February 26 - March 26, 2006
300 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ
Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation
THE HUNGARIAN LEGACY IN AMERICA
Exhibition presenting the 50 year history of the
American Hungarian Foundation
Photos: Gabriella Gyorffy
The American Hungarian Foundation is respected worldwide for bringing the unique and dynamic presentation of the Hungarian cultural and historical heritage to its constituencies and for its portrayal of the contribution of Hungarians to American life since 1776.
Established in 1955 at Elmhurst College in Illinois, the American Hungarian Foundation moved to New Brunswick, NJ, in 1959, when it funded the Hungarian studies program at Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey. In 1989 the Foundation built and invested $3 million in the Foundation's new museum, library and archives facilities - designed by architect Laszlo Papp - in New Brunswick, NJ. Among the numerous "firsts" sponsored by the Foundation is the first all Bartók concert presented in Carnegie Hall in 1957 with Maestro Antal Dorati conducting the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and Yehudi Menuhin as soloist. In the same year, the Foundation published the book, Magyar Album, which presented the contributions of famous and notable Hungarian worldwide in the sciences, arts, theatre, film, literature and included articles about Béla Bartók, Hungarian Nobel Laureates and Sir Alexander Korda. Over 60,000 volumes, including rare books from the 15th century, comprise the library collection of the Foundation, which is an affiliate library of the Library of Rutgers University. The permanent museum collection of the Foundation collects the art crated in America by Hungarian artists and artists of Hungarian descent. Since 1989 the museum has shown 50 exhibitions, which have been viewed by over 90,000 visitors. The archives holdings of the Foundation include personal papers, newspapers, and records of institutions and organizations of Hungarians in America since 1776. Since 1963 the American Hungarian Foundation has presented its distinguished George Washington and Abraham Lincoln Awards and honored such notables and aerospace scientist Theodore von Karman, mathematician John von Neumann, author Kati Marton, Nobel Laureates George Olah, Dennis Gabor and Elie Wiesel, Andrew S. Grove of Intel, Governor George Pataki, and Adolf Zukor, founder of Paramount Pictures. |
The
core of the exhibition The Hungarian Legacy in America was
first shown in September 2005 in Budapest, Hungary, and it
was part of the three day international academic conference,
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Foundation at the
National Széchenyi Library.|
2005 George Washington & Lincoln Awards |
2005 Fiftieth Anniversary Gala Events |
Professor
August J. Molnar, founding and current president
of the Foundation opened the exhibition and talked about the
most precious memories of 50 year history of the Foundation
Katherine
Marothy Hames, graphic designer for the Foundation
received the 50th anniversary logo glass paper weight
Csilla Somogyi, former student of Professor Molnar at Elmhurst College,
and Dr. Andrew Ludanyi , former student of Elmhurst College,
where the Foundation was established, each
received the 50th anniversary logo glass paper weight
Patricia L.
Fazekas, Curator, Museum of the Foundation,
discussed the history of the museum and library
Professor Molnar and Patricia L. Fazekas
Prof.
Molnar and Ms. Fazekas were joined by those whose contributions
have been a valuable asset to the success of the Foundation
Michael Kaufman, Andrea Dienes Broadbent, Prof. August J. Molnar,
Patricia Fazekas, Leslie E. Martin, E. Eugene Oross, Gabriel Suto
Back row: George Dozsa, Laszlo Bodak, Ernest Docs,
Frank Chrinko, and Dr. Balazs Somogyi
The Exhibition
Dr. István Sohár with Mr. and Mrs. László Strass
Dr. Richard Quandt with Prof. Molnar
Reverend Dr. Attila Kocsis
Some of
the treasures of the Foundation's collection
as well as archival documents its 50 year history:
Árpád Feszty: Portrait of a Gentleman
Possibly a self-portrait
Mihály
Munkácsy: Two Men in turbans
Study for Christ before Pilate
Zsolnay porcelain figurine
Victor Vasarely: Nepture E
Joseph Domjan: Far Away I Am Going
Elena de
Hellebranth: Folk Madonna
Exhibited at the 1939 World's Fair
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André Kertész |
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Abony, a blind musician, not a Gypsy, who wandered village to village with his boy. He made a living playing for alms. |
Looking through
a small hole |
Letter of
Kuncsugh Mohamed Turkish Pasha in Hungarian
addressed to the Székely people of Erdély, 1662;
Carved bone gunpowder flask;
Letter from 1371, Ladislaus Palatinus' call to arms against the Bessenyos
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Barabás
Miklós: Miniature portrait |
Daffinger, Austrian miniaturist: Countess Széchenyi |
István Dési Huber: Viale Ponza
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The Magyar Album (Hungarian Album) was a unique effort in the history of the Hungarian Diaspora. It aimed to serve as a manual to present the story of the success of the Hungarian talent in the world and to strengthen knowledge and confidence of the coming generations by learning about the accomplishments of the dispersed Hungarians, all over the world. |
Dr. Edward Teller and Dr.
John Lotz of Columbia University,
eminent linguist,
George Washington Award laureates
Bolyai
Memorial Medal prepared for the Bolyai anniversary by Kinga Széchenyi
The Bolyai Lecture Series on Art and Sciences has presented 50 lectures
since 1999
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Information: 732 846-5777 info@ahfoundation.org |
Related links: American Hungarian Foundation - gimagine pages
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A
special book due to be published in September 2006, details the
growth of the first 50 years of the American Hungarian Foundation
and provides a unique look into its past.