Every year Fidesz holds a “free university” in Tusnádfürdő-Bálványos, Romania. I normally write about the event because Viktor Orbán makes a regular appearance there and what he has to say is usually politically significant.
This Fidesz tradition has now been expanded. Between July 18 and 21 a similar “free university” was held for the first time in Martos (Martovce), a village of about 700 inhabitants, 17 km from Komárom/Komárno, Slovakia. Originally the organizers were hoping that Viktor Orbán would honor the event with his presence, but in the end they had to be satisfied with László Kövér as the keynote speaker.
The organizers received financial help from Fidesz and the Hungarian government in addition to MOL, which was described as the “chief sponsor.” Among the organizations that supported the effort were several Fidesz foundations, the Fidesz youth organization Fidelitas, the Association of the Young Christian Democrats, and János Sellye University in Komárno. The sponsors must have contributed quite a bit of money because the extended weekend event featured rock bands and singers as well as speakers from Serbia and Romania.
The host was Magyar Közösség Pártja (MKP) and Via Nova, its youth organization. Originally MKP was the only Hungarian political party in Slovakia, but it split a number of years ago. Béla Bugár, a moderate, left the party since it was moving farther to the right and established a Slovak-Hungarian party called Most-Híd, the Slovak and Hungarian words for “bridge.” Fidesz doesn’t want to build bridges. It is not their style, and in no time the Hungarian government announced that it doesn’t consider Most-Híd a Hungarian party. Currently, the Hungarian government has no connection with Bugár’s party even though at the last elections it managed to retain its status as a parliamentary party while the Fidesz-supported MKP did not. Fidesz often bets on the wrong horse when it comes to Hungarian minority politics in the neighboring countries.
Via Nova has a new chairman, László Gubík. A few months ago it became known that Jobbik had approached Gubík and urged closer cooperation between Jobbik and Via Nova. Gubík was apparently impressed by István Szávay, a Jobbik member of parliament and formerly head of the Jobbik-dominated student organization at ELTE’s Faculty of Arts. Gubík was photographed standing in front of a Jobbik flag. After the close cooperation between Jobbik and Via Nova was discovered, József Berényi, the chairman of MKP, tried to distance himself and his party from Jobbik, but according to inside information he didn’t manage to convince the leadership of Via Nova to abandon their connection with the extremist Jobbik. One can read more about the “independence” of Via Nova from MKP on an English-language Slovak site.
Despite this scandal, Fidesz didn’t hesitate to work together with Via Nova in the organization of the first “free university” in Slovakia. Apparently, the gathering was not a great success although a lot of “important” people showed up besides Kövér. Among them, András Schiffer (LMP); Katalin Szili, former socialist now independent MP; Hunor Kelemen, chairman of the largest Hungarian party in Romania; and Zsuzsanna Répássy, assistant undersecretary in charge of “national politics.” But these individuals as well as Fidesz must now live with the fact that racist, anti-Semitic, irredentist books were displayed and sold at the festival. Here is a picture of the collection. The picture is genuine; it can also been seen on a Slovak-Hungarian Facebook page.
Pick your favorite!
Among other titles you could buy Henry Ford’s The International Jew, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and Ernő Raffay’s openly anti-Semitic book on the Freemasons (Politizáló szabadkőművesség). Other choice titles on display were Borbála Obrusánszky’s Szkíta-magyar múltunk ragyogása, a book about the fallacy underlying the theory of the Finno-Ugric origins of the Hungarian language, and László Gulyás’s Küzdelem a Kárpát-medencéért (Struggle for the Carpathian Basin) in addition to a bunch of books by Albert Wass and József Nyirő. You can also see Viktor Orbán’s selected speeches.
Of course, this scandal highlights the fact that Fidesz is ready to work with groups that are closely associated with Jobbik in order to gain adherents. One might argue that the Fidesz bigwigs certainly couldn’t have had any knowledge of the kinds of books that would be displayed in Martos, but unfortunately this line of argumentation is weak because the Jobbik-Via Nova connection was already well known in March of this year. The Hungarian media first reported on the preparations for the festival on May 9, 2913. By that time at least Zsuzsanna Répássy, the assistant undersecretary in charge of Hungarian minority issues, must have known about the scandal in Slovakia concerning Via Nova. Yet, Fidesz pushed ahead, cooperating with this Jobbik-tainted youth organization.
Fidesz seems to be giving in to pressure coming from the far right in Romania too. The Tusnádfürdő-Bálványos event will take place this weekend. Originally a moderate right-of-center RMDSZ politician was supposed to be one of the speakers, but the small right-wing Erdélyi Magyar Néppárt (Transylvanian People’s Party) vetoed it. Therefore the politicians of RMDSZ will not attend.
