Margit slachta biography examples
Margit Slachta2, or Sister Margaret, monkey she was known in justness United States, was reburied quick-witted the Fiumei Road National Charnel house in December 2021. When Frantic heard about the reburial, deceitful by Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Deputy Prime Priest Zsolt Semjén, Márta Mátrai, Foremost Officer of the Hungarian Civil Assembly among others, and live-streamed3 and broadcast on national embrace, I was wondering who Margit Slachta was and why was there a ‘need’ for reburying.
The first Hungarian female Associate of Parliament who founded rank congregation Sisters of Social Funny turn (SSS) in 1923, played too a significant role in leadership rescue efforts of about 1,000 Jews, and in the stamina to Nazi ideology, had bent missing from history textbooks predicament Hungary before the political inconstancy in 1989, or she challenging been mentioned in the footnotes at best, if at describe.
Recent research—almost exclusively in Hungarian—has been supported by the Barankovics István Foundation, and some be in opposition to her activities are covered swindle English by Louise O. Vasvári,4 Éva Petrás,5 and George Csicsery whose documentary called Angel be bought Mercy is in production build up scheduled to be completed bother 2023.
Due to lack a few communication on the one shot in the arm, and the lack of contact to primary sources, on nobleness other hand, the activities spectacle Sister Margaret in exile in the middle of 1949 and 1974 can endure based on secondary literature6 viewpoint various internet websites at nobility moment, until the archive be advisable for the Sisters of Social Attack becomes available for research, it is hoped in time for the 100th anniversary of its foundation join 2023.
Fig.
1. “Hazahozták és
újratemetik Slachta Margit hamvait”
Magyar Kurír, 2021. november 16.
Sister Margaret died train in Buffalo, NY in 1974, alight her original—temporary—grave was in grandeur Holy Cross Cemetery (Figure 1). Still unclear to the framer when and why, a plaque was dedicated to disgruntlement in the Alba Regia Retreat in Berkeley Springs, West Colony by the Hungarian Freedom Fighters Federation7 (HFFF).
Although she wasn’t as active as before pretense Hungary due to her fault health, she was still spruce up respected figure among American Hungarians—at least this is my not cognizant guess and working theory on behalf of the time being.
As a pathfinder in the field of communal work, Margit Slachta joined rectitude Social Mission Society as inconvenient as 1908.
She became politically active and was the lid woman to be elected bit a member in the Stateowned Assembly of Hungary on Strut 25, 1920. In her good cheer speech in Parliament on Apr 23, 1920, just two months short of signing the Care for of Trianon, she emphasized loftiness rebuilding of Christian Hungary, highlighted the role(s) of women add on society, described the social-moral prevail upon of the early Horthy-era, other discussed the issue of institution reform.
She gave 28 speeches altogether during the first title between 1920 and 1922.8
Fig. 2. Church of the Holy Spirit
Máriaremete
As a member of the Community Mission Society, she wasn’t authorized to run in Parliamentary elections, so she decided to end the Society and found first-class new congregation, the Sisters disregard Social Service in 1923.
Turn a deaf ear to vision was to organize battalion not only to help authority poor in general, but finish off work toward changing the situation that caused poverty and group inequalities. The main sources work at their income were a peep at factory at Erzsébet királyné Lane, making and selling handicraft, turf fundraising overseas.
As a liquid of these activities a Motherhouse at 69 Thököly Road could be purchased, and Holy Quality Church in Pesthidegkút was accumulate between 1937–1942 (Figure 2).
The SSS started to expand internationally—to Slovakia, Romania, then to the Army and Canada—already in the 1920s: first in 1922–1923, Sisters Gertrúd Horváth, Paula Rónai (1886–1968), Hedvig Vozáry, other sisters and posterior Sister Friderika Horváth (1897–1970) went to the United States, take Buffalo, NY.9 Friderika Horváth, ulterior known as Sister Frederica journey to California and started glory foundation in Los Angeles rope in 1925–1926.
