An interesting Hromada: a publication of the Ukrainian Cultural Society of Hungary (10/19/03)

An interesting Hromada: a publication of the Ukrainian Cultural Society of Hungary

by Christine M. Sochocky

MONTREAL - If it were possible to organize a presentation of Ukrainian magazines, both from Ukraine and the diaspora, the Budapest Hromada would surely rank among the best.

A publication of the Ukrainian Cultural Society of Hungary (UCSH), the bilingual, Ukrainian Hungarian magazine, which is subsidized by the Hungarian government, has been coming out every two months since its inception in 1991, and is sent out to 5,000 UCS members.

Upon perusal of just a few issues, one is most positively impressed. The 36-page glossy publication is attractive in both form and content. Interesting historical and cultural material is deftly combined with an equally evident interest in contemporary issues. The overall impression is that of a most informative, high quality, contemporary publication. (Hromada is available on the Internet at www.ukrajinci.hu.)

The contents of the magazine feature a chronicle of UCSH activities, a letters to the editor column, a current events section, as well as separate sections on history and on culture and the arts, a "family circle" section, and a children's page. The back side of the cover page carries a historical dateline of significant events in Ukrainian history.

As a chronicle of the life of the Ukrainian community in Hungary, and of the UCSH specifically, the publication is instrumental also in delineating the society's goals and documenting its activity.

From the magazine's content, it is clear that the UCSH has close ties with similar societies in Croatia and in Slovakia, as well as in other European countries. The society also has close contacts with Ukraine, as attested to by frequent visits to the region by prominent individuals and by numerous guest artists, choirs and ensembles.

With reference to the many direct, and historic, contacts with Ukraine, one of the issues, for example, carries a story by Natalia Drahomanova-Bartai, member of the publication's editorial board and granddaughter of the renowned scholar, civic leader, publicist and political thinker Mykhailo Drahomanov (1841-1895), who writes about the unveiling of the Drahomanov monument in Kyiv, a ceremony to which she was invited, and of her subsequent meeting with students in Ukraine's capital.

Furthermore, the September-October 2002 issue, carries informative articles on such themes as the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933, the cinematographer and director Oleksander Dovzhenko, and the first Ukrainian-language Gospels from Peresopnytsia.

Yet another issue, that of January-February 2001, which is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the UCSH, gives coverage to such events as the 10th European Congress of Ukrainians, which was held in Budapest; has selections from the Kozak period of Ukrainian history, including features on the fortress at Khotyn and Kozak insignia; a feature on the sculptor Bohdan Korzs; and an extensive obituary on Petro Jacyk, Ukrainian Canadian businessman and philanthropist, patron of numerous scholarly projects and institutions of higher learning associated with Ukrainian studies.

All materials are consistently well researched and informative and very readable.

"Hromada" solves the challenge of bilingualism by allotting equal space to each language; the articles are either directly translated or varying materials presented on the same given subject. Clearly, those with the knowledge of both languages have an advantage.

Apart from the publication of the magazine, the UCSH has undertaken several rather unique and highly successful projects, among them, a collaborative venture involving Hungary, Egypt and Ukraine. Spearheaded by scholar and Hromada Editor Eva Grig·ssy, whose research encompassed work written by Lesia Ukrainka while in Egypt (1910-1913), a delegation was sent to Egypt to present a book of poems of that period by Lesia Ukrainka, in Hungarian translation by Ms. Grigássy, along with a bas-relief sculpture of the poetess by Bohdan Korzs.

The delegation was graciously received and the items presented were officially accepted as part of the collection comprising the new, ultra-modern Library of Alexandria. Present at the official ceremony were the governor of Alexandria, as well as representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt.

Another UCSH project, written up in the November-December 2001 issue, was the commissioning of a monument in Tihany, on Hungary's Lake Balaton, celebrating the marriage and coronation of Hungarian King András I and Kyivan Princess Anastasia, in 1047. The unveiling of the monument on November 17, 2001, was a most festive occasion, marking a milestone in good relations in the history of both peoples.

Among the society's recent publications are two books: "Poslaniye" (1999), a selection of Taras Shevchenko's poetry; and, "Slovo o Polku Ihorevim" (2000). Although small in format, these are very attractive editions, with selected poems printed in the two respective languages on facing pages.

The editor of Hromada and president of the Society of Ukrainian Culture in Hungary is Jaroslava Hartianyi. Given Ms. Hartianyi's accomplishments and youth, one can only extrapolate as to what she is capable of accomplishing in the future.

[ILLUSTRATIONS]

Pictured on the left is Éva Grigássy (1925-2002), poet, translator, journalist, and editor-in-chief of Hromada (2000-2002). Born in Berehiv, in the Zakarpattia region of Ukraine, Ms. Grigássy was founder and patron of the Attila Zoltan literary prize (1985); recipient of the Lesia Ukrainka medal (1997) and laureate of the Salvator Quasimodo litererary competition (1998).

Her translations into Hungarian included works of classical literature and that of contemporary authors from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and Egypt. Among her latest endeavors was work on ancient Egyptian texts, and the poetry collection "Ra-Menes," which includes her translation into Hungarian of the poetry of Lesia Ukrainka during the latter's sojourn in Egypt.

* * *

The cover on the right features a monument marking the marriage and coronation of Hungarian King András I and Kyivan Princess Anastasia' daughter of Grand Prince Yaroslav Mudryi (Yaroslav the Wise) of Kyivan-Rus', which took place in 1047.

The sculpture by Bohdan Korzs, with Oleh Turyk, architect, stands in Tihany, on Lake Balaton, site of a monastery founded by the king where the royal couple were later buried. Dedicated on November 17, 2001, the monument was commissioned as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Ukrainian Cultural Society of Hungary.

Officiating at the religious services that were part of the dedication ceremony were Abbot Gyula Máté of the Benedictine Monastery in Tihany and Metropolitan Andriy Horak of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Lviv; Minister of Culture of Ukraine Yuriy Bohutsky, and his Hungarian counterpart, secretary of state, Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Gyula Ecsédi; and the deputy mayor of Tihany, Dr. Péter Bede.

Among participants at the ceremony were delegates of the 10th European Congress of Ukrainians, members of the Ukrainian community in Hungary, local residents and foreign tourists.

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