There seems to be a tendency for Fidesz to drift farther and farther to the right in the neighboring countries. This is a self-defeating strategy. Both in Romania and in Slovakia the more moderate Hungarian parties are leading in the polls. And especially in Romania, Fidesz will need those votes come April 2014.
Meanwhile it will be difficult for Fidesz to explain away the display of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion at their first “free university” in Slovakia.
Hungarian Spectrum 
A black week for Orban as all Hungarian football teams were eliminated in Europe – even his beloved Videoton lost against FK Mladost Podgorica, a football dwarf from Montenegro. A sign for more European doom & gloom to come?
The acceptance of points of view differing from one’s own is still difficult for many who grew up in a one party/ single ideology environment. On can and should disagree with what many books on sale advocate, but it is certainly the right of anyone to try to convince others of one’s point of view so there is no requirement to defend one’s choices. Barnes and Noble as well as Amazon sell books like the Protocols or Mein Kampf and there is no assumption regarding their political motivation. A little tolerance for the acceptance of the points of view of others would certainly makes this a better world.
There is a good study on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion by Hadassa Ben-Itto
http://www.amazon.com/Lie-That-Wouldnt-Die-Protocols/dp/0853035954/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374804887&sr=1-3&keywords=study+protocols+of+elders+of+zion
Amazon has a listing for the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Everybody can read the reviews.
Amazon lists the book in the category of “controversial”
http://www.amazon.com/The-Protocols-Elders-Zion-Anonymous/dp/1609420233/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Has FIDESZ distanced itself from this horror junk?
Not difficult to imagine that most FIDESZ and JOBBIK voters accept the views of the Protocol without reservations.
@ Csaba K. Zoltani, You never fail to amuse me. THere is a huge difference between Amazon that carries a wide selection of books and only in its Kindle store they carry almost 1,000,000 books, while you can also purchase from almost 2,000,000 “real” books. Their titles also contain materials from Marx and Lenin. The booksellers you are clearly admiring are limiting their selection to certain types of books they feel could be big sellers at an event where not only the participants support such questionable materials, but the organizers also embrace the content. Trying to explain why it is right to sell such dirt in a Hungarian event, tells a lot about a person.
Nazism, guns and knives and heavy metal music have been big draws for teenage boys for decades and throughout Europe and North America. I don’t see having books like this on sale as a sign of Fidesz’ tolerance or the complete opposite. Fidesz doesn’t seem to have any morals where making money (by it or its supporters) is concerned.
This bookseller almost certainly paid to have their stall at this bash and I’m sure the organisers were more than happy to take their money. A party that chooses not to ask too many questions about the links between participants and Jobbik isn’t going to ask too many questions about the “wholesomeness” of the merchandise on offer.
Sure! As if we hadn’t already seen the author of Mein Kampf and eager readers of The Protocols trying to “convince” the Jews, the Roma and a few others of their “point of view”. The Protocols aren’t a “point of view”, they are blinded hate speech. Hatred is certainly part of human emotions, but it is not a point of view, especially in politics.
As these books are of historical significance, I have no problem with their being re-published and sold, providing it is done with a substantial historical foreword. Is it the case for the Hungarian editions? No. But even if it was the case, there would be a problem in hate speech being sold at the rally of a mainstream political party in Europe. Even if Youth’s organizations tend to be more radical than their elder counterparts, somebody would have to be fired. Will it happen?
Two days ago in France, a MP who is also a Mayor was having a row over land use with French Travellers who had come to his town for a summer pilgrimage. At some point during the argument he uttered that ‘Maybe Hitler didn’t kill enough after all’. A journalist had a microphone turned on.
Well, he resigned from his party before they fired him, and will most likely end up in a court. A conviction is unsure as the context was highly agitated and it isn’t obvious that the sentence was meant to be heard by anybody, but at least he cannot pretend it is just a “point of view”. Being a politician, he has to face the political consequences.
This is “almost” funny …
Just two remarks:
Didn’t Fidesz try to have a total ban on the display/use of the”Red Star” – and lost in the European courts ?
I still wonder:I haven’t heard the word “Versailles” in any political discussion in Germany in the last 50 years, you will only find it in history books and some Neo-Nazi literature, but “Trianon” seems a sure hit with Hungarians – not all of them of course …
I guess it’s because the consequences of the defeat in 1945 and the Cold War superseded that of Versailles. There was no single “treaty” to blame, however Reunification was an important topic in the politics of the BRD, and there was a steady policy in favor of the immigration of ‘deutscher Volkszugehöriger’ as well.