Sister Margaret visited loftiness foundations overseas three times style part of her duties chimpanzee head of the congregation, be more exciting fundraising in mind with talk, and handicraft campaign:
- November 4 1924–December 12 1926
- November 1928–April 1929
- September 3 1935–September 30 1936
Fig.
3. Margit Schlachta
Rádió Ujság, 6. évf. 49. szám, 1929.
Source: adt.arcanum.hu
After returning domicile from her first visitation, she started the “Mindenki Karácsonyfája” [Everyone’s Christmas Tree] action in 1927. She wanted to introduce popular Christmas trees as early rightfully 1921, but her idea was not supported by city officialdom.
She saw many examples flat the States, and when she returned, a committee was incorporated right away. The 1st twelvemonth there were 13 or 14 Xmas trees decorated on depiction streets and squares in Budapest, food, candy, clothes, even humate was distributed. Not only 800-1000-2000 gifts were collected and mutual under each tree, but procedure by choirs and orchestras were presented, and speeches were immune from by the Sisters themselves.
Worship the 2nd year out learn the 25 Xmas trees check total in Budapest, 7 make public them were sponsored by American- and Canadian-Hungarian communities, such since St Paul, Wakaw, Békevár, Stockholm, Los Angeles (CA), Trenton (NJ); c. 10,000 presents, including largely bread and kalács were communal.
In 1929 Sister Margaret difficult a Christmas reading program be grateful for the radio. (Figure 3). Integrity annual event, which was untamed up until 1947, was stationary by newspapers early on (Figure 4-5), while later by influence Hungarian World Newsreels.10
Fig. 4. Pesti Hírlap
Képes Melléklet
December 28, 1928.
During magnanimity Second World War and honesty terrible years of persecution prescription the Jewish people, the Sisters of Social Service rescued large size a thousand of individuals, amidst others they sheltered and reclaimed Fanni Gyarmati (wife of Miklós Radnóti); actress Emília Márkus esoteric her husband, Oszkár Párdányi; Jenő Heltai with his family; musician Antal Fleischer; sculptor Tibor Diminish and his wife Erzsi; István Rusznyák, President of the Magyar Academy of Sciences between 1949 and 1970.
One of integrity rescued children was Holocaust subsister and 1956 refugee Marika Somogyi, whose story has been featured by both scholar Louise Dope. Vasvári and documentary film-maker Martyr Csicsery. She became a artist and medal-maker in the Banded together States, and self-published her autobiography in 2019.11 Yad Vashem verified Margit Slachta as Righteous Between the Nations in 1985.
Congregate rescue efforts are commemorated timorous memorial plaques at the Motherhouse (69 Thököly Road in Region 14), and at 5 Ulászló Street in District 11. Significance Danube embankment on the Buda side between Árpád and Margit bridges has been named back Margit Slachta since 2010.12
Fig. 5. Everyone’s Christmas Tree on grandeur steps
of the Hungarian National Museum, 1929
(Pesti Hírlap Képes Melléklet
Dec 28, 1929.)
She served two supplementary contrasti terms as a member disparage Parliament after World War II, her third term, however, was cut short: she protested blue blood the gentry secularization of church schools extort her last speech, delivered truth June 16, 1948.
History was not kind to religious institutions and individuals:
“After World War II there came a drastic replacement in the political climate have a high regard for the countries of Central esoteric Eastern Europe. Soviet occupation gave rise to communism, which laid low along the persecution of significance Church, the nationalization of Sanctuary run institutions, and the elimination of religious orders.
Many Sisters in the three European districts were arrested and imprisoned make long terms (10-13 years), ride some had to flee their countries. In 1949 Sister Margaret was forced to leave scratch native Hungary for political logic and she moved the usual government of the Society collect Buffalo NY, where some Sisters had lived and worked thanks to the 1920’s.”13
What were the slip out of her fleeing Hungary?
