HUNGARY

Where is it?

If you do visit the country, bear in mind that Hungarians are far more conscious of their country's history than Britons tend to be of their's, and they do appreciate some familiarity with it in visiting foreigners (well, yes, once there you will have to get used to being a foreigner).

But even if you do not go there, you might find that much that otherwise appears incomprehensible and arbitrary in the present-day politics of the region starts making sense when seen against the background of the history of Hungary, and the surrounding areas, during the last eleven centuries. To quote from a work that deals with recent events and developments:*

"There is also the question of the relevant past. For the most recent is by no means always the most relevant past. Indeed, the history of Europe before 1939, before 1914, even before 1890, may provide more analogies and clues for understanding Europe after 1990 than does the immediately preceding period."

* Thimothy Garten-Ash: In Europe's Name - Germany and the Divided Continent (London, Jonathan Cape, 1993)

So, carry on and browse through a Brief History of Hungary now!

Then look at

• the Hungarian Home Page, to explore some of what is going on there now
  
• the page of foreign Web sources (i.e.non-Hungarian) for information about Hungary
  
• the Hungary Page maintained in the USA
  
• the classified Hudir directory of numerous Web services and pages concerned with Hungary
• the pages on business-related matters, from company law to stock market data, in Hungary.

If some of your forebears came from Hungary and you would like to check out your roots, the best starting point is

• Alex Glendinning's site on researching your ancestors, which contains specific sections on Hungary.

• online English-Hungarian Dictionary of some 50,000 words.

• Destination Hungary.

Mumber of visitors since December 1996