Much to the credit of the German people and politicians, this was handled very deftly by people who understood that they could achieve their goals through friendship, not bullying.
[OT] Last summer, I fell upon my 1st and 2nd grades History manuals, the ones I learned from in France in the early 70’s. They had been published first in the late 50’s and were about to be replaced. The suspicion towards Germany was still everywhere, at every era. From the contrast between the brutish ‘Neandertal’ (a German name) and the almost modern ‘Cro-Magnon’ (a French name), to the ‘barbaric tribes’ invading the ‘refined gallo-romans’, to WWII. “Almost” funny, indeed. What a long way.
On closer inspection of the photo one can also see the noted antisemite Henry Ford’s “The International Jew”. What charming people these little Hungarian Nazis must be.
Fidesz can easily identify with Nazi or any other ideology, if it suits their main objective, which is ‘stealing from the taxpayers is permitted’.
This is their only ideology. Period.
———
The monthly “Public Education” was disbanded last March by the government. The former editor reveals the Fidesz methods:
http://www.168ora.hu/itthon/oktatas-hoffmann-rozsa-pedagogus-szunyogh-szabolcs-116696.html
There’s all the difference in the world between academically interested readers reading Mein Kampf or the Protocols, in order to read and understand WHY and HOW we are what we are today … and people like my (hard-jobbik but also soft-fidesz) father-in-law proudly having luxus Magyar coffee-table versions of these appalling works on display in his flat, because he BELIEVES them and STANDS BY them. Nobody has the right to cite freedom of speech in defence of their promotion of hate.
(but, also, asever, why don’t Fidesz get more grief for this?)
@Ivan
“….why don’t Fidesz get more grief for this?”
Because most Hungarians are happy little anti-semites.
(I can see some of the bloggers cringing.)
Fact is, if the above wasn’t so, than there would’ve been a massive outcry against the “Give Gas” folks. What an absolute shameless, soul-shriveling contingent. Yet, the tolerance in Budapest and Hungary as a whole, was palpable. Ask yourselves if
this would have been tolerated in Berlin?
As personal story: when a cousin made some tasteless comments to me in her back yard (of a four-plex) I asked her in a voice of good timber and projection: “DO YOUR NEIGHBOURS KNOW YOU’RE JEWISH?” Well, she turned four shades of mortification…
@petofi
You’re not wrong.
So, but, what can we DO?
Kossuth was removed from Kossuth square two days ago.
The whole area is barricaded so nobody could prevent the removal of his or poet A. Jozsef’s sculpture.
I am posting at the German (rather pro Fidesz) blog Hungarianvoice (HV) and here the reaction of HV to my posting:
Karl Pfeifer | 26. Juli 2013 um 07:46
HV und noch einige brachen wegen der Erklärung des israelischen Botschafters in Budapest in Jubel aus. Die Realität zeigt aber, dass die Kollaboration mit extrem rechten Elementen munter weitergeht:
https://hungarianspectrum.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/the-protocols-of-the-elders-of-zion-at-a-fidesz-sponsored-gathering-in-slovakia/
Antwort
hungarianvoice | 26. Juli 2013 um 08:37
“Kollaboration”, d.h. aktive Zusammenarbeit, weil jemand, der uns beiden unbekannt ist, dort gewisse Bücher verkauft haben soll? Sagen Sie, dass Sie mehr haben als das.
this is how he is trying to minimize Fidesz-Jobbik collaboration
For those who want a better/critical site in German:
http://weiterdenkenungarn2013.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/mass-exodus-from-villages-in-baranya-county-hungary/
Hungarianvoice is really sick – as a German I feel ashamed !
Andrassy on a white horse will replace Attila Jozsef
The reason? Everything on the square has to look like in 1944 by the Fidesz-Jobbik parliamentary decree.
1944 is their favorite year.
The year of the last unpunishable, government-sanctioned wholesale robbing.
And now compare these activities to the new Fidesz site:
http://factcheck.hu/fact/Fidesz_is_not_rehabilitating_the_Horthy_era
It would be funny, if it weren’t so sad …
These “fact checks” are really something, there must be real experts there in what I call “kindergarden logic”. Just take this example:
“the Prime Minister branded anti-Semitism unacceptable and intolerable, while declaring a policy of zero tolerance against such views.”
So what about his friend Bayer Zsolt ? Zero tolerance sounds good …
Maybe the next step will be turning the Jewish quarter back to its 1944 state.
Three things, to begin with:
1) Object to every anti-semitic action in the Parliament vociferously;
2) Challenge the Catholic authorities to teach about anti-semitism in the Sunday schools;
3) The school curricula should teach that anti-semitism is wrong.