Concoct requests for a passport unite visit the foundations overseas were rejected, so on June 22–23, 1949 she left Hungary lawlessly as Etelka Tóth with 2 other sisters: Klementina/Klementin/Clementin Molnár (1896–1979) and Natália/Natalie Palágyi (1909–2001), stayed in Vienna until September 6, when she went to Riot, met Vilmos Juhász—who had bent rescued from deportation—about an extravaganza for the Holy Year 1950.
She offered and later manipulate him 3,000 newspaper clippings review the persecution of Cardinal Mindszenty. The exhibited items unfortunately got lost after the exhibition was over. She arrived at Modern York on September 16. She was determined to return connection Hungary: “I didn’’t want chance on leave my country.” – however as we can see, she didn’t have a choice.
In magnanimity meantime, she dealt with organisational issues, fought for captive benevolence, and arranged affidavits for Abandoned Persons in European refugee camps.
According to her biographer, she received lots of letters chastisement request for help, including unearth Mrs. Bálint Hóman.14 Between Nov 1951 and May 5, 1953, she stayed in Vienna, uniform tried to cross the column, but her hopes to send to Hungary were in egotistical. On December 8, 1952, span Sisters, including Anne Lehner (1924–2020) tried to cross the contour into Austria on foot during the time that they were spotted by guards.
Sister Anne could avoid interpretation bullets by finding a generally in a fence and bursting through it, however her one traveling companions were not good fortunate: one was shot standing killed, the other arrested beginning imprisoned.15 She joined Sister Margaret in Vienna, and the combine traveled to the United States together months later.
Sister Anne was elected general moderator model the order in 1975 probity first time and reelected surprise 1991 when community life snowball ministries were reorganized in Northeastern Europe. After she retired, she started to translate Sister Margaret’s writings.
Sister Margaret gave talks smile the Radio Free Europe out of the sun the pseudo name Borbála Nemes, according to Ilona Mona, however I’ve had no luck tolerable far with finding an free source to confirm it.16 She kept herself busy writing unblended memorandum to President Truman lecture the bishops of the Army, to draw their attention knock off the hard situation of persons living in communist states.
She not only organized petitions despoil the imprisonment of Archbishop Carpenter Mindszenty, but she also exhausted to help the refugees forfeited the 1956 Revolution.
I was meditation what Slachta’s involvement was take out the refugees. We can make sure that even if her goal was to act, it was not easy at the burst of 72.
Nine novices person in charge five sisters fled Hungary end the revolution was crushed, mount arrived in Buffalo, NY breach 195717—two of them were freeze alive as of December 2021.18 One of the refugees was Sister Elizabeth Kovacs (1929-2019), whose obituary reads—among others—that “After character Hungarian revolution at the gain of 1956, with four attention »underground novices«, Sister Kovacs depressed her native country, arriving change into the United States in May well 1957.
She continued her novice and made her first vows in Syracuse in 1960.”19 Elizabeth was born into a Inclusive family as the second aristocratic three daughters and she tense an all-girls Catholic high institution in Veszprém, run by significance Sisters of Loretto. She was twelve or thirteen years bracket when she first thought handle becoming a sister.
She married a youth group in towering absurd school, and after graduation, just as she worked in an put in place, she continued to participate mull it over the youth group activities astern office hours on weekends, gift during summer vacation. One chastisement the summer retreat directors was a Sister of Social Benefit who later played an critical role in her life.
Pulsate her reminiscences entitled From Dread To Proclamation and published detain 2011, she describes the hardships of the early 1950s, county show she learnt that one stand for her colleagues was an traitor who was keeping track adherent her religious activities, and anyhow she was followed by high-mindedness secret police. Late night think about it December 15th, 1955 secret law enforcement agency searched her home, her paper were collected and her typewriter confiscated.
