Anniversaries in Hungary 2002

1052 At Pozsony (today Bratislava, Slovakia) Kund the Diver scuttled the German fleet in the River Danube.

1252 St Margaret, daughter of the king, moved to convent in the Island of Rabbits. (See also the article on Hungarian saints)

1552 Siege of Castle Eger The south part of Hungary was under Turkish occupation since 1526. Turks armies occupied more and more territories year by year. In 1552 Turks armies took castle Temesvar and Szolnok. The united armies with 70000 soldiers turned to north toward Eger, which was named as "the gate of Northern Hungary'. In the castle were only 2500 Hungarian soldiers who saved the castle during 38 days, in spite of treason, and explosion of reserved gunpowder. In 18th of October Turks army was retreated. Geza Gardonyi, Hungarian writer, in the novel 'Stars of Eger', immortalized this Hungarian success. The adventure story shows the life of the 16th century and the Hungarian heroes of Eger. This is one of the much-read book in Hungary. The writer, Gardonyi, was also buried in the castle of Eger.

1752 13th of April. The earliest survived postmark print originated in that day with inscription 'Von Debreczin' (from Debrecen).

1802 Foundation of National Széchényi Library In summer the library celebrated its 200th anniversary with a unique exhibition on Corvinas (library of King Matthias). The International Corvina Exhibition shows borrowed items from Florence, Wolfenbattel and Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Altogether 48 Corvina codices were included in the exhibition. But what is the Corvina? The Bibliotheca Corviniana was one of the largest and more valuable book (manuscripts and codices) collections in the 15th century. http://www.oszk.hu/eng/index.html

1802 In that year was born Lajos Kossuth. Lajos Kossuth is the most well known Hungarian worldwide. He was the leader of the Independence War of 1848-49. Kossuth was born in 1802 in Monok. He became a lawyer end a member of the first Independent Government. His radical politics saved the results of the bloodless revolution of 15th Marc 1848 with guns. As governor he directed the war. When the Russian Army defeated the Independence War, Kossuth moved to Turkey. 150 years ago in 1851-52 he went round in the USA to get support for Hungary. At that time was made the so-called 'Kossuth dollar' banknotes. By the end of 1857 Kossuth lived in London and later he moved to Torino where he worked up to his death in 1894. He was buried in Budapest. The name Kossuth became same as 'Independent Hungary'. He has the most statues in Hungary and in every Hungarian settlement has at least one Kossuth Street. Interesting thing is that Budapest has 18 Kossuth Street or Square, but there are many statue in America as well.

Go To Page: 1 2