Some more famous characters

In chronological order

István Kuezmics (1723 - 1779) is the most important writer for the evangelic Slovenes in Hungary. In Sopron, Györ and press castle (Bratislava) he successfully graduated from university. In the two Slovene speaking cities Nemescsó (1751 - 1755), in the northern part of Vas County and in Surd (1751 - 1755), in Zala County, István Küzmics was a pastor and a teacher.

Furthermore he wrote both Catechism and school books and translated the New Testament (Nauvi zakon ali testamentom, Halle 1771). In its preface, which is particularly important in cultural and ethnical respect, he writes among other things the following: "... You who reads the holy Slovene book of the New Testament in your mother tongue or will read it one day: express your gratitude to the goodness of your God … however, the book which is a more precious treasure than silver and gold, you should understand in your language and act according to the will of God."

Miklós Kuezmics (1737 - 1804) is the most important writer for the catholic Slovenes in Hungary. What is more, he was a training supervisor of the schools belonging to the Slovene Propstum (Miklós Kuezmics is only a namesake of István Kuezmics and not a relative). For the Hungarian Slovenes Miklós Kuezmics had written the first bilingual school book: ABC knizsica well narodni soul haszek - The Alphabet Booklet in Favor of the Nationality Schools, which he translated from German into the Hungarian and Slovene language. This booklet, which contained the first Slovene-Hungarian dictionary, appeared in Buda in 1790.

József Küzmics (1788 - 1867) executed the office of a priest in the first half of 19th century in Alsószölnök (1816 - 1828) and later in Felsõszölnök (1828 - 1867). Furthermore, he was a poet, a linguist, a historian and an ethnologist. He was a subscriber of the magazine: Scientific Collection - Tudományos gyüjtemény. In 1828 his scenery monograph about the Hungarian Slovenes appeared in this magazine, which was highly respected by ethnological science. József Kossics also followed Hungarian life in scientific and cultural regard with high attention. In his popular-scientific writings he also took up an excessive stance. He joined ane appeal in which a poem from every ethnic group living in the whole state in the respective mother tongue was expected for the opening of the Hungarian theatre in Pest (1837). Also József Kossics wrote a poem in his Slovene mother tongue and added a Hungarian coarse translation.

"Od Pesta példo vzemite

vsza Vogrska Goszpoda –

Da orszácsko gorznejtite

Gledáliscse bos znouva. –

Sztalnim mósztom prejk Dunája

Zvéste Büdimo k-Pesti,

Naj Prísavecz nazvejscsáva

Dela vass Zmosnoszti"

"Follow the example of the