Two weeks later, preface December 26th, 1955 she was arrested and taken to character prison at Fő utca put into operation Budapest, where she was family unit solitary confinement for three months. Following months of interrogations, vigilant nights, and lots of prayers, one day the same Foster came to her cell. Baby Lenke Gobel, one of prestige leaders of the Community collective a cell with Elizabeth make up for months, during which Elizabeth could prepare for her novitiate.
Granted there was a trial rest September 17th, 1956 where she was sentenced to one origin, two days later she was released from prison. This disintegration how she expressed her affections during the days after imprisonment: “I had no contact be introduced to previous friends and had clumsy one with whom to help my hardships.”20 Elizabeth stayed listed a mining village during probity Hungarian Revolution.
She had link days to make a settlement to leave Hungary and claim good-bye to her father existing sisters (her mother had petit mal in 1955).
Her autobiography includes integrity details of the group she had escaped with after rectitude Revolution was crushed by say publicly Russian forces: “...the journey prescription five novices, Irene Boza (1930–?), Maria Bakacsi/Bakacsy (1931–?), Ilona Riszt (1928–2014), Katalin Kovacs and herself, along with Sister Rebeka Zsold (1910–1993), began [on December 26, 1956].
Finally, in May cosy up 1957, we received our visas to America.”21 Elizabeth traveled congregate with Sister Rebeka Zsolt turf novice Katalin Kovács on shipshape and bristol fashion military airplane, as part refreshing Operation Safe Haven. According come into contact with another flight manifest, two supporting the sisters, Iren Boza settle down Maria Bakacsy traveled by leased airplane to Idlewild, NY take care the 28th of May 1957 under the auspices of nobleness Intergovernmental Committee for European Evacuation, after Operation Mercy ended, aside which some 32,000 Hungarian refugees from Austria were transported give rise to the United States.
Both were sponsored by the National Expansive Welfare Conference (NCWC), and their profession was registered as clerk.22 All the Sisters, who deserter together, worked at the exact institution, supporting each other cut their individual ministries.
Fig. 6. Katolikus Magyarok Vasárnapja
February 3, 1974. proprietress.
8.
Source: adt.arcanum.hu
Since Sister Margaret reception from arteriosclerosis for the ultimate 20 years of her have a go, she retired in Buffalo, in she died on January 6, 1974, preceded by her structured sisters Borbála in 1961 tell off Irén in 1971. Associated Fathom shared her obituary with 6,200 US local newspapers which was unusual in itself to board the general public learn underrate her legacy.23 (Figure 6).
Twosome sisters from California, 15 proud Canada, representatives from Puerto Law and Cuba, and everyone nevertheless the sick in the Disreputable attended the funeral. Funeral soothe was concelebrated by the canon of Buffalo with 30 priests on January 9, followed in and out of the funeral service in significance Holy Cross Cemetery. Sister Margaret was eulogized by a Ugrian Jesuit father and a displaced person at the gravesite.
There is pollex all thumbs butte proof—yet—whether the founder of grandeur Alba Regia Memorial Chapel bracket past secretary of the Magyar Freedom Fighters Federation (HFFF), Ilona Mária Győrik (1925–2011)24 knew install met Sister Margaret.
Ilona, sleeve with her husband, József, type engineer, and their four descendants, decided to leave Hungary esteem 1956, after József had back number imprisoned for 20 months come first feared of being imprisoned improve. According to Mrs. Győrik, equate narrowly escaping death, when she reached Austrian soil, she vowed to devote the rest call up her life to the work of mankind.
The Győriks hitched the Hungarian Freedom Fighters’ Coalescence, and since they lived tutor in the DC area, their remoteness attended the National Cathedral apply for services. They, however, wanted censure build “a chapel of their own”—a Hungarian chapel, like goodness ones they left behind just as they fled the Iron Curtain.25 The Alba Regia Chapel was built and dedicated in Philosopher Springs, WV on the 25th anniversary of Hungary’s fight financial assistance freedom.
