The fascinating story of saving Hungary’s gold in the 1940s
The Gold Train began one of the most adventurous journeys in Hungarian history on 23 January 1945. The Hungarian National Bank’s 30 tonnes of gold reserves, large foreign currency reserves and deposited valuables and documents (such as King Matthias’ Corvinas) were attempted to be evacuated to the West by the Szálasi government (Government of National Unity, a Nazi-backed puppet government of Hungary) to escape the advancing Soviet Red Army.
Ferencné Tóth Mária Stark, who was among the passengers of the legendary Gold Train as a small child, shared her personal story with Növekedés.hu.
Historical background
On 19 March 1944, German troops invaded Hungary. On 15 October, the Arrow Cross Party took power in the country and established the coalition Government of National Unity on 16 October.
László Temesváry was appointed head of the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), and the Soviet advance soon led to negotiations on the export of Hungarian gold reserves to the West, Növekedés.hu recalls.
The German leadership aimed to have the assets housed in several parts of the German Reich. If implemented, this would most likely have led to Hungary’s national treasures falling into German hands for good. However, the bank’s employees resisted political pressure.
In December, the Gold Train set off from the bunker in Veszprém with the heroic employees of the MNB to deposit the “nation’s gold” in Spital am Pyhrn in Austria after a cold and fearful Christmas in Fertőboz.
The train rolled out of Fertőboz station on 23 January and arrived in Spital am Pyhrn on 25 January, where the treasures were stored in the crypt of the local Benedictine monastery.
On 7 May 1945, Spital am Phyrn was occupied by American troops. US soldiers took the Hungarian gold reserve to Frankfurt am Main, where it was stored in the basement of the German central bank.
In June 1946, negotiations took place in Washington to return the valuables held in Spital am Phyrn and Frankfurt am Main to Hungary.
The Hungarian delegation was led by Prime Minister Ferenc Nagy. The US finally agreed to repatriate the Hungarian gold reserve and other valuables. This gold reserve was the collateral for the newly introduced forint.
The illustrated story of saving Hungary’s gold (unfortunately, only in Hungarian):
Narrative history – the memories of a passenger of the Gold Train
The father of Ferencné Tóth Mária Stark was an employee of the Hungarian National Bank, first as a cashier in Budapest, then in Szeged, and finally in Târgu Mures. Mária was born in Târgu Mures.
She was three months old when they had to leave Târgu Mures.
To escape the approaching Russians, her father and his colleagues used a truck to rescue the bank ledgers. Her mother and Mária were first taken to Dej, and finally, the family met in Csesznek.
“In Veszprém, the valuables were hidden in a bunker under the castle and we knew we were going to Austria by train. We also knew what the cargo would be,” Mária told Növekedés.hu.
The Germans were in front of them, the Russians behind them. When the train left Fertőboz, Russians had not yet arrived, but the bombing was already in full swing. Everybody knew what danger they were in.
A cold and fearful Christmas in Fertőboz
The passengers spent Christmas in Fertőboz. The children were accommodated in first-class coaches. The people of Fertőboz provided them with food. At Christmas time, they were the ones who put up a Christmas tree for the children in the wagon. While they were waiting, there were several bombings, so they hid in the wagons. They had nowhere else to go.
Mária is still afraid of thunder to this day.
According to Mária, they were made very welcome by the locals in Spital am Phyrn.
When we arrived by train, there was a good metre of snow. The bank workers, including my dad, were using sledges to haul the 33 tonnes of gold and other valuables down to the basement of the monastery,
Mária shared.
On the way home
Mária and her family came home with the last consignment in October 1946. They already had their train tickets and boat tickets to Argentina; however, the trip was cancelled because her father said,
I’m Hungarian, I want to go home.
After they came home, her father was fired from the Hungarian National Bank in 1948.
“This is a very sad memory for me,” Mária said. They had to move out of the flat they had been living in, and they exchanged it for a small flat. Her mother worked as a caretaker and her father as a conductor.
Mária has personally experienced discrimination in Hungary. In 1957, they moved to Sopron. After high school, she wanted to go to university. However, the headmistress in Sopron told Mária to “not even try” because she was a “Westerner”.
To this day, it still hurts me that I didn’t get to go to university because I went abroad as a baby. But my father instilled in me that I am Hungarian, so I belong here.
Read also:
This Hungarian party is the German AfD’s biggest ally
Mi Hazánk on Wednesday asked its leader, Laszlo Toroczkai, to lead the radical opposition party’s European parliamentary election list, with deputy party leader Dóra Dúró placed number two, but both have pledged to make way for other party members to represent the party in the EP, while they themselves would keep their seats in the national assembly.
Toroczkai said Mi Hazánk took “all Hungarians” into consideration while fighting against “anti-nationalist ideological networks” that had an outsized influence in the world.
Germany’s Alternative fur Deutschland, he said, was one of the party’s most important allies.
In the event new party alliances are established in EP after the elections, Mi Hazánk would be ready to join an “anti-globalist party family working to achieve a Europe of nations”, he said.
Dúró said the party was working to build a “Hungarian future rather than a globalist dictatorship”.
