A scientific conference was held under the title Hungary-image in France
Image of Hungary in France – the Hungarian Research Institute published its latest book with this title.
A scientific conference was also organized to present the volume, the patron of which was Eszter Vitályos, the parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation. In his greeting, the politician recalled the historical aspects of French-Hungarian relations. According to him, the millennia-old history of French-Hungarian relations is based on many beliefs and stereotypes. Among these are positive prejudices, such as the homeland of St. Martin and the defense of Christianity. But there are also scary ones, like the wrong folk etymology of the names ogre (monster) and hongrois.
One of the historical characteristics of Hungarian-French relations is that it is so durable that political antagonisms often put a strain on it. Be it the incursions of the “adventurous” Hungarians or France, the ally of Sultan Süleyman
– by who is the state secretary.
Eszter Vitályos’ intention is that the international real politics of the XIX. by the end of the century, he increasingly removed the two parallel historical narratives. – This is how the Hungarians, celebrated as champions of freedom in 1848, became the oppressors of the Slavs, and even though the Hungarian art world and supporters of progress continued to cast their watchful eyes on Paris, the great break of 1914 was inevitably approaching – said the state secretary.
He explained; while in Hungary Trianon became a symbol of national mourning, in France people are reminded of the excellent crystal glasses produced there since 1834, which were connected to the victory celebrations.
Does the French public opinion, which often sees our country as exotic and part of the East, have a realistic picture of our country and our national history?
– asked the government’s state secretary in his greeting. According to Eszter Vitályos, there is no clear answer to this question, but
the authors of the study volume, which is the basis of the conference, and the presenters of this scientific conference, strove in their writings to make their own optics as authentic as possible.
“We are exotic to each other, mutually, but there is still room for improvement in getting to know each other,” stated the state secretary about Hungarian-French relations.
György Károlyi, Hungary’s former ambassador to Paris, who was also the patron of the event, spoke in his welcome speech about the fact that the relationship between the two nations should be examined from a historical and current political point of view. “And the relationship can only be interpreted correctly if we put the latter in the perspective of the former,” he added.
According to him, the Hungarians still know France better than the French know Hungary. He said that he himself went to a French school. As he put it:
There are many people who criticize Hungary, who do so not out of malice or malice, but rather out of sheer ignorance.
– During the Second World War, while Hungary delicately tried to balance against the increasing German pressure, our country was brave enough, I would say, daring enough, to accept, feed, help and smuggle the French who escaped from the German camps back to the west through Yugoslavia. prisoners of war, taking a huge risk. As far as I know, no state has ever undertaken such a thing in wartime conditions – György Károlyi brought up a historical example in the his speech was full of interesting anecdotes.
The main ideas of further lectures given at the conference You can read it HERE.
Cover photo: State Secretary Eszter Vitályos gives a welcome speech at the conference “Image of Hungary in France” (Photo: Eszter Vitályos’ Facebook page)