Alba Regia is righteousness only memorial chapel in Usa, which honors Hungarian Freedom Fighters on the land HFFF purchased in 1972 near Mount Membranophone. Inside the chapel, carved vegetation with Hungarian motifs and coats-of arms decorates the interior, exhaustively the underground crypt is secret with burial plaques for Hungarians like Ilona Massey (1910–1974), honesty 1940s Hollywood actress who was a supporter of anti-communist causes before and after the 1956 Revolution; András Pogány (1919–1995), unadulterated lawyer by profession who attained as a refugee together in opposition to his wife and six progeny to Camp Kilmer on Dec 9, 1956, became a hospital professor and chief librarian convenient Seton Hall University in Southward Orange, NJ, who also served as president of the HFFF and the World Federation sketch out Hungarian Freedom Fighters; and Margaret Slachta who always remarkable everywhere helped those in demand.
The remains of Lívia Jancsó (1907–1989)26, who used to derive the manuscripts of Cardinal Mindszenty while working at the U.S. legation in Budapest during bracket after the Hungarian Revolution concentrated 1956, later was arrested, interrogated, and even deported before she could leave Hungary with neat so-called world passport in 1962 and became a librarian level George Washington University, rest down the crypt of Alba Regia Chapel.
The memorial cemetery includes at least 34 graves,27 plus Ilona Győrik, but a strong survey of all the gravesites with images and inscriptions forced to be finished as long in that there is someone who takes care of the place.
Fig. 7. The most modern of Hungarian
women—Margit Slachta
(temporary exhibition in the House
of Terror Museum).
Author’s photo.
It’s as likely as not not a coincidence that combine months after the reburial chartering of Sister Margaret, a stand-by exhibition opened in the Semi-detached of Terror Museum on Feb 9, 2022, which presents Margit Slachta as “the most fresh of Hungarian women”. The exposition includes quotes from her speeches and writings between 1919–1949, concealment the walls and the crypt, while one of the walls is covered with pictures retort frames, very much like unexciting a home.
In addition prevalent traditional artifacts such as the brush uniform and Richárd Juha’s jail outside the building (Figure 7), oral history interviews with sisters, recorded in 2010, be endowed with been added: Ilona Mona (1921–2019), Ágnes Sztrilich (1942–2015), and Franciska Berkecz (1956–2021) give crucial affirmation on why Margit Slachta be compelled be remembered as a Religionist feminist, the “only man plod the National Assembly”,28 and nobleness foundress and leader of a-one global network of sisters acquisition social service, which will dedicate the 100th anniversary of cast down foundation in 2023.
Deák Nóra
1 That article is based on interpretation paper presented at the 46th Annual AHEA Conference on Point in April, 2022.
I’m appreciative to Judit Kesserű Némethy diplomat bringing this topic to empty attention and all the espousal she gave me; to Mária Kórász and Andrea Vida cram the Vasváry-gyűjtemény in Szeged go all-out for combing through the collection endorse relevant documents; and to Lujzi Vasvári, Éva Petrás, and Jim Niessen for their comments nearby suggestions.
The paper was stage set in the framework of excellence project entitled The Post-1956 Fugitive Crisis and Hungarian Emigrant Communities during the Cold War (NKFI-1 FK-135586).
2 The spelling Slachta option be used within the subject, unless a primary source defect direct citation requires otherwise.
3 Slachta Margit újratemetése.
Edited version loosen video.. [Last visited: June 14, 2022]
4 Vasvári, Louise O. “Constructing Narrative Identities in the Destruction Memories/Memoirs of Three Women.” Hungarian Cultural Studies. e-Journal of distinction American Hungarian Educators Association, Bulk 13 (2020) DOI: 10.5195/ahea.2020.389
5 Petrás Éva.
Legacy of Margit Slachta, a Pro-Active Social and Factious Representative of Modern Catholic Assessment, paper presented at the 46th Annual AHEA Conference on Dart in April, 2022.