Toroczkai and Dúró are followed on the list by historian Zsuzsanna Borvendég, Vojvodina engineer Szilveszter Kispalkó and János Árgyelán, the party’s foreign affairs spokesman.
Dúró and Borvendég: one goes, one stays
Fidesz MEP: Hungary has a need for peace in Ukraine
Hungary has a need for peace to emerge in Ukraine, and its interests lie in preserving stability and prosperity in Europe, Kinga Gál, the leader of the Fidesz European Parliament (EP) group, said in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
After the EP plenary debate on strengthening European security and defence, Gál told Hungarian journalists that Hungary condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and stood by Ukraine in upholding its territorial integrity, while providing humanitarian support “beyond its means”.
She said, however, it was “unacceptable” that Hungary had been attacked because it stood for peace.
Meanwhile, Hungary a supports common defence policy and strengthening Europe’s defence industry, something that Hungary’s EU presidency will prioritise, she said.
But Hungary rejects “ideological statements” contained in the reports discussed in the EP today, she added. Europe’s “real interests”, such as stopping its slide in competitiveness, should be the real focus of debates, Gál said.
The MEP decried “repeated attacks” in EP reports against Olivér Várhelyi, the commissioner for enlargement and neighborhood policy, adding that he deserved credit for getting enlargement policy moving again.
Speeding up the European integration of the Western Balkans “is a fundamental strategic interest of the EU”, Gál added.
Regarding qualified majority voting, she said related proposals were “intolerable” and ran contrary to the EU’s basic treaties. Scrapping unanimous decision-making would gravely harm the sovereignty of member states, especially smaller ones, she said.
Read also:
BREAKING: Hungarian Wizz Air launches six new flights from Budapest! – UPDATED
Based on information shared by a Hungarian air travel news portal Facebook page, Wizz Air is set to launch six new flight routes from Budapest to various European destinations. Here’s what we already know about this exciting announcement.
According to Budflyer, Wizz Air is gearing up to start operations on these new routes starting from June, connecting Budapest to several European cities.
To Yerevan, Armenia, Wizz Air will operate three flights per week, with the first flight scheduled for 17th June. Ticket prices will start from EUR 41.4, as reported by Pénzcentrum.
The additional destinations and their respective details are as follows:
- Brussels, Belgium (from 19 June with five planes per week, tickets starting from EUR 41.4),
- Brassó-Brașov, Romania (Brasov, from 18 June, three times a week, tickets starting from EUR 15),
- Bucharest Otopeni, Romania (from 17 June every day, tickets starting from EUR 25.5),
- Stuttgart, Germany (from 18 June, five times a week, tickets starting from EUR 25.5),
- Valencia (from 17 June, three times a week, tickets starting from EUR 31.2).
According to the travel news Facebook page, these new flights are already available for booking through the Hungarian budget airline’s system. The announcement comes as a surprise, considering Wizz Air‘s recent focus on addressing issues with Pratt & Whitney engines, resulting in several grounded planes awaiting maintenance. We detailed these issues in our previous article HERE.
We will continue to update this article as more information regarding the expansion becomes available.
Wizz Air figures
In addition, Pénzcentrum reports that the Hungarian low-cost carrier will increase flight frequencies between Paris and Budapest leading up to and during the Olympic Games and European Championships. Daily flights between the two capitals are planned from 16th June to 30th September. They also mentioned plans to transport gold medallists on their dedicated “Gold Plane” using their newest and most modern aircraft for these events. József Váradi, Wizz Air’s CEO, announced in a morning press conference that two more planes will be arriving in Budapest this summer. Mr Váradi added that in 2023, the airline experienced a 32% growth with 60.3 million passengers.
UPDATE: Wizz Air announces frequency boosts to European destinations from June
In a recent announcement, Wizz Air, the Hungarian low-cost carrier, touted as Europe’s fastest-growing and most environmentally sustainable airline, disclosed its plans to enhance its service offerings. The airline revealed intentions to integrate two state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft into its Budapest fleet by June, expanding its fleet to 16 planes in Budapest and an additional aircraft at Debrecen International Airport.
This expansion marks a significant milestone for Wizz Air, catapulting it to unprecedented fleet size and consolidating its position as the foremost market leader in Hungary, boasting a 38% share.
Apart from the aforementioned six new destinations, Wizz Air will increase flight frequencies to several European destinations, including Athens, Alicante, Basel, Glasgow, Madrid, Malta, Milan, Naples, Nice, Rome, Thessaloniki and Tirana.
As a result, Wizz Air’s capacity will exceed its 2023 level by 15%, facilitating transportation for an estimated 6.67 million passengers. This milestone also positions the budget airline as Hungary’s largest employer in history, generating over 4,000 job opportunities.
UPDATE 2 – Wizz Air CEO: Ryanair CEO was ‘under the influence of drugs’
That is what József Váradi said about Michael O’Leary: he was probably under the influence of narcotics when he said a couple of days ago that the Irish low-cost airline was Hungary’s market leader. Mr Váradi told hvg.hu that their market share was 38%, clearly beating Ryanair’s 26%.
O’Leary called the leadership of Wizz Air liars and added they had no chance to compete with Ryanair in the Hungarian market.
