Budapest: a Cultural Island

The relationship of Hungarians to other people groups has been cordial since the political changes in 1989, yet Hungarians maintain a distinct separate identity culturally, historically and linguistically. Therefore, many Hungarians will say that they are a cultural “island” standing all alone in the middle of other European countries.

Hungary was influential in the collapse of the Iron Curtain in the late 80’s and in many ways precipitated the action that would follow throughout all of the former Soviet Union. More specifically, the city of Budapest houses the majority of the nation’s key decision makers politically. Therefore, it has been said that “all good ideas come out of Budapest” and travel from the capital city to the outlying cities and villages in Hungary.

Tensions between ethnic Hungarians living in bordering countries - particularly Romania - have remained since the treaty of Trianon in 1920 gave two-thirds of their land to neighboring countries. Large ethnic Hungarian populations exist in Romania, Slovakia, Croatia and Ukraine.

- by Mark Aderholt, F. Strategy Coordinator, Budapest, IMB

Budapest, cultural identity, ethnic Hungarians