Authors in the School Curriculum that spread hatred and anti-Semitism in Hungary

Joint declaration of Jewish organizations and alliances in Hungary against the idolization of authors that spread hatred and anti-Semitism during their lives 

Underwritten, representatives of Jewish organizations are shocked by the fact that four authors, known for their obvious anti-Semitic views, are included in the Hungarian school curriculum.

József Nyírö (1889-1953) was a supporter of the terrifying “Arrow Cross” regime (national socialist party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which led to a government in Hungary known as the “Government of National Unity”, from October 15th 1944 to March 28th 1945.), whose coup resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands, and he persisted in the Arrow Cross government and stood by Ferenc Szálasi (1897 -1946) until the very last minute. He used his talent even in Sopron (Hungarian city on the border with Austria) to support the hordes of murderers led by Szálasi, all of which induced immense suffering for the country.

We find it unacceptable that the Hungarian parliament is directly involved in the reburial arrangements of such supporters of murderers, and by doing so attempting to idolize them in front of the Hungarian nation. (Memorial was held for writer József Nyírö, attended by Hungarian National Assembly Speaker László Kövér, who was a member of the Nazi-sympathizing fascist “Arrow Cross” party in the Hungarian parliament during World War II.)

István Sinka (1987-1969) wrote prevailingly harsh, anti-Jewish poems, fuelling up the emotions of the population against the persecuted.

In the work of Dezsö Szabó (1879-1945), instigations against Jews reemerge. He contributed greatly to the public opinion, which enabled the passing of anti-Semitic laws in Hungary.

Albert Wass (1908-1998) proudly claimed to be anti-Semitic. He was condemned as a war criminal, a verdict still in effect today. It is shocking that the works of Imre Kertész (1929-), the only Hungarian who ever won a Nobel prize in literature, are not included in the section of the school curriculum dealing with Hungarian literature, but in a separate section for “literature prizes”, thus excluding him from the history of Hungarian literature.

We call on the Hungarian government to immediately reconsider the adopted school curriculum, and to take out the works of József Nyírö, István Sinka, Dezsö Szabó and Albert Wass, since these individuals were the ones spreading the blight of hatred and anti-Semitism, with implications even today. It is unacceptable that they would form part of the education of young Hungarian people.

March of the Living Foundation

B’nai B’rith Budapest

Hungarian Jewish Cultural Association

Zionist Alliance in Hungary

Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary

Committee for People Under Nazi Persecution

European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS)

Union des Etudiants Juifs de France (UEJF)