BUDAPEST: HISTORY

Arriving into Budapest on the Danube was very lovely as you get an immediate preview of the castle, churches, parliament and several of its bridges. Here again, much of it has been rebuilt since the war, but it still has an old feel to it. We are not in San Diego.

Budapest consists of two cities that united in late 1873. Pest lies on one side of the Danube, and Obuda on the other, merging to form Budapest. Buda houses the palace, as well as the offices of the prime minister and president, while Pest is home to the Parliament. Buda is more tranquil and residential, whereas Pest is more vibrant and somewhat tourist-oriented. About 10 bridges span the Danube to connect the two parts of the city, with the Chain Bridge and the Elizabeth Bridge being the most notable. All the bridges were destroyed by the Germans as the Soviet army approached during WWII. Most of the bombings occurred on the Buda side, and much was rebuilt in the same style after the war, making it difficult to distinguish what is genuinely old from what is constructed to appear old. 

Daniel, our Context guide for the initial two days of touring, has experience as an independent news producer and operates a small theater company.  During our first half-day tour with Daniel, he provided a talk and walk to introduce us to Hungary's social and political landscape, and on the second day, we explored a variety of sites while enjoying more of his commentary. We valued his perspectives, as he is part of the liberal minority in a predominantly conservative country, and as an added bonus, he is gay, offering us insights into the LGBT+ community in Budapest.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has held office for two terms, initially from 1998 to 2002, and was re-elected in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Parliamentary elections decide the members who subsequently elect the president and the prime minister. Orban, who was initially more liberal, has consolidated his power and now controls state-run public news outlets. This situation is similar to Fox News taking over NPR and PBS Newshour. We are aware of the impact of fake news on our society, and Daniel pointed out these as challenges stemming from the propaganda Orban provides to his electorate, especially in rural areas. While Orban maintains friendly relations with Putin and China, he is not communist but rather highly nationalist.

In 1956, Hungary experienced a short-lived revolution while under Soviet control, coinciding with the Suez Canal crisis. The West's lack of intervention is thought to have contributed to Hungary's current hesitance to fully adopt Western ideals. Hungary eventually broke away from Soviet rule in 1989, but unlike the Czechs, it did not have a velvet revolution. Orban has been notably effective in swaying public opinion against migrants. His strong nationalism emerged in 2015 during a surge of asylum seekers from Syria and Afghanistan; he successfully built a fence along the southern border, which inspired Trump. Daniel believes much of Orban's approach has been adopted by Trump. In contrast, Angela Merkel responded to the large migration by opening Germany's borders, believing that NATO's actions had played a role in the conditions forcing migrants to flee, and that Germany should provide them refuge.

Although my blog centers on our travels, a short historical overview aids in comprehending modern Hungary and its development. The settlers in this region originated from West Asia and places such as Kazakhstan. The language they speak is Finno-Ugric, bearing more resemblance to Finnish and none to English. The Habsburgs governed the Austro-Hungarian Empire for centuries until 1867, when there was a movement for independence and the creation of a Hungarian parliament. Nonetheless, complete independence was not attained until 1917, after the Austro-Hungarian Empire's defeat.

The Treaty of Trianon at Versailles in 1920 led to the disintegration of the empire. The Allies established new borders without consulting the Hungarians. These borders defined Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary, Austria, and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which later became Yugoslavia, with little consideration for ethnic composition, similar to the British mandate that divided the Middle East. This treaty was highly contentious regarding Hungary's borders and left the country landlocked. The disregard for ethnic Hungarians who ended up outside Hungary's new borders caused significant anger and migration.

Before our trip, my understanding of the region was quite superficial, as this part of history wasn't covered in depth during my education. I feel fortunate that we can travel as we do, allowing us to spend quality time exploring. This enables us to gain insights beyond distinguishing between Gothic and Baroque churches, leading to a deeper understanding of the country and its people.

Returning to our history lesson, the Allies aimed to dismantle the empire to prevent the resurgence of the German Reich, and we know the outcome of that effort. Hungary was persuaded to join the Axis powers in WWII because Hitler promised to help restore ethnic lands lost after the Treaty of Trianon.

Besides controlling media outlets, Orban has aimed to suppress research that contradicts his agenda. Scientists at a research academy are now being instructed on what topics they can pursue and what is considered not to serve the "public interest." For example, gender studies are banned. George Soros had funded the Central European University to educate young intellectuals, but it was closed down because Orban opposes the presence of liberal elites and possibly holds animosity towards Soros due to his Jewish background. Students and faculty have since relocated to Vienna. This situation has led to unexpected alliances, as Soros is criticized by Orban, and Netanyahu also disapproves of Soros because of his views on the current Israeli government. Thus, Orban has managed to frame his anti-Semitism with an endorsement from Netanyahu. According to Daniel, the only other time a university was closed in Hungary was during the Nazi occupation.