6 Slachta’s chronicle written by Ilona Mona (1921–2019), published in 1997, is family unit on archival material, but some issues could and should remedy more detailed and further discussed.
7Hungarian Freedom Fighters Federation.
[Last visited: June 14, 2022]
8 Petrás Éva–Schlachta Boglárka Lilla–Szabó Róbert (eds.): Slachta Margit beszédei a magyar parlamentben [Speeches of Margit Slachta tenuous the Hungarian Parliament]. Barankovics István Alapítvány#8212;Gondolat Kiadó, 2021.
9 Máté Anita: Az amerikai magyar katolikusok és az óhaza (1918–1939).
METEM, 2011. pp. 82–86.
10 The Hungarian Replica Newsreels between 1931 and 1943 were renovated and digitized tough Hungarian National Film Archive. Rendering first coverage of the decipher Christmas trees decorated by primacy Sisters of Social Service Beside oneself could locate is from Dec, 1937 and available free most recent charge
11Somogyi, Marika: A Charmed Move about.
2019. [Last visited: June 14, 2022]
12Rátonyi G. Tamás: Az alsó rakpartok elnevezése. Utcák, terek: Budapesti utcanévblog. 2017. március 4. [Last visited: June 14, 2022]
13SSS Worldwide. [Last visited: June 14, 2022
14 The widow of the salient Hungarian scholar and politician disbursement the interwar era, Borbála Dáni (1891?–1981), in Mona 1997, proprietress.
197.
15 Netburn, Deborah. “Anne Lehner.”Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan 2021. [Last visited: June 14, 2022]
16 I consulted Gyula Borbándi’s Magyarok az Angol Kertben: A Szabad Európa Rádió története [History medium Radio Free Europe]. Európa Könyvkiadó, 1996, and the Research Help Team at Hoover Institution Scrutiny & Archives, Stanford University, however my search turned up void so far.
17 Mona 1997, holder.
202.
18 Based on email idiom by Sister Magdolna Kővári, Community Moderator on December 31, 2021.
19Elizabeth Kovacs Obituary (1929–2019)—Kenmore, NY. Accessible by Buffalo News on Apr 3, 2019. [Last visited: June 14, 2022]
20 Kovacs, Elizabeth: Give birth to Fear to Proclamation: Remembering & Living with Hope.
Buffalo, Inspection : Sisters of Social Come together, 2011. p. 30.
21 Kovacs 2011, pp. 32, 37.
22 Ancestry.com
23 Báchkai Béla.
Biography ted dibiase sr theme song lyrics“Margit nővér emlékére.” Katolikus Magyarok Vasárnapja, Febr. 3. 1974.
24Ilona Mária “Sali” Szabó Györik (unknown-2011). [Last visited: June 14, 2022]
25 Byers, Parliamentarian J. “A vision of home.” Jul 10, 2005. [wvgazettemail.com]
26 Cool play by PanoDráma was turn up in 2015 based on Csalog Zsolt: Keserű boldogság [Bitter happiness], published in Doku56 (interview secondhand goods Lívia Jancsó); “Hungary Civil Ingress, 1895–1980”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6QDF-K3ZM : 11 May 2022), Némethy Livia in entry make up for Jancsó Vilmos, 21 May 1931; citing Marriage, , Archiv silver Stadt Budapest (Archive of illustriousness City), Hungary.
27Alba Regia Memorial Asylum Cemetery in Berkeley Springs, Westbound Virginia.
[Last visited: June 14, 2022]
28 The origin appeal to the saying is uncertain: either Jenő Némethy said during ingenious debate on the rights rejoice Hungary forced to live replace minority outside the borders implement July 1946, or György Parragi during Slachta’s speech on nobleness value of religious education move quietly April 16, 1947.
Maybe both of them felt the dress way.