Recently I had the chance to meet with Vladislav Matej (Family Counselor with Socia) in Bratislava.  He outlined a set of recent sociological studies on European values and family trends.  Here are some of the highlights from Vladislav Matej.   

Prof. Jan Kerkhofs, University of Louwen, Belgium reported a longitudinal 20-year study of European values.  There were five primary shifts:

• Ethics have entered the autonomous sphere (individually determined)
• Ethical norms are influenced and created by parliaments and not by churches anymore (there are lots of examples of this)
• There is a high tolerance to the actions of individuals
• Individual ethics are limited by the freedom of other individuals

There has been a primary movement toward individualism, post-traditionalism, tolerance, and pessimism.

A report (D. Popeone, sociologist) shows correlating trends between the occurance of the sexual revolution, a rapid decrease of fertility, and a rapid increase of divorce.

A study by G.T. Stanton has found a rapid increase of cohabiting couples (not married) and several trends within these households: an increase in disturbing and painful relationships, an increase of interferance of the successful formation of follow-up partnerships (not sure what this means), an increase of conflict, an increase of domestic violence, and a strengthening of mistrust.

The following stats are taken from Eurostat.  The average age of men/women at first marriage in 1980 was 26/23.  In 2003 it was 30/28.  The percent of children born outside of marriage in 1980 was 8.8%.  In 2005 it was 33%.  In 1980 the number of divorces that occured in Europe was 672,917.  In 2005 it was 1,042,892.  Today, 2/3 of households in the EU live without children.  16% of families have one child, 13% have two children, and 4% have three children.  In the next fifty years, the population of the US is expected to increase by 150 million.  In Europe it is expected to decrease by 40 million.

As you know, December 6th is Mikulás (Nicholas) day, and we had a very special visit from Mikulás and the krampusz.  We didn’t realize that St. Nick actually lives in our neighborhood here in Budapest!!!  Thankfully, the boys received candy in their shoes this year instead of sticks or coals.  Here’s some pictures:  Our neighborhood Mikulás, the boys digging into their candy from Mikulás, Jacob decorating the Christmas tree, Thanksgiving dinner with Dori, Joanna, Krisztina, & Péter.

Lately, there have been a few really awesome things happening here in Budapest.  For the second time, we saw the Red Bull Air Race which is one of the coolest things ever.  Check out the the website and video.  Whoa. 

We took the boys to see it, and we happened to find a great spot from which to watch.  For a 3, 4, and 6 year old, you just can’t get much better than this….sitting on mom or dad’s shoulder’s, hearing the roar of planes zooming and turning right in front of your face.

Here’s the latest pictures from the protests and riots in Budapest. Be sure to look for the rotten egg deflection devices.   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6456753.stm

1848 Revolution Day - 1848-as Forradalom és Szabadságharc
The “Hungarian spring” - a bloodless fight for freedom against Habsburg domination which later led to war against Austria and its allies (at the time: the Croats and Romanians).The main demands of Hungarians were: freedom of the press, and the establishing of a Hungarian parliament in Pest with its government. Revolutionists also demanded freedom of religion, a jury, a national bank, a Hungarian army, and the withdrawal of foreign military presence from the country.

(www.filog.com)

Szabadság, Szerelem!

E kettő kell nekem

Szerelmemért föláldozom

Az életet,

Szabadságért föláldozom

Szerelmemet.

-Petőfi Sandor, 1847

Freedom, Love!

These two I need

For my love I sacrifice life

For freedom I sacrifice my love.

Here is an English translation of Petőfi’s 1848 poem.  I think the translator took some liberty in order to make it rhyme in English, but it is a good translation. 

Rise up, Magyar, the country calls!
It’s ‘now or never’ what fate befalls…
Shall we live as slaves or free men?
That’s the question - choose your ‘Amen”!
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall no longer be!

For up till now we lived like slaves,
Damned lie our forefathers in their graves - 
They who lived and died in freedom
Cannot rest in dusts of thraldom.
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall no longer be!

A coward and a lowly bastard
Is he, who dares not raise the standard - 
He whose wretched life is dearer
Than the country’s sacred honor.
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall no longer be!