Of course, one would first have to march against this ridiculous championing of Horthy, and the anti-semitic writers…
Also the year the Hungarians ‘generously’ shipped out…not the 150,000 jews that the Nazis had asked for…but 600,000.
No wonder it’s the good, Hungarian, mustachios’ favorite year.
Eva – Those exact same books used to be (still are?) on sale in the book kiosk at the entrance to the Magyarok Világszövetsége building on Semmelweis utca near Astoria. Fidesz luminaries such as Istvan Mikola used to have their offices in that same building.
B&N also sells the twilight novels and we still don’t think they are vampires (they could be). Thank you for pointing this out.
But let me ask you this: have you ever seen these books on a DK, Together ’14 or MSZP rally? How do you explain that this
trashinteresting literature is only sold to Fidesz supporters? These books were also sold during the Peace Marches. By the way where did you get your copy?I think I will try to sell beef jerky to the dancing Hare Krishna groups. In the name of tolerance and openness perhaps?
You should look these events in a more positive manner: finally the exterior will perfectly match to the political mindset of Orbán & Co.!
I’m sure, the Palace Guard already practising those goose-step drills too…
Gott erhalte Viktor den Führer!
Ivan: What should we DO?
I understand you live in a small village. You should nevertheless try to get into contact with people in bigger towns who are critical of the regime. As a start, any of those civic opposition groups. You need not agree with their answers or approaches to the current problems but the debates will at least be closer to the points also discussed here on the blog. Try to get into contact with groups from which ‘real’ change could come from. The village you live in appears to be too full of lunatics.
Orban’s chief of staff will have direct control over the Hungarian agency distributing the EU moneys from August 1.
http://nol.hu/archivum/tovabb_nott_lazar_janos_befolyasa
Orban wants to kick out an elementary school and a library from the Tisza castle in Geszt.
Here comes the Tisza cult redux, started by Horthy 90 years ago.
MAGYARKÖZLÖNY • 2013. évi 128. szám,
page 64,961 [page number is not a joke!]
http://magyarkozlony.hu/hivatalos-lapok/ae0353997da95ce0c31366db4e725531d20a2588/dokumentumok/13930501c99495045b503afda539da1514b0e456/letoltes
Orban wants to kick out an elementary school and a library from the Tisza castle
in Geszt.
Here comes the Tisza cult redux, started by Horthy 90 years ago.
MAGYARKÖZLÖNY • 2013. évi 128. szám,
page 64,961 [page number is not a joke!]
http://magyarkozlony.hu/hivatalos-lapok/ae0353997da95ce0c31366db4e725531d20a2588/dokumentumok/13930501c99495045b503afda539da1514b0e456/letoltes
Orban wants to kick out an elementary school and a library from the Tisza castle
in Geszt.
Here comes the Tisza cult redux, started by Horthy 90 years ago.
MAGYARKÖZLÖNY • 2013. évi 128. szám,
page 64,961 [page number is not a joke!]
How about righteous indignation?
It’s time Hungarians realize that these actions are personally belittling, as well as insulting to their intelligence.
Thank goodness. I was worried about payments being delayed to Simicska.
If you were not aware, the Hungarian National Bank is changing its logo and its “image”, or we could say the bank will relaunch itself. The last image change in 2010 “only” cost Hungarian taxpayers, bare 174,000 Euros. I think Matolcsy had a feeling that they can come up with a new baby for him, so he ordered a public opinion survey for an undisclosed sum.(Hint: he did not pay for it, but taxpayers did.) THe result of the survey is that “the seven sticks on the central bank’s logo does not convey [the bank’s] values”. I am sure that many Hungarians care greatly about how the MNB will convey its values, as it will only cost (according to the always right Matolcsy) 40,000 euros (not including the survey). The new logo that came with a bargain price of 11,000 Euro through a tender, only will be revealed on August 20th.
Unfortunately there was no competition regarding how the logo should look like. It was the price that mattered, even though the Internet became a buzz with ideas, and my all time favourite logo can be looked at http://most.444.hu/2013/07/26/maris-megszuletett-az-elso-palyamu-az-mnb-uj-logojara4/
I guess after taking the Castle, he also needs a cottage.
Rohanunk a forradalomba by Endre Ady
[…]
Minden a Sorsé, szeressétek,
Õt is, a vad, geszti bolondot,
A gyujtogató, csóvás embert,
Úrnak, magyarnak egyként rongyot.
Mert õ is az Idõk kiküldöttje
S gyujtogat, hogy hadd hamvadjon össze
Hunnia úri trágyadombja,
[…]
1912
I predict that FELCSUT will be the fastest growing city in Europe!!