Mr Váradi said Wizz Air is Hungary’s market leader and they are Hungary’s flag carrier.
Read also:
BREAKING NEWS! Another strike at Lufthansa, all flights to Budapest cancelled
Today’s flights are also affected, as the Verdi union has announced another strike by Lufthansa ground handling staff, with only 10-20 percent of the German airline’s flights set to operate.
Approximately 25,000 members of the Verdi union are set to walk out between 4.00 a.m. on Tuesday and 7.10 a.m. on Wednesday (21 February) in an ongoing pay dispute with the German airline.
An estimated 200,000 travellers are likely to be impacted by this disruption. The German airline has notified affected passengers via email or mobile app, offering complimentary rebooking and vouchers redeemable for train tickets on domestic flights.
The German company advises passengers on cancelled flights not to proceed to airports, as there will be no staff at customer service desks due to the strike.
According to Budapest Airport’s flight information system, Lufthansa has cancelled all its flights between Frankfurt and Munich and the Hungarian capital on Tuesday, with the late Monday night flight LH1342 from Frankfurt not arriving at Budapest Airport (BUD).
As previously reported, the last time there was a similar level of downtime on Lufthansa’s network due to industrial action was on 7-8 February.
The Verdi union is demanding a 12.5 percent pay increase, equating to at least €500 extra per month, for Lufthansa ground staff. Negotiations occurred last week but failed to yield a resolution, prompting the commencement of another strike.
Can you get a refund?
Regarding refunds, Lufthansa stated, “Flights that have been cancelled due to the strike can be rebooked free of charge at http://lufthansa.com, in the Lufthansa app, or via the service centers.”
For domestic flights, passengers can obtain a voucher for an equivalent train journey through the Lufthansa website.
According to Euronews, under EU regulations, passengers are entitled to a full refund if their flight is cancelled.
- Read also: Plane ticket prices increased significantly in Hungary: here is why
Expatriation: Hungarians are flooding into Austria
New Austrian labour market data have been published. It is striking that Austria generates its demand for foreign labour from two main sources. One is Germany, with 83 million people, and the other is Hungary, with just under 10 million people.
The Austrian social security authorities have published the latest January statistics on foreign workers in Austria, Világgazdaság reports. It is important to note that the Österreichische Sozialversicherung only counts registered full-time employees.
The data show that in the first month of 2024, a total of 980,567 foreigners were working in the Austrian labour market. This is a considerable number, given the fact that Austria has a population of around 9.1 million. This means that one in nine people in the country is a foreign national.
Last January, the figure was only 948,013. This means that in the space of a year, the number of Austrians in the registered international workforce has increased by about 3.5%.
Hungarian workforce in Austria
It is striking that Austria generates its foreign labour demands from two main sources: Germany (with 83 million people), and Hungary (with just under 10 million people). As of now, Austria employs 127,170 German workers. Right behind them are Hungarians, with 124,820 people. This means that Hungary, with eight times fewer inhabitants, provides the same number of workers to Austria as Germany, Világgazdaság writes.
Comparing the 124,820 Hungarian workers to the total number of foreigners registered in Austria, one in eight of them are Hungarian citizens. This comes as no surprise as there are plenty of examples of headhunting firms recruiting Hungarian workers specifically for jobs in Austria.
The January figures are somewhat unfavourable from a Hungarian labour market perspective as they demonstrate that 1,788 Hungarians went to work in Austria in the space of a month from December to January.
The full picture also includes the fact that between August and November last year, around 8,000 Hungarians left Austria. At that time, 126,656 were still staying in Austria towards the last month of summer, but this had fallen to 118,930 by the end of autumn.
Can Hungarians be lured back home?
It’s always difficult to predict, but based on the experience of previous years and the seasonality of the Austrian labour market, it is expected that the number of Hungarians working in Austria will continue to rise in the coming months. What is more, it cannot be ruled out that by spring, they will form the largest foreign worker community in the neighbouring country (ahead of the Germans).
According to Világgazdaság, these workers would have plenty of room in the Hungarian economy, which is facing a severe labour shortage. Attila Gazsi, deputy chairman of the National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers (VOSZ), told Portfolio in early February that “the key to making the labour market more dynamic is to lure Hungarian workers working abroad back home”.
Read also:
State secretary Kovács: Hungarian government policy not influenced by Western media
Hungarian government policy is not influenced by what is said about it in the Western media, the state secretary for international communication and relations told a conference on Thursday.
The “media attacking Hungary” aim to “completely stymie and quarantine the government that has won four consecutive two-thirds majorities,” Zoltán Kovács told the Nezopont Institute’s event on Hungary’s image in the international media. Kovács said there had been “no chance to change this narrative” over the last 14 years, arguing that “the other side … has no interest in such a dialogue”.
The state secretary said Hungarian politics and the Hungarian narrative “rest on reality”.
He said the government aimed to pursue policies based on national interests even if its decisions did not align with what other countries or those working at European institutions thought.
Kovács said it was unlikely that there would be fewer conflicts between Hungary and the Western media in the future, mainly because of Hungary’s pro-peace position on the war in Ukraine, the European Parliament election campaign and Hungary’s upcoming European Union presidency.