Sabers outshine chaine and fetters,
It’s the sword that one’s arm betters.
Yet we wear grim chains and shackles.
Swords, slash through damned manacles!
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall no longer be!

Magyar’s name will tell the story
Worthy of our erstwhile glory
we must wash off - fiercely cleansing
Centuries of shame and condensing.
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall no longer be!

Where our grave-mounds bulge and huddle
Our grandson will kneel and cuddle,
While in grateful prayer they mention
All our sainted names’ ascension.
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall no longer be!

(March 13. 1848)

NGO’s find up to 3 million Hungarians living in poverty.  Click here.

Nick Thorpe has written an article summarizing the essential questions and answers related to the current protests.  Check it out here.

Witnessing the recent protests, riots, economic troubles, and tremendous political divisions juxtaposed with a deep remembrance and sense of solidarity over the 1956 revolution, I’ve really been impacted by the basic human cries for freedom and justice.  With friends on both sides of the fence here, I’m certainly glad to be an outsider, to claim some level of ignorance, to be allowed a neutral standpoint on these tough issues.  Yet, living in Budapest as “outsiders” we have felt our hearts connecting in progressively deeper ways to the present and historical experiences of our Hungarian friends. 

The truth is that most Hungarians are suffering economically, living paycheck to paycheck, unemployment is rising fast and will continue to rise over the next couple years, and homelessness will become even more prevalent.  In light of all of this, our hearts are aching.  We have a mixture of feelings.  We live in a comfortable flat in northern Budapest where the air is a little cleaner than it is 5 miles to the south.  For this we can occassionally feel guilty.  Guilty because yesterday, while riding the train into the city-center, a homeless man in his 40’s sat down beside me, unshaven, smelling of alcohol and body odor, whereas I was wearing clean clothes, carrying my cool black bag, traveling to my next English lesson.  Is this just?

I’ve been deeply impacted by the remembrance of the 1956 revolution here in Budapest.  It was fifty years ago, yet most Hungarians, young and old, have a tremendous awareness and sense of identity with those freedom fighters who fought and died trying to reclaim their country.  The few weeks of fighting in 1956 were brutal for both Hungarians and Russians, and it is clear that this sort of experience changes a person, a people, and a culture.  Human history is indeed full of atrocity, but from where I stand, the human heart is not made for atrocity or these kinds of injustice.  Within the human heart there remains a hint, or an echo of something good, something that grates against suffering and social injustice, something that cries out for the well-being of others. 

If a 50 year old crushed revolution can have such a deep and lasting impression in the Hungarian soul, what are the effects of the many other injustices occuring around the world today?  Darfur for example (Thanks Tom for the link and helping me think about this).

I’m encouraged though, that one small action can have a meaningful impact, and possibly a ripple effect through a family, a community, or even a culture.  Some of you know of “Nexus” the non-governmental organization we have been developing over the last few months.  You’ll definitely hear more about this as time goes by.  Through Nexus, and with the brain and heart power of a few Hungarian friends, we are beginning to tackle injustice in a couple tangible ways.  I’m looking forward to writing about some hopeful and developing programs at a local orphanage where there are 62 kids, 65% Gypsie, many of whom will not find work and will become homeless when they graduate and leave. 

In spite of the current sharp ideological and political divisions here in Budapest, I sense a common drive for compassion, for social justice and for the common good.  It’s nothing new of course.  I think these are basic human thirsts which call out for a present and continual “revolution” of the heart.

Today was a special day in Hungarian history, October 23rd.  This days marks the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution against the Soviet control in 1956.  Read an excellent account of this uprising on Voice of America.

On October 23rd, 1956, the Hungarians took back control of their country for two weeks before the Soviets brutally crushed the uprising.  Thousands were killed, and almost 250,000 Hungarians fled the country…many to the U.S. 

Andrew Vajna, who fled Hungary in 1956 and is now big time Holywood producer, has recently put together an amazing film about the revolution called “Freedom’s Fury.”

October 23rd, 2006.  If you don’t know about the current riots and protests in Budapest today (and over the last few weeks), you can read the flurry of articles posted on the BBC.  See some pictures from today. 

bbc thoughts on Hungarian economy

For those of you not living in Budapest, you might like to read about what’s happening. Click here to read news from the BBC.