Köszi, h átvettétek az írást, de azért az eredeti cikk szerzőjét megemlíthettétek volna egy mondatban… (Csehszlovák kém)
This is a big lie. I was there on 19-20 of July, but I did not see this Zion-book, nor the table seen above. I repeat: this is a lie! Entirely falsh. Shame you publish such an article.
It’s a LIE that the Garda spew their spasms all over Heroes Square;
It’s a LIE that the “Adj Gazd” ride freely around Budapest;
It’s a LIE that Horthy and third-rate, anti-semitic writers
have squares and streets named after them in 2013…
May I call your attention to a whole series of photos taken by Gusztáv Cséfalvy on the spot and published on Facebook.
An even better link to the whole series of photographs is this:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.209399115850591&type=1
Sorry, but I gave link to your blog. I thought that was enough. I don’t demand that anyone who republishes my blog mentions that the post was written by Eva S. Balogh.
This is not the first time that I quoted your blog. For example, I translated important passages from your article on the Israeli-Hungarian football game.
dear Gyuracz Ferenc
your comment is Mead…Samoa…Fallacy. or the doctrine of Immaculate Perception…or I was there; you weren’t so shut up (a la Minusio)…and discussions with 56-ers. Life and evidence is so more complicated.
New tax:
mandatory membership in the “Chamber of Agriculture” means huge fees, to be collected as taxes.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/katalin-rizmayer/új-különadó-a-porondon-a-mezőgazdaság/271527996323169
in two schools many lessons mean the teachers copy a passage from textbook..the children then copy the board and all wait for the bell exams are a mix of cheating and bribed. how can students evaluate anythin ?
Dear Eva, the thing is, that I have written about a case and you simply stole my story without mentioning my blog “dotoho.blog.hu”. No it is not enogh to link my article, because every reader can think that is your story which is not true, because you took over my basic story and idea and it is not your research. Of course thank you very much the presentation in English and I’d like to ask you to mention in the beginning of your article that the story was originally written by dotoho.blog.hu. Thank you in advance and peace. Csehszlovák kém.
Well your medicine of a “little tolerance for Nazis was tried in Weimar Germany and in Hungary after the change of systems 1990. There is no need to describe Germany when Nazis were given the power. In Hungary we can see what this tolerance means for those who not in agreement with the turn to the extreme right wing or are not considered by the völkisch to belong to the Hungarian people.
1, It is impassible to know where this picture was taken, it was on an FB page without any comment, info, I have no idea why people think it was taken in Martos.
2, What book is soled in a gathering is not really in control of the organizer, none of the book is banned, so what?
3, Everyone makes conclusions based on so little evidence and they miss the real issues and problems, like:
Jobbik and HVIM organising a real far right extremist summer camp with all the racist national rock bands, military training, proper antisemitic and chauvinism propaganda, etc. Its called the “Magyar Sziget” “Hungarian Island”. Its held every year in Hungary, Transylvania and Slovakia. if you look for Nazis, write about that one. Fidesz caused a lot of trouble and they damaged Hungary and the Hungarian minority communities in a million way but writting this article based on an unconfirmed FB picture is a joke.
I repeat: this is a shameful lie. This table and books couldn’t be seen in Martos in 19-20 July. I was there. Otherwise: these books on the picture are not Nazi books. None of them. Only twoo of them (Ford and Zion) violates the rules of political correctness, but this is not a reason to hide them. These are interesting parts of history of culture. Fit on the table. (But not in Martos. These books were not seen there!)
1) The picture is part of a photo gallery called “Martfeszt”, see the link above, which features other pictures of the same event by the same photographer. There is no disruption whatsoever in the lighting and aspect of the picture to suggest it may have been part of another series.
2) The Fidesz youth organization Fidelitas was an official sponsor of the event. László Kövér, Fidesz founder and speaker of the National Assembly spoke at the event. Obviously they can’t be held responsible for the fact that antisemitic trash was sold on a table – however, they may be held politically responsible if nothing is done about it.
3) One of Mr. Orbán’s & Fidesz’s favorite lines of defense these last years has been something like “Why are you attacking me? I’m shielding the country from the far-right!”. Well, there have been so many incidents like this one (from the Új Színház to the rehabilitation of Nyírő to Bayer’s editorials etc.) that it looks more like a colander than a shield. This is a “real issue” at least for myself as an EU citizen living in Hungary.
To Csehszlovák kém. A link is like a footnote. I thus acknowledge you as the source. I resent you accusing me of plagiarism. Don’t worry, in the future I will avoid using any of your material.
That’s correct, dear Éva. And when will you recognize “Csehszlovák kém” is a liar?