What does it mean to act as the director of the United Magyar House in Los Angeles?
I can afford two things: to be generous and at the same time I am not forced to tell lies. I have been president here for seven years and I feel that during this time, an exemplary community atmosphere has developed. A Magyar House where compromises can be made and where everyone is free to think what they like. We are very tolerant with each others' opinions and interests. This house is clearly free of religion and politics and it avoids extremist trends and voices. This does not mean that we exclude religion and politics but we refuse to make a general stand. All issues are open to debate within these walls. We are open to everyone.
How did you become the president of the Magyar House?
When I arrived in Los Angeles in 1988, I did not seek contacts with this Hungarian institution because it did not have a very good reputation. But through a friend of mine, Ilona Rex contacted me with plans to change the organisational, community and cultural structures in the Magyar House. Initially I only had a minor role in these activities but I soon became a vice-president and in the first election cycle in 2003, the 12-member committee elected me president. This is a non-profit job, each member of the board working without financial compensation. I spend 3-4 hours daily with the centre's affairs, there is plenty of paperwork, negotiations and arranging issues over the phone.
How do you remember of your life in Budapest?
As Zorán sang on his 30-year Jubilee album, "Those were the great times," and that's how I remember my childhood. It was a good time to be born, in 1947: we had nothing yet we had everything. We were street kids, raised by grandparents. My very intelligent grandmother determined the rest of my life. I graduated from the Szilágyi Erzsébet Secondary School and then followed that up at the Kandó Kálmán Technical College. It was a nice period of my life, full of hopes. I also found love, when I met my later wife during the college years. Our son Botond is already 27 years old.
Several thousands of Hungarians set out to in the past decades and century, expecting to find a better life in this country the size of a continent. Did you find what you had hoped for when you emigrated?
At first I did. I had a good foundation when I left Hungary. At Kandó we studied about computers operated with punched cards. I took my first job in 1972 and the world of computers accompanied me throughout my life. I started my new life in the land of hope as an employee of IBM in 1988. However, as a result of bad business calculations, the company lost millions of dollars in 1992. The company recovered but we did not. There are big differences between business life in Hungary and in America, with very different approaches. My business experiences from Hungary were hardly of any use. Even today, when someone starts a business venture in America, they will find numerous differences and difficulties. There are 120,000 Hungarians living in Los Angeles today and there were probably even more before the post-communist transformation took place. During the 1990s, many of those who were not rich here decided to move back home because they could live better there from the American pension. Those who were rich here, invested and started a business in the new Hungary. Those who returned did not find their place anywhere. I once read a book by György Marosán, titled One Must Travel Till the End of the Road. I believe that we all have our own road to travel, we have a task that we have to accomplish and we must travel to the end, even if it is bumpy. If I had to choose today, I would probably not leave home. I am Hungarian all through and perhaps as the president of the Magyar House and with this identity, I can do more for my compatriots who have been torn away from their homeland. I feel it is my mission to cultivate this Hungarian identity even from a distance of several thousand miles. With the help of modern technology, cultural traditions and even contemporary Hungarian culture can be taught, we only have to make an effort.
Since setting up the house in 1906, has its existence or function never been threatened?
During more difficult times, this building had a great many functions, including a petrol station and an orphanage. One's own property is a great value in America and this was threatened several times during crises. Not only the economic crises but also the crises of the Hungarian communities. According to our statutes, if the number of members goes below 12, then the house must be offered to Hungarian non-profit organisations operating in Los Angeles. The question is, who should we offer the house to today....Six Hungarian churches operate in the city, the group of old scouts, and the World Federation of Hungarian Freedom Fighters which was run by the recently deceased actress Éva Szörényi. The Magyar House was basically born from the merger of two organisations. Ever since the 1920s, the Association of Young American Hungarian Families planned finance-based cooperation with the pioneers sports association because neither had enough money to maintain the building. It is a four-storey building and the largest room, the ballroom, was added in 1947. The cost of maintaining such a building is huge and the two organisations officially joined forces in 1969, thus the United Magyar House came to existence. The events of 1956 resulted in a great flux of Hungarians and the institution became a popular meeting place. That period was the golden age of the Hungarian house. After the change of system in Eastern Europe, during the early 1990s, the image of an enemy disappeared and the house lost its functions but events were still held exclusively on a political basis. The members of the new Hungarian government came to visit the Hungarians living here - Los Angeles is the capital of Hungarians in the west. These politicians often turned to American Hungarians for advice, they listened to their experiences with democracy and business and sought to establish links with them.
What Hungarian organisations does the institution maintain close links with?
There is no official link between the organisations but still the Magyar House is "THE Magyar house" for all Hungarian organisations. We organise the majority of events with intense help from the head of the Consulate General, Balázs Bokor. The Magyar House of Los Angeles celebrates all three national holidays within the premises, in conjunction with the consulate general. We believe this is a great achievement and an excellent cooperation.
Who are the members of the institution?
Everyone can become a member of the house who pays the annual fee. New applicants need to have two references and the board decides whether they should be admitted into the community. We usually do not reject anyone. Perhaps there was one case when the application was turned down because the person had extremist views. We currently have around 120 regular members but there are many more who visit our institution.
What cultural events does the institution offer to local communities?
Currently there is a great range of choice. Never before had there been so many different events as in the past few years. Film screenings, chanson evenings, piano recitals, theatre events, book presentations, exhibitions, and literary events. Some excellent musicians visited us recently: pianists Dániel Lebhardt and László Mező played, followed by a renaissance group that was a huge success with audiences. This group was not from Hungary, but from Long Beach, but it is led by a Hungarian. Andy Vajna, Kata Dobó and István Fenyő recently visited us for the screening of Children of Glory and the actress used to maintain very close links with our institution until she moved back to Hungary. We have a special favourite: director Gergely Fonyó. In the summer of 2009, with the recommendation and help of the Consulate General, we held the Los Angeles premiere of his most recent work, Made in Hungária, which was also included in the Golden Globe selection.
If money was no obstacle, who would you like to invite next?
I would welcome the whole of Hungary. But since this is impossible, I'd like to invite Zorán.
Interviewer: Virág Vida
