Magyar Baráti Közösség

elbeszelesek  :: László G. Fülöp : Polak Wenger dva bratanki… ::

(1921 olvasás)     

"...She explained to me why she’d taught me that solemn Polish Anthem..."

­The airplane catastrophe and the extent of tragedy that beset our Polish friends re­minded me of those Polish- and Czech-American cohorts with whom we worked on the NATO Expansion in the 1990s. 

But for me, getting drawn to the Poles began much earlier… 

 When I was a small child we lived on the main square of the town Tiszakécske in Central Hungary. My father was a noted attorney and my mother a housewife, who played the piano beautifully. Even at my early age, she often invited me to sing with her and taught me a great variety of songs she was playing – ranging from folk songs to operettas. One day she taught me the National Anthem of Hungary and soon after that she taught me the Polish National Hymn. I still remember most she’d taught me on account of the beautiful melodies and the intriguing texts. She explained to me why she’d taught me that solemn Polish Anthem. The Poles had fought heroically for their existence against the Germans and Russians, and she said we should be proud because the Hungarian nation gave refuge to many thousands of Polish fighters. Listening to her story, of course, I immediately became proud of both.

 This continued in an interesting and memorable series of events - almost 60 years later.

In the 1990-s NATO began contemplating the expansion of the alliance. The countries foremost considered for inclusion were the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. Ethnic organizations across this huge United States worked hard to promote the entry of these countries into the Alliance. Here in Minneapolis, we established an ethnic coalition, too, in which Czech-, Polish- and Hungarian-Americans, a few of second and third generation worked together – doing active lobbying and writing letters, collecting signatures - rather intensively from 1996 and on to the Senate voting.

We received information from embassies and other sources, but much of the  information came from the Hungarian American Coalition located in Washington, DC. We received information and help in hearing what were the reactions of US Senators when the Enlargement issues were discussed. We worked judiciously and I have to mention with no little pride that beside California, Minnesota was the only state whose Legislature voted positively to endorse and recommend to its senators to support admittance of the three countries into NATO. And the consistent, thorough work of our “coalition” had a great deal to do with that.

The vote in the US Senate was followed by votes of other NATO member-countries and on the 50th anniversary of forming NATO, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic became members of the alliance. During these years we were quite aware of the saber-rattling speeches of Russian communist leaders, like Jirinovsky, so in the Spring of 1999 we could breathe easier: “now, that these countries became NATO members, the Russian troops won’t return.”"

 To celebrate the NATO expansion a number of festive celebrations were held in Washington, DC. and we also received invitation to the event organized by the Hungarian American Coalition. The high-spirited occasion was held in a huge tent in the inner court of a significant building accommodating at least 250 people. As there were many swarming around the microphone where the recognitions were announced, to my slight annoyance Agnes and I were pointed to a ten-person table near the edges. So, my wife, Agnes and I found ourselves among eight Poles who were members of the California Ethnic Leadership Council.

Still somewhat uneasy - for I was not sure if we would spend the evening listening to Polish conversation, or broken English -, I reached out for a handshake to my nearest table-companion. Turning in the other direction, Agnes reached out to her Polish neighbor for the evening. Suddenly, I heard a male greeting in flawless Hungarian: “Good evening to you, gracious lady.”

One could hear the clicking of heels as the Polish gentlemen leaned over and kissed Agnes’ hand. After greeting everyone, in our subsequent conversation it was unveiled that he had been a pilot and young officer in the Polish Army. When the army fell apart under the intensity of the German and Soviet attacks in about six weeks of heroic fights, along with thousands of other Polish soldiers he escaped to Hungary. He then stayed in Miskolc and at times was hidden by his Hungarian hosts from the Wehrmacht for over two years.  That is where he learned Hungarian.  Later he was helped to escape to Switzerland and from there to England.

 I eased up completely and told our table companions that when I was a little boy my Mother had taught me - right after the Hungarian National Anthem - the Polish National Anthem. Then, in support of my story, I began to hum the melody of the Polish Anthem. Everybody around the table stood up and joined me quietly singing, a couple wiped their eyes, and from then and on we not only shook hands, but also received hugs. Noticing the evolving happy mood and the popping sound of bottle openings, I whispered to Agnes (in Hungarian) “we better watch how much we drink because we still would have to get back to the hotel”. Just then with a wine-filled glass in his hand the tall Polish gentleman on my right stood up and called out:

  "Long live Hungary!" Well… we had to drink to that – and empty the glass to the bottom. The big Pole sat down for a minute then poured wine to everyone again. Then he raised his glass:"Long live Poland!"

Of course, we drank again and had to be “bottoms up” again.

The toasting became a routine. Our ringleader friend raised his wine-filled glass high again: >"Long live the United States!"

Well, this called for another drink. I tried to go on by drinking only half the glass, when I noticed several of the Poles at the table gave me a reproachful glance…  I caught on and finished my glass in the hurry. The Poles proved to be friendly and pleasant company. As I recall, the next glass was emptied for the eternity of Polish-Hungarian friendship.  After this, I did not even dare not to drink up my wine to the last drop.  The Poles really got going and raised their glasses with one toasting after another. I cannot remember the rest of the toasts, or reasons for drinking, but I do remember our glasses got filled one after another…

 I only hoped that my wife, Agnes – whose silhouette became more and more uncertain – remembered my caution and at least she refrained from drinking. She probably preserved her presence for I am sure we ate dinner later…  and because we returned to our hotel – somehow.

 But this part of the evening – I cannot remember.