Origins of Hungarian

Hungarian, or magyar is a non-Indo-European language, a member of the Finno-Ugric group of languages (like Finnish and Estonian). Hungarian has about 14 million native speakers, mostly in Hungary and its seven neighboring countries such as Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, and Ukraine. Hungarian is an agglutinative language, meaning that it adds prefixes and suffixes to words to express grammatical relationships rather than using auxiliary words. For instance, the word ház means “house,” but when you add the suffix -ban, it becomes házban, meaning “in the house.” Hungarian has 18 cases, each indicating a different grammatical function, such as possession, direction, location, and manner. This reliance on cases can make Hungarian sentences longer, but it also allows for a great deal of flexibility in word order, as the grammatical relationships are indicated by the word endings rather than the position of the words in the sentence. For example, “I am in the house” in Hungarian can be translated as A házban vagyok, where házban means “in the house,” and vagyok means “I am.” Hungarian also has vowel harmony. This means that vowels within a word must harmonize and be either front or back vowels. For example, words with front vowels (such as e, i, ö, ü) require suffixes that also contain front vowels, while words with back vowels (such as a, o, u) must use suffixes that match them giving Hungarian a rhythmic and melodic quality.

Hungarian uses the Latin alphabet, with several extra letters: accented vowels (á, é, í, ó, ö, ő, ú, ü, ű), digraphs (two characters representing a single letter (cs, dz, gy, ly, ny, sz, ty, zs) and even a trigraph (dzs). Characters with diacritical marks are considered separate letters. Vowels that differ only in length are treated the same when ordering words. Example: O and Ó are not distinguished in ordering, neither are Ö and Ő, but the latter two follow the O's.

Alphabet:

A Á B C Cs D Dz Dzs E É F G Gy H I Í J K L Ly M N Ny O Ó Ö Ő P (Q) R S Sz T Ty U Ú Ü Ű V (W) (X) (Y) Z Zs a á b c cs d dz dzs e é f g gy h i í j k l ly m n ny o ó ö ő p (q) r s sz t ty u ú ü ű v (w) (x) (y) z zs

Hungarian Literature

Hungarian literature traces its origins to the medieval period, when the first written works appeared in Latin, which was the scholarly and religious language of the time. The Funeral Sermon and Prayer (Hungarian: Halotti beszéd és könyörgés) is the oldest known and surviving contiguous Hungarian text, written by one scribal hand in the Latin script and dating to 1192–1195.

The Chronicon Pictum, a medieval chronicle from the Kingdom of Hungary in the 14th century, is one of the important works of this period.

The 16th and 17th centuries saw a flourishing of Hungarian literature as poets, playwrights, and scholars. Writers like Bálint Balassi, known for his passionate poetry, became an important figure during this period. His works reflect the Renaissance ideals of love and humanism. However, much of the literature of this era was focused on religious themes, as Hungary was deeply influenced by the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation.

The 19th century was a defining era for Hungarian literature, as the country struggled with political upheaval, foreign domination, and a growing sense of national identity. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, which sought independence from the Austrian Empire, was a pivotal moment in the country’s history, and literature played a key role in the nationalistic movements of the time. Romanticism took hold in Hungary during this period, influencing literature with its emphasis on national identity, emotion, and the celebration of the folk culture. One of the central figures of this era was Sándor Petőfi, Hungary’s national poet.

Petőfi’s works, especially his famous poem Nemzeti dal (National Song), became rallying cries for the revolutionaries in 1848. His poetry celebrated the struggle for freedom, the beauty of the Hungarian language, and the ideals of liberty and equality. Petőfi’s passion, lyricism, and devotion to his homeland made him an enduring symbol of Hungarian patriotism.

In addition to Petőfi, another giant of Hungarian literature in the 19th century was Mór Jókai, a prolific novelist whose works captured the national spirit and history. His novels, such as The Baron’s Sons, painted vivid portraits of Hungarian society during the 19th century, blending adventure with social commentary.

The 20th century brought dramatic changes to Hungarian literature, as Hungary faced the impact of the two World Wars, the interwar period, and the rise of totalitarian regimes. Modernism began to influence Hungarian writers, who sought new ways of representing the complexities of the modern world. One of the most prominent figures of 20th-century Hungarian literature was Imre Kertész, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2002.

Kertész’s works, particularly Fatelessness (Sorstalanság), deal with the Holocaust and its lasting effects on Hungarian society. Kertész, a Holocaust survivor himself, captured the sense of alienation and existential struggle that defined the post-war era. His writing is characterized by its deep philosophical reflection and exploration of the human condition, making him one of Hungary’s most significant literary voices. After World War II, Hungary fell under Soviet influence, and the country became a communist state. During the Soviet era, literature in Hungary, as in other Eastern Bloc countries, was heavily censored and shaped by the doctrine of socialist realism. Writers had to adhere to the political ideals of the regime, and many writers were silenced or forced into exile. However, even under the oppressive regime, Hungarian literature continued to thrive, often in subtle and indirect ways.