Bank Levente Boros, the Nezopont Institute’s director for political analysis, said that according to a study analysing 19,153 mentions of Hungary in 100 politically relevant media platforms of 18 countries, Hungary has been getting more and more media attention in recent years.
He attributed this to Hungary’s pro-peace stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, adding that increasingly often, a neutral perception of Hungary tended to become either positive or negative. In the Anglosphere in particular, news stories about Hungary now tended to be more critical in tone compared with a more neutral view in the past, while most Russian news stories now tended to mention Hungary in a positive context.
Boros said the number of positive pieces written about Hungary had increased slightly in French, Spanish, English and Italian-speaking territories, while the number of Polish-language pieces with a positive tone had decreased last year.
In a panel discussion about perceptions of Hungary in the Western media, German journalist Georg Gafron said there were more critical opinions of Hungary than positive ones. He said journalists should present reality instead of being “propagandists” or “philosophers”, adding that four-fifths of German reporters covered the news from the perspective of the Greens and the Social Democrats.
As regards Hungary’s pro-peace stance on Ukraine, Gafron said more than two-thirds of Germans were in favour of supporting Ukraine and “very afraid of the Russians”, which was why it was harder for them to understand Hungary’s position.
Read also:
EURO 2024 Guide – Experience the German football culture
Sponsored content
The Hungarian national football team participates in Germany 2024 for the third European Championship in a row. What can Fans and the national squad expect from Germany as this year’s host, and what can you be excited about?
Germany’s summer dream, 2006
Germany has quite some knowledge when it comes to hosting big football events. The last time they had the chance to showcase their ability to take care of the world’s best athletes accompanied by crowds of fans was in 2006. That time, the whole world was hospitable for the FIFA World Cup.
The organizers as well as the German people were praised for their neatness, hospitality and their sense for perfect organization. Even though the host cities became a melting pot for fans of various cultures and backgrounds, there were no signs of trouble or the feeling, the Germans couldn’t handle the situation.
These are the venues
For the Hungarian national team, the campaign will start on the second day of the tournament with the decisive match against Switzerland. The venue for this match will be Cologne, a city as German as it gets. Even though the founding of the city took place under Roman rule almost 2000 years ago, Cologne has established and reinvented itself over the centuries. Landmarks of the Rhine Metropolis are the Dome, the old town and of course the Cologne Stadium. The venue can host 46’000 spectators and spreads some old football charm through the rectangle shape.
Luckily, the next two games take place at the same venue in Stuttgart. The city is considered to be the “cradle of the automobile” and lies in between vineyards and the river Neckar. The city itself hosts a lot of different industries and is also well known as the second-biggest financial center in Germany. The cultural offer is also huge and dates back until the Roman era. But the fans will mainly spend their time alongside their heroes in the MHPArena (60’000), one of the biggest venues at the tournament.
Both stadiums are easy to reach from the Hungarian base camp, which will be located in Weiler im Allgäu, close to the Austrian border in the south of Germany.
Germany’s enthusiastic fans
One of the stereotypes about Germans is that they are very distant and well-thought. This is true, until they hear the whistle blow and the ball gets kicked-off. Then you will see them transform into loud and enthusiastic football fanatics. Luckily, their sense for structures and rules is still in charge of their behavior. This lets them be one of the best crowds worldwide.
After enjoying their national beverage, which is beer, they become very sociable and talkative. But you would never need to fear them to be aggressive, since they can handle themselves pretty well even under the influence.
Often you will see them on their mobile, since Germans like to bet on their national team and compare the best betting offers, because they are very economical about most aspects of everyday life.
Food and beverage
As mentioned, in Germany football and beer belong together like Siegfried and Roy. The chance is huge, that you will see everybody with a cup of beer in their hands. Before, during and after the match. They won’t be able to greet you or even shake your hands, since often enough in the other hand they will have a Sausage (“Wurst”).
There are many delicious foods to enjoy in Germany, especially if you visit Stuttgart, you would find many different dishes. Even though beer is omnipresent, Germans also like to have a glass of white wine (Riesling), which is cultured on the shores of the Rhine.
Athletic competition
Regarding the athletic challenges, the Hungarians will also meet with Germany on the pitch. Sharing the Group with the host is always difficult, especially since we are talking about Germany.
Furthermore, the other competitors, Scotland and Switzerland, can be hard to win against. For more information, you will find all important facts and insight to Hungary’s opponents here.
Potential scope of success
Should the Hungarian national team overcome all obstacles and get to the next round, the hurdles naturally only would get bigger. In case of finishing the group second, they would most likely compete against Italy or Spain (runner-up group B).
If they can accomplish the sensation and win the group, they would have to compete against the runner-up of group C, most likely Serbia or Denmark.
Luckily, also the best third of this group can qualify for the next round, which could give Hungary an extra chance at the end of the group stage.
Disclaimer: the author(s) of the sponsored article(s) are solely responsible for any opinions expressed or offers made. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Daily News Hungary, and the editorial staff cannot be held responsible for their veracity.
German extremists assaulted Hungary’s Collegium Hungaricum in Berlin!
