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Recent Posts
- The Bodhi Tree
- One Hundred Years Ago, the Battlefields turned Red – November 1921: Poppies
- New Government Eases Path to German Citizenship
- There is a Bus Stop for Everyone
- Learning Minimalism from the Kids
- One Hundred Years Ago, an Ex-Emperor wanted to have another go at it – October 1921: Karl of Austria-Hungary
- A Damaged Roll of Film
- Cats of Lost Places
- Smuggling Cigars into Poland
- The Situation on the German-Polish Border
Category Archives: Hungary
One Hundred Years Ago, an Ex-Emperor wanted to have another go at it – October 1921: Karl of Austria-Hungary
Zur deutschen Fassung. After World War I, four empires lay in ruins. The former rulers dealt with sudden unemployment in very different ways. The Russian Czar Nicholas II got himself shot. The Ottoman Grand Vizier Talât Pasha got himself shot. … Continue reading
One Hundred Years Ago, Countries were established that have been all but forgotten – August 1921: Baranya-Baja and Tannu-Tuwa
Zur deutschen Fassung. Attentive readers of this series know that the maps of Europe and the Middle East were shaped in the years following World War I. For some states, however, you needed a magnifying glass to even find them … Continue reading
Posted in History, Hungary, Politics, Ukraine
Tagged Mongolia, Soviet Union, Trianon, Yugoslavia
6 Comments
Where is the center of Europe?
Reading the book Schwarze Erde, I became aware of a village in Ukraine that was calculated and named as the geographical center of Europe in 1887: Dilove. “Really?“ I wondered, not because I would begrudge Dilove the distinction, but because I had … Continue reading
Posted in Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Europe, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Maps, Photography, Poland, Travel, Ukraine
Tagged Europos Parkas, geography, Slovakia
13 Comments
My favorite quotes from “Journey by Moonlight”
One year ago, I introduced a wonderful novel to you: Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb. Because I know that most of you disregard my advice and haven’t read the book, here are some of my favorite quotes: Following a … Continue reading
How Romania got its flag
Romanians are really crazy about their flag. The blue-yellow-red banner hangs from every lamppost, in front of every building, in bakeries, doctor’s practices and in liquor stores. Because that is not enough, there is even a public holiday to celebrate … Continue reading
“Journey by Moonlight” by Antal Szerb
Despite my best efforts at revealing a lot of personal information about myself on this blog, most people don’t understand me at all. It’s not for lack of trying, they inquire about my life’s story, they spend days talking with me, they … Continue reading
Why Eastern Europe cannot accept more Refugees
Dear Western Europe, it seems you are in sulk about our unwillingness to accept more any refugees. It hurts us to hurt your feelings, so please allow us to explain things from an Eastern European perspective. We are certain you that … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Estonia, Europe, Human Rights, Hungary, Islam, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Politics, Statistics
Tagged refugees, Slovakia
20 Comments
Easily confused (52) Hungarian fences
Hungarian fence in 1989: Helping economic migrants who want to buy better cars and bananas – good. Hungarian fence in 2015: Helping genuine refugees from war-ravaged countries who risk their lives to survive – bad. And just because it rhymes: Hungarian dance
Hotel Trianon
I bet this hotel in Amsterdam doesn’t receive many guests from Hungary. Ok, that one is hard to understand for non-Hungarians or non-historians. Don’t worry about it, or – if you have too much time on your hands – read … Continue reading
A Party for Bashar al-Assad
Dictator, mass murderer, war criminal. That’s Bashar al-Assad. In a European capital city, a celebration is held in his honor. That’s freedom of speech. Thus observed by me in Budapest in April 2015, on “Heroes’ Square” fittingly, between the Palace of Art and … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 