László Krasznahorkai used symbolism and allegory to convey deeper truths about the human experience, often critiquing the political environment without directly challenging the authorities. Krasznahorkai, for instance, is known for his complex and darkly poetic style, often exploring themes of despair, existential crisis, and the absurdity of modern life. His novel Satantango is a stark and bleak portrayal of life in a Hungarian village, and it was later adapted into a celebrated film by director Béla Tarr.

Hungarian Art

Hungarian art has deep medieval and religious roots strongly influenced by the Christian faith and the surrounding European artistic traditions. During the Middle Ages, Hungary was a significant part of the Kingdom of Hungary, and its art was largely religious in nature, focusing on biblical themes.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the influence of Romanesque and Gothic styles began to make their mark on Hungarian art, particularly in the creation of frescoes, stained glass, and altarpieces. These artworks, often adorning churches and monasteries, were rich in religious symbolism and artistry.

The Esztergom Basilica and the Visegrád Palace are prime examples of the Gothic architectural and artistic heritage of this period.

The 16th century was a time of transition, as Hungary faced both the threat of Ottoman invasion and the growing influence of European Renaissance ideals. The Baroque and Rococo periods in Hungary, which spanned the 17th and 18th centuries, were marked by opulence and grandeur, much like the rest of Europe.

One of the key figures of Hungarian Baroque art was András Mayerhoffer, whose works exemplified the emotional intensity and drama of the Baroque style. Hungarian Baroque painting and sculpture were also influenced by Austrian, Italian, and Flemish artists, who brought their own techniques to Hungarian royal courts and churches.

The Rococo style, which emerged later, introduced a lighter and more decorative style of painting and sculpture. Artists like Gyula Benczúr became known for their playful and intimate depictions of everyday life and their intricate designs.

The 19th century was a time of profound political and cultural change in Hungary, and this was reflected in its art. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, in particular, played a significant role in shaping national consciousness and, by extension, Hungarian art. Romanticism took hold in Hungary during this time, focusing on national identity, the glorification of nature, and the struggles of the Hungarian people. Hungarian Romantic artists sought to define and express a unique Hungarian spirit, which they did through landscapes, portraits, and historical themes.

One of the most notable artists of this era was Miklós Barabás, whose romantic portraits captured the strength and nobility of Hungary’s people and aristocracy.

József Borsos was a notable artist best known for his paintings in the Biedermeier style.

Mihály Munkácsy earned his international reputation with his genre pictures and large-scale biblical paintings.

The early 20th century marked a turning point in Hungarian art. Modernism, with its rejection of traditional forms and its focus on abstraction and experimentation, began to take hold in Hungary in the wake of the First World War. The country’s political upheaval, coupled with the emergence of new artistic movements, created fertile ground for revolutionary and avant-garde ideas.

One of the leading figures of Hungarian modernism was László Moholy-Nagy, a painter and photographer who was a prominent member of the Bauhaus school in Germany. Moholy-Nagy was a pioneer of abstract art and explored new media such as photography, film, and light. His experimental approach to art was deeply influenced by the principles of the Bauhaus and the desire to integrate art with technology.

During this period, Hungarian art also saw the development of the Nagybánya School, a group of artists based in the town of Nagybánya (now Baia Mare, Romania). These artists, including István Csók and Károly Ferenczy, combined elements of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, focusing on light, color, and everyday life.

Cubes, Pens, and The Subway

One of Hungary’s most famous exports is the Rubik’s Cube, invented by Hungarian architect and professor Ernő Rubik in 1974. Originally called the “Magic Cube,” it became a global sensation, and it’s still one of the most popular puzzles in the world. Rubik’s Cube has inspired a whole generation of puzzle enthusiasts and mathematicians, and the World Rubik’s Cube Championship takes place regularly, with competitors from around the globe. The current world record for solving a 3x3x3 Rubik's cube is 3.134 seconds!

Hungary is also the birthplace of the modern ballpoint pen. The pen was invented by Hungarian-Argentine journalist László Bíró in 1931. His design replaced fountain pens, which often smeared, with a much more efficient, ink-filled rollerball. A ballpoint pen is widely referred to as a "biro" in many countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia and Italy. In Argentina the ballpoint pen is known as birome.

The First European Subway System: Budapest’s M1 Metro is the oldest underground metro system in Europe, completed in 1896. It was originally built to celebrate the millennium of Hungary and is still operational today.

"Minden kezdet nehéz." “Every beginning is difficult.”

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