Physically assaulting someone or attacking an institution over a stated opinion is incompatible with European culture, János Csák, the minister of culture and innovation, said in Berlin’s Collegium Hungaricum on Friday, in connection with a recent vandal attack on the Hungarian cultural centre in which the building’s windows were smashed.
The building was also spray-painted in the Jan 26 attack, he told public media, adding that an Antifa group had claimed responsibility for the vandalism. Details of the case were reported by news portal mandiner.hu, which quoted the group as saying that their actions had come in response to the criminal trial of those allegedly involved in organised armed attacks in Budapest last February.
The minister said security around the Hungarian cultural institute had been bolstered.
He noted that the institute, which celebrates its centenary this year, on Thursday opened an exhibition of the post-digital works of contemporary young Hungarian artists.
Meanwhile, Csák said that he had held talks with Claudia Roth, Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, during his visit to Berlin, discussing the priorities of Hungary’s upcoming EU presidency, the demographic situation, sustainability and the importance of preserving the natural environment.
The talks also touched on the fact that Hungary, too, will soon introduce a cultural passport meant to aid young people’s access to culture. The passport’s introduction has been a success in Italy, France, Germany and Denmark, Csák said.
Read also:
Show of contemporary Hungarian artists to open in Berlin
An exhibition of the post-digital works of nine contemporary Hungarian artists will open on Friday at the Collegium Hungaricum in Berlin, in cooperation with MNB Arts and Culture.
Code plus Canvas will feature works from the collection of the National Bank of Hungary, focusing on post-digitalism, one of the most influential trends in contemporary art, the bank’s property wing, MNB-Ingatlan, said in a statement. The show attempts to give an insight into the world view and artistic practices of generation Y, it added.
The artists have used a wide array of forms of expression, “attempting to strike a balance between the digital and analogue worlds”, NBH said. Their works combine digital and more traditional imaging techniques. “Besides an emphatic presence of digital culture … the artists are also in touch with the traditions of art and painting”, the statement said.
The exhibition curated by Kinga Hamvai and Zsuzska Petró will run through to March 22.
Here is a photo of them:
Read also:
Featured image: Collegium Hungaricum Berlin, illustration
New regular flights to connect Mediterranean paradise with Hungarian and German cities
Regular flights will connect a Mediterranean summer paradise island with a South Hungarian and a South German city.
According to pecsma.hu, Universal Air, a Maltese airline, is to launch new flights connecting Malta with Pécs, South Hungary, and Munich, South Germany this March. Ticket bookings are set to start shortly, according to the local media outlet. This marks a significant development for Pécs, as it has been 15 years since regular flights connected the city to other destinations. Additionally, plans are in motion to establish a new route to Corfu, Greece, for the summer season.
The first flight, carrying 78 passengers who are all employees of the Maltese airline, touched down in Pécs yesterday morning. This milestone flight signifies the beginning of seamless travel between the idyllic Mediterranean island, steeped in history and bathed in perpetual sunshine, and the charming city of southern Hungary.
Scheduled services will commence on 26th March from Pécs airport, with a travel time of 2 hours and 20 minutes to Malta and 1 hour and 20 minutes to Munich. The announcement of these new routes was made during a press conference held at Pécs-Pogány Airport.
Pécs was a pioneer of modern air travelling
Pécs, a historic city, has a rich aviation legacy, having pioneered modern air travel in Hungary. Attila Péterffy, the mayor of Pécs, highlighted that the last charter flight from Pécs departed 12 years ago, while the last regular flight departed 16 years ago. Pécs was also the site of Hungary’s first domestic flight to Budapest in 1930.
The mayor expressed his satisfaction with the conclusion of lengthy negotiations with Universal Air, emphasising that local businesses and the university were consulted to gauge air travel needs.
Acknowledging Munich’s status as an international air hub, Mayor Péterffy underscored its importance in facilitating travel for locals to destinations worldwide. He noted that a significant portion of tourists visiting Pécs hail from southern Germany, with many German students enrolled at the local university.
According to the mayor, Tüke Busz will carry the passengers between the city and the airport.
Simon Cook, CEO of Universal Air, hailed Pécs as a hidden gem and pledged to promote it vigorously among passengers. He revealed plans for a new flight route between Pécs and Corfu, with an announcement expected in May.
Favourable luggage rules on new Pécs flights
Under the new flight arrangements, passengers will have a choice between economy and business class tickets, with a luggage allowance of 15 kg plus a handbag included in the fare. Online check-in will be available, and passengers can enjoy free parking in Malta.
Mr Cook also revealed their plan to launch a new flight between Pécs and Corfu, which is scheduled for May.
Márk Dragovácz, CEO of the company operating Pécs-Pogány Airport, expressed optimism about the partnership with Universal Air, emphasising their shared commitment to expanding flight options.
The local government of Pécs will invest approximately HUF 70 million (EUR 180,500) to develop the airport and expand its crew. The local government of Pécs is investing approximately HUF 70 million (EUR 180,500) to enhance airport facilities and bolster the airport’s workforce. Reopening the airport was a key campaign promise of the incumbent mayor, eagerly awaited by the business, university, and tourism sectors.
While MPs of Fidesz have attempted to claim credit for the success, citing government assistance, local media reports indicate minimal involvement from the foreign ministry in achieving this milestone.
Read also:
Night trains from Budapest to European cities and the Adriatic
The night trains commuting between Budapest and major European cities were immensely popular last year.
According to turizmus.com, there are 13 different night trains connecting the Hungarian capital with European cities and capitals, and more than 280 thousand people travelled with them in 2023.
Among other destinations, you can reach Berlin, Zürich, Brassó (Brasov, Kronstadt), Prague and Stuttgart by direct night trains from Budapest. In the summer, you may get on MÁV’s Adriatic night trains commuting between the Hungarian capital and the seashore.
You can buy your ticket to a couchette with 4-6 beds or a sleeping car with 1-3 beds. The latter offers more privacy and intimacy, close to hotel rooms, MÁV writes on their official website. You can feel safe during the journey since you can lock your door and there is a steward on the train.
In the couchettes, food and drink are included. If you feel like it, you can buy more from the stewards. Beds are equipped with pillows, sheets and blankets, but passengers have to make the bed.
Couchettes are coed, but “on some routes, ladies’ compartments are also available”, MÁV wrote. Service included in couchettes contains a welcome package in the evening (still mineral water, chocolate-rum candy) and breakfast (hot drink with sweet or savoury pastry).
In sleeping cars, there are a washbasin, ready-made beds and an extended welcome package (peanuts, apple juice, champagne). For breakfast, you can choose seven components from the menu card. Thus, you can feel almost like you’re in a hotel room.
Read also:
- Unexpected announcement: M1 Budapest-Vienna motorway will become three-lane! – Read more HERE
- Wizz Air rewrote summer timetable: European Riviera flights called off, modified
Swiss and German cities are the most popular
The overnight journey to Stuttgart is via Vienna and Munich. You can take off in Vienna, Innsbruck and Feldkirch while travelling to Zürich. On the way to Berlin, the train stops in Pozsony (Bratislava) and Dresden. Meanwhile, if you travel to Brassó (Brasov), you can get off in Csíkszereda (Miercurea Ciuc), Gyergyószentmiklós (Gheorgheni) and Sepsiszentgyörgy (Sfântu Gheorghe).
Of course, you are not obliged to sleep during your travel. You can travel sitting in a conventional 2nd class seat, as well.
To Berlin, Stuttgart, Zürich and Brassov, 10 couchettes and 8 sleeping cars commute each day. During summers, 6 sleeping cars travel to Split (Spalato) and 4 to Fiume (Rijeka) in Croatia and Koper in Slovenia.
In 2023, 90 thousand passengers chose to travel on the Budapest-Zürich EuroNight train. The second most popular ride was the Kálmán Imre EuroNight to Stuttgart with 60 thousand passengers. Berlin stands in third place with 50 thousand travellers.
In 2022, The Guardian chose the Budapest-Adriatic train journey as one of Europe’s ten best routes. We wrote about that HERE. Below are some photos:
Wizz Air launches extra flight to this German city
Because of the high demand, the Hungarian budget airline, Wizz Air, has decided to launch an extra flight to Cologne, Germany.
According to AIRportal.hu, the extra flight will take off on 15 June to the German city where the Hungarian football team will play their first group match with Switzerland in Group A. As a result, Hungarian fans may travel to the German city with two direct flights from Budapest that day.
Wizz Air added they would launch flights to the Hungarian national team’s 15 and 19 June matches from the Budapest Airport and the Debrecen International Airport.
Furthermore, football fans may travel to the European Championships with direct flights from Alania, Austria, the United Kingdom, Italy, Romania, and Serbia.
Read also:
- Hungarian authority probes Wizz Air for concealing information from passengers
- Hungarian beauty says her daughter’s father is Brazilian football star Neymar – PHOTOS and more in THIS article
The ticket price for the direct Cologne flight from Budapest is a bit high concerning the budget airline’s average. You have to pay HUF 59,990 (EUR 156).
The outbound plane will leave Budapest at 6.25 in the morning. Meanwhile, the return flight is expected to arrive at 9.05 in the evening.
Leaked: Hungary may contribute to establishment of arms purchase fund for Ukraine with special deal
A new compromise proposal from Brussels would take into account Hungary’s position that it will not supply arms to Ukraine. According to the plan, Hungarian state money for the new Ukrainian arms purchase fund would be spent on non-lethal weapons, Politico has learned from a document it received.
A special deal: helping Ukraine
In fact, under a further compromise advocated by Germany, Hungary might not even pay its annual HUF 23 billion (EUR 59.5 million) into the fund. Instead, it would directly assist the neighbouring country. Then, the amount could be deducted from the obligation to pay into the fund, Portfolio reports.
According to the newspaper’s Tuesday morning Brussels newsletter, at the EU summit this Thursday (1 February), the leaders of the member states are preparing to reach an agreement on the Ukraine Facility, replacing the European Peace Facility (EPF) with an annual EUR 5 billion. To this, the Hungarian government would also contribute with the aforementioned special deal.
Hungary helps, but differently
The Hungarian side had already indicated its willingness to do so at last Wednesday’s meeting of ambassadors of the member states, which is why the compromise proposal has been prepared, the paper explains. An annual amount of HUF 23 billion would have to be paid into this fund, which would be used for non-lethal equipment in Ukraine.
Read also:
- Brussels’ final warning to PM Orbán: Hungarian economy at risk if he vetoes
- Transparency International’s shocking finding about corruption in Hungary
In fact, under a further compromise advocated by Germany, it is even possible that Hungary would not pay that sum into the fund, but would directly assist Ukraine. This could then be deducted from the obligation to pay into the fund. In this way, the Hungarian government could continue to maintain that it does not supply arms to Ukraine, while at the same time helping the war-torn country in the background with non-lethal equipment.
Berlin supports the plan
Berlin also wants its “in-kind contributions” to Ukraine to be recognised. In essence, this would mean deducting from the Member States’ contributions to the EPF those items that Member States have provided to Ukraine bilaterally. Thus, there would be no need to make two-way payments. On the basis of the above, his concession could even be used by Hungary to assist Ukraine on a bilateral basis.
At Thursday’s EU summit, the leaders of the member states will also decide on a third, broader issue: the mid-term review of the EU’s 2021-2027 budget. It includes the EUR 50 billion package for Ukraine over 4 years and the EUR 5 billion Ukraine Arms Purchase Facility.
German defendant in February 2023 Budapest violent antifa attacks sentenced to 3 years in prison
A Budapest court has sentenced a foreign man who carried out organised armed attacks in Budapest last February as part of the Antifa movement, to three years in a maximum security prison for attempted battery.
The Budapest Municipal Court’s first-instance ruling also ordered the man to be expelled from Hungary for a period of five years on completion of his prison sentence, the court’s press department said in a statement on Monday, adding that another man and a woman are co-defendants in the case.
According to the indictment, the defendants, all foreign nationals, were members of “an organisation of young adults sympathising with far-left ideologies” who had planned on “taking the ideological fight to militant far-right sympathisers who espoused fascist views” by carrying out violent attacks and taking part in demonstrations and protests.
The court determined that the defendants had planned to assault their victims with deadly weapons “so that the humiliation they felt” over the unexpected attacks would cause them “mental anguish” and act as a deterrent to representatives of far-right movements.
- watch the video of one of the attacks: German anti-fascists attacked and nearly killed a man in the street in Budapest – VIDEOS
They said the defendants had travelled to Hungary to take part in coordinated attacks.
At Monday’s preparatory hearing, the secondary co-defendant pleaded guilty to the charges and waived his right to a trial. The court accepted the plea and sentenced the man to three years in a maximum security prison and expelled him from Hungary for five years.
Prosecutors had sought an 11-year prison sentence for the primary defendant and 3.5-year sentences for the two co-defendants. They also wanted the primary defendant expelled from Hungary for 10 years and the other defendants for 5 years each.
Both the prosecution and the defence are appealing the verdict.
We wrote about the other defendants here today: Defendants of the brutal Antifa attack may receive many years in the Hungarian court
Defendants of the brutal Antifa attack may receive many years in the Hungarian court
A year ago, a series of brutal and ambush-like attacks took place that sparked a huge public outcry. The perpetrators of the scandalous “Antifa attacks” have been brought to justice and prospects for a favourable outcome seem unlikely.
Between the 9th and 11th of February last year, five assaults occurred in Budapest, resulting in injuries to a total of nine people. The initial attack transpired at Nyugati Railway Station on a train, followed by the second at Fővám Square, the third and fourth at Gazdagréti Square and Bank Street on the 10th of February, and the fifth on Mikó Street in the 1st district on the 11th of February. Victims comprised both Hungarian and foreign nationals, with six sustaining serious injuries, three suffering minor injuries and several facing potentially life-threatening harm.
As per the indictment, the wrongdoers were affiliated with a group of young adults sympathetic to extreme left-wing ideology. In addition to partaking in demonstrations and rallies, they plotted violent assaults against the militant National Socialist and fascist extreme right-wing. Their objective was to assault chosen victims through various means capable of endangering lives, aiming to subject them to the humiliation of severe, life-threatening injuries and the psychological distress of unexpected attacks, to a degree of psychological anguish that would send a message of deterrence to the representatives of extreme right-wing movements. Strength training sessions were conducted for members, during which the precise execution of the assaults was rehearsed.
Police arrest
A well-coordinated antifascist action was captured on video, depicting a man being surrounded by a group who used a viper to nearly beat him to death on the ground.
Watch the video here, where German antifascists attacked and nearly killed a man on the streets of Budapest – VIDEOS
The trial
On Monday, only three gang members were brought to the Metropolitan Court, with the Budapest Chief Prosecutor’s Office seeking European and international arrest warrants for 14 others (2 Italians, 1 Albanian, 1 Syrian and 10 German citizens). The organisation’s leaders and closely associated members face charges in Germany for attacks committed between October 2018 and February 2020.
According to Blikk, the Budapest Chief Prosecutor’s Office charged the Italian woman with attempted assault causing bodily harm in a criminal organisation, while the German man and woman face charges of participating in a criminal organisation. Two arrived in handcuffs from prison, and the German woman remains at large. The courtroom was filled with Italians and Germans, listening to proceedings translated by interpreters. Only the first defendant, Salis Ilaria, contributed in a recognisable manner. The prosecution urged an 11-year sentence if she confessed, while the others face three and a half years in prison.
I did not commit these crimes, I do not accept what I am accused of,”
said Salis Ilaria, joined by the third defendant.
The German man admitted his crimes.
I apologise, I apologise to the court and the prosecution. I plead guilty and waive my right to trial. Everything happened as stated in the indictment,”
he explained.
The court accepted the second defendant’s guilty plea and waiver of trial rights. A verdict is imminent.
This German province is a crucial investment and trade partner for Hungary
Judit Varga, the head of parliament’s European affairs committee, had talks with political and economic leaders of North Rhine-Westphalia on Friday.
The German province is “a crucial investment and trade partner” for Hungary, Varga told MTI after the talks. She said economic ties were good but needed to be further developed. She added that preserving and developing German-Hungarian and North Rhine-Westphalian-Hungarian ties would fit in the priorities of Hungary’s upcoming European Union presidency.
Varga met Stefan Engstfeld, her counterpart in the province’s parliament, and other local officials.
During her talks, Varga discussed “practical areas where the EU could have a better performance and where it could set more rationalistic goals for the industry, which could be met and which are not ideologically motivated,” she said. The talks touched upon the EU’s general economic state, priorities of the Hungarian presidency and the European parliamentary elections.
Read also:
- Hungarian FM: W Europeans want to undermine CEE’s competitive edge
- Audi Hungaria breaks ten-year output record
Varga noted Europe’s “crisis signals” including protests by farmers “demonstrating that German and French citizens have realised that the Brussels elite neglects their problems,” which she said “should be remedied through the EP elections”.
Concerning media reports suggesting that the EU could strip Hungary of its voting rights, Varga said “the EU treaties guarantee Hungary the right for a different opinion in certain areas such as foreign policy”. “Unless we promote the majority position, we are threatened by fund cuts and the stripping of our voting rights . this is a kind of cancel culture in the Brussels administration, which we want to change by all means,” she said.
In the upcoming election “redirect Europe to the path of rationality and restoring consensus in decision making will be on one side, and witch hunts, rule of law procedures, and blackmailing countries of a different opinion on the other,” she insisted.
International railway services from Hungary affected by German strike
The planned walkout of German railway workers from Wednesday morning (24 January) until early Monday evening (29 January) will also affect the timetable of international trains from and through Hungary, the Hungarian Railway Company, MÁV, wrote on its Facebook page Mávinform.
Changes to railway timetables 24-29 January
Railjet xpress trains are said to be cancelled on the German section, with Munich services running only between Budapest and Salzburg, Mávinform reported in a Facebook post. Hungária EuroCity trains only run between Budapest and Prague, and Metropol EuroNight trains do not carry the Berlin group of coaches. The Salzburg coach group of the Kálmán Imre EuroNight train only runs between Budapest and Salzburg.
According to Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German railway company, significant disruptions and longer journey times can be expected on the German rail network during the strike, including on long-distance and regional services. Passengers are advised to postpone their journey if possible or to choose alternative travel options.
Those travelling to Germany should check the DB and MÁV information platforms and customer services, Mávinform added.
Read also:
- VIDEO: MÁV operates a special train to the Rijeka Carnival
- Important changes coming to the Austro-Hungarian railway network
According to a previous statement by Mávinform, tickets and reservations already booked by 24 January for travel to, from or via Germany on the evening of 23 January and between 24 and 29 January can be returned free of charge and used before the booked date on 22 and 23 January or until 5 February on the route indicated on the ticket.
Tickets purchased online can be redeemed in the mobile app and by emailing es********@ma*******.hu. Validation of tickets for other times is handled by international ticket offices.
More information on ticket validity and transport arrangements: bahn.de/service/fahrplaene/aktuell, mavinform.hu/DB_arbeitsniederlegung
Strike in Germany
As reported by Index, German train conductors will go on a record six-day strike from Wednesday morning until early Monday evening after their union rejected the latest pay and working time offer from state railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB). Drivers at freight rail company DB Cargo already walked off on Tuesday evening.
The railway company held its longest strike so far in 2015: they were on strike for five days.
According to an expert from a German think tank, the strike could cause up to a billion euros in damage, given that the situation in the Red Sea has disrupted other transport routes.
PHOTOS: Hungary exhibiting food products at International Green Week in Berlin
Zsolt Feldman, the state secretary for agriculture and rural development, held talks to boost Hungary’s international agricultural ties at the 88th International Green Week and the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday.
Feldman discussed agricultural cooperation with the agriculture ministers of the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Uzbekistan. He also talked about bilateral agricultural ties with the Bavarian minister and Georgia’s deputy minister.
The state secretary discussed opportunities for cooperation on farming technologies with the leaders of the German Agricultural Society and the use of automated machine technologies with the head of the German Raiffeisen Association.
Hungary was one of 61 countries displaying their agricultural food products to the international food exhibit’s 300,000 visitors, the ministry said.
Read also: