others (mostly Hungarians 425,672 and Germans 324,017)
  • In Vojvodina and Croatia-Slavonia combined (awarded to Yugoslavia): 2,756,000 Croats and Serbs and 1,366,000 others (mostly Hungarians and Germans)
  • In Burgenland (awarded to Austria): 217,072 Germans and 69,858 others (mainly Croatian and Hungarian)

[read more on the Treaty of Trianon]

AHF Statements on Trianon:

Selected AHF Articles on Rumania:


Adobe You will need the free Adobe Reader to open the following files. Click the image to download.

Articles and Essays by AHF Members

  • "NATO Enlargement" by Frank Koszorus Jr. March 29, 2004
    Remarks on the Occasion of the Enlargement of NATO, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. [download]
    ---
  • "Nato Enlargement And Minority Rights: Prerequisites To Security" by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 2003
    A memorandum that was submitted to Robert A. Bradtke, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Heather A. Conley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs during a roundtable discussion on "NATO Enlargement and the Current State of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance." This submission follows several other intiatives, including submissions to Lord Roberston, Secretary General of NATO. [download]
    ---
  • “Nato Enlargement: Promoting Western Values, Strengthening The Alliance” by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 29, 2003
    A Statement Before The United States Senate Committee On Foreign Relations.
    [download]
    ---
  • "U.S. Senate Unanimously Ratifies Nato Treaty; Senators Raise Rights Of Minorities: Federation Supports Efforts Aimed At Encouraging Romania And Slovakia To Respect Rights Of Hungarian Minorities And Restore Communal Properties" - Press Release by Zoltan Bagdy, May 9, 2003 [download]

Congressional Resolutions and Records

  • H.RES 191 - A RESOLUTION urging the "prompt and fair restitution of church properties by Romania and Slovakia - TOM LANTOS / TOM TANCREDO (April 6th 2005) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE ISSUE OF TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIANS -- HON. DONALD E. `BUZ' LUKENS (Extension of Remarks - February 26, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • VIOLENCE IN TRANSYLVANIA -- HON. DON RITTER (Extension of Remarks - March 22, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • Transylvanian Monitor #14: Property Restitution.
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