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August 20...
.... is the biggest national holiday in Hungary. It's the anniversary of the foundation of our state by St. Stephan I, our very first King in the year 1000.
For the last 20 years, every year the rock opera featuring this event will be shown in some open-air theatre, either here or in Transylvania, where still several million of our people live, trapped after the Peace Treaty of Trianon, after World Ware I.
The foundation of a Christian Hungary was also the most horrible kin-strife in the history of our country. St. Stephan, supported by the Catholic church, fought a short but brutal war against his own uncle, at the time the greatest warlord of the country, who was not willing to bend his head under the Church. The folk was decimated, our own - pagan - culture torn out with its very roots. We have become a Christian people... by iron and blood.
History proves that Stephan was right, after all. As a loose alliance of unorganized pagan tribes we wouldn't have survived in a circle of strong, feudal states. After a century of fighting agaisnt all our neighbours, we wouldn't have lasted much longer.
It's still a horrible tragedy, though. We bought our existence for the price of our unique culture. The Church did thorough work in erasing our culture. All that reamined are a few old tales, passed down from generation to generation in secret. And a few old songs the true meaning of which has mostly been forgotten, too.
Every year, I sit down before the TV and watch this particular rock opera called "Stephan the King" again. It's an emotional rollercaster, feeling first the one, then the other side, as at the end both had only one thing in mind: to save the country and the folk from extinction. They just had different ideas about it. As it's a modern interpretation of the events, every tragedy of our history is addressed in it in the arguments. This is a history lesson that millions watch every year - either live or on TV.
A very hard lesson that leaves me emotionally drained every time.
This year the performance was in Transylvania, where our people havd lived as an oppressed minority for decades. Things are somewhat better now, but I could relate to the ecstatic reaction of the audience. I was born in Transylvania, and when we moved to Hungary, we'd never think that such a performance would ever be taking place back there. People were standing all over the stage with burning torches and Hungarian flags. And at the end they all sang the national hymn with the actors.
No, we never thought this could ever happen.
All right, I am really drained now. Time for bed, I think. Soon.
For the last 20 years, every year the rock opera featuring this event will be shown in some open-air theatre, either here or in Transylvania, where still several million of our people live, trapped after the Peace Treaty of Trianon, after World Ware I.
The foundation of a Christian Hungary was also the most horrible kin-strife in the history of our country. St. Stephan, supported by the Catholic church, fought a short but brutal war against his own uncle, at the time the greatest warlord of the country, who was not willing to bend his head under the Church. The folk was decimated, our own - pagan - culture torn out with its very roots. We have become a Christian people... by iron and blood.
History proves that Stephan was right, after all. As a loose alliance of unorganized pagan tribes we wouldn't have survived in a circle of strong, feudal states. After a century of fighting agaisnt all our neighbours, we wouldn't have lasted much longer.
It's still a horrible tragedy, though. We bought our existence for the price of our unique culture. The Church did thorough work in erasing our culture. All that reamined are a few old tales, passed down from generation to generation in secret. And a few old songs the true meaning of which has mostly been forgotten, too.
Every year, I sit down before the TV and watch this particular rock opera called "Stephan the King" again. It's an emotional rollercaster, feeling first the one, then the other side, as at the end both had only one thing in mind: to save the country and the folk from extinction. They just had different ideas about it. As it's a modern interpretation of the events, every tragedy of our history is addressed in it in the arguments. This is a history lesson that millions watch every year - either live or on TV.
A very hard lesson that leaves me emotionally drained every time.
This year the performance was in Transylvania, where our people havd lived as an oppressed minority for decades. Things are somewhat better now, but I could relate to the ecstatic reaction of the audience. I was born in Transylvania, and when we moved to Hungary, we'd never think that such a performance would ever be taking place back there. People were standing all over the stage with burning torches and Hungarian flags. And at the end they all sang the national hymn with the actors.
No, we never thought this could ever happen.
All right, I am really drained now. Time for bed, I think. Soon.
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The Peace Treaty of Trianon took two-third of our territory from us and gave it to other countries: Russia, Slowakia, Austria, Yugoslavia, Romania, etc. Transylvania was the biggest chunk being torn from the flesh of our county... and the oppression was the worst there, because we were a big minority. Thank God these times seem to be over.
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What it also reminded me of was Tolkien's regrets about everything that was lost in Anglo-Saxon culture after the Norman invasion.
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No. Nor would it be a good thing, regardless of what our overly nationalistic party might say. There were full of minorities when they were taken from Hugnary, and the balance of population has changed greatly during the last 80 years. Those minorities have long become majorities - besides, these parts are in a very low economic level. Our country would go down financially in no time, would they be rejoined.
No, they belong to these other countries now, and the best we can hope is to remain on this relatively peaceful way of co-existence. It's still not easy, but it's getting better, so there is a chance, after all those decades of hostility.
What it also reminded me of was Tolkien's regrets about everything that was lost in Anglo-Saxon culture after the Norman invasion.
Yes, indeed. Which was exactly the thing that inspired me to write my 1,500+ pages monstrosity of an original fic back in the early 1980es. Using motives of folk tales, the few historical fact that are still known and stuff. I actually was arrogant enough to believe that when Tolkien managed it for England, I could do the same for my people. *shakes head*
We should remain quiet about the actual results here...
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Yes, indeed. Which was exactly the thing that inspired me to write my 1,500+ pages monstrosity of an original fic back in the early 1980es. Using motives of folk tales, the few historical fact that are still known and stuff. I actually was arrogant enough to believe that when Tolkien managed it for England, I could do the same for my people. *shakes head*
We should remain quiet about the actual results here...
But Tolkien gave up his original intention, too, didn't he? ("My crest has long since fallen.") And look what came out of the attempt!
Once upon a time I contemplated composing a "Mythology for the Low Countries". In these parts, most of the texts written prior to 1200 perished by moisture and mould. (All the Germanic languages have an old, a middle and a modern stage - except ours: there's no such thing as Old Dutch).
But I soon realised the task was way beyond me, so I gave up before I even started.
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But I'm still hoping to break down that ungodly long and hurriedly-written story into a dozen smaller parts and rewrite it one day. Maybe when I've retired.
Assuming I live long enough to reach my retirement. There is no guarantee for that in school work.