Hungary: Recent information on anti-Semitism
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1992 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | HUN10972 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Hungary: Recent information on anti-Semitism, 1 May 1992, HUN10972, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac6bb0.html [accessed 27 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a February 1992 article on the growth of xenophobia in Hungary, Jews and Gypsies "fear that they could once again become targets of fascist-inspired violence" (The Washington Post 14 Feb. 1992). A recent opinion poll revealed that Jews came after Gypsies, Blacks and Arabs at the top of the racists' hit list in Hungary (The Gazette 30 Jan. 1992). The Hungarian government-proposed Minorities Law was harshly criticized by the Round Table of National and Ethnic Minorities, which called it discriminatory against certain minorities (RFE/RL Research Report 6 Mar. 1992, 73).
In December 1991, a bus carrying Soviet Jews on their way to Israel was the object of a bomb attack near Budapest's airport, but none of the emigrants were seriously injured (Atlanta Journal and Constitution 24 Dec. 1992; RFE/RL 10 Jan. 1992, 66). Following the attack, the Hungarian government started a vast purge of illegal immigrants and adopted measures to restrict residence permits (Reuters 24 Dec. 1991; The Times 11 Jan. 1992; The Independent 14 Jan. 199; RFE/RL, 17 Jan. 1992, 69).
However, Hungarian Jewry is reportedly enjoying a "rebirth" of its culture since the end of the Communist era (The Washington Post 19 Feb. 1992). Jewish schools have opened, periodicals have been published, cultural associations and youth groups have been expanding and the Budapest's synagogue, the largest in Europe, has recently been refurbished (Ibid.).
Recently, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a law to create the National Settlement and Compensation Office in order to indemnize the Jews and German-Hungarians whose properties and wealth had been confiscated during the Second World War (Süddeutsche Zeitung 30 Jan. 1992; Reuters 20 Feb. 1992). Also, Hungary was the first country of Eastern Europe to re-establish diplomatic relations with Israel and the State Secretary of Culture and Public Education recently declared that anti-Semitism was alien to the Hungarian nation (BBC Summary 13 May 1992; Bogdan 1990, 582). Nevertheless, there has been a resurgence of neo-Nazi movements in Hungary and, reportedly, "several thousand Hungarians sympathize with their views" (The Gazette 30 Jan. 1992).
References
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 24 December 1991. "Bus Bearing Soviet Jews is Bombed in Hungary.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 13 May 1992. "State Secretary Claims Anti-Semitism "Alien" to Hungarian Society".
Bogdan, Henry. 1990. Histoire des pays de l'est. Paris: Perrin.
The Gazette [Montreal]. 30 January 1992. "Racial Hit List; Intolerance Rising as Gypsies, Jews Harassed in Hungary".
The Independent [London]. 14 January 1992. Adam Lebor. "Xenophobia Growing Where Hospitality Once was Sovereign; As Hungary Becomes Richer, the Country is Kicking Out Illegal Immigrants".
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 6 March 1992. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Research Report [Munich]. "Draft Minorities Law Criticized".
. 17 January 1992. RFE/RL Research Report [Munich]. "Residence Permits Restricted".
. 10 January 1992. RFE/RL Research Report [Munich]. 10 Jan. 1992. "Attack on Jewish Emigrants".
Reuters. 20 February 1992. Michael Shields. "Hungary Starts Compensating Victims of State Property Seizures". (NEXIS)
. 24 December 1991. BC Cycle. "Hungarian Police Hunt two After Attack on Soviet Jews". (NEXIS)
Süddeutsche Zeitung [Munich]. 30 January 1992. Béla Weyer. "Entschädigung für Ungarn-Deutsche".
The Times [London]. 11 January 1992. Ernest Beck. "Budapest Police Begin Purge of 40,000 Illegal Immigrants".
The Washington Post [Washington]. 19 February 1992. Peter Mass. "Hungary's Jewish Community Reclaims its Identity".
. 24 February 1992. Peter Maas. "Hungary's Skinheads Terrorize Non-Whites; Third World Students Tell of Constant Fear".
Attachments
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 24 December 1991. "Bus Bearing Soviet Jews is Bombed in Hungary.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 13 May 1992. "State Secretary Claims Anti-Semitism "Alien" to Hungarian Society".
Bogdan, Henry. 1990. Histoire des pays de l'est. Paris: Perrin. p.582.
The Gazette [Montreal]. 30 January 1992. "Racial Hit List; Intolerance Rising as Gypsies, Jews Harassed in Hungary".
The Independent [London]. 14 January 1992. Adam Lebor. "Xenophobia Growing Where Hospitality Once was Sovereign; As Hungary Becomes Richer, the Country is Kicking out Illegal Immigrants".
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 6 March 1992. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Research Report [Munich]. "Draft Minorities Law Criticized". p.73.
. 17 January 1992. RFE/RL Research Report [Munich]. "Residence Permits Restricted". p.69.
. 10 January 1992. RFE/RL Research Report [Munich]. 10 Jan. 1992. "Attack on Jewish Emigrants". p.66.
Reuters. 20 February 1992. Michael Shields. "Hungary Starts Compensating Victims of State Property Seizures". (NEXIS)
. 24 December 1991. BC Cycle. "Hungarian Police Hunt two After Attack on Soviet Jews". (NEXIS)
Süddeutsche Zeitung [Munich]. 30 January 1992. Béla Weyer. "Entschädigung für Ungarn-Deutsche".
The Times [London]. 11 January 1992. Ernest Beck. "Budapest Police Begin Purge of 40,000 Illegal Immigrants".
The Washington Post [Washington]. 19 February 1992. Peter Mass. "Hungary's Jewish Community Reclaims its Identity".
. 14 February 1992. Peter Maas. "Hungary's Skinheads Terrorize Non-Whites; Third World Students Tell of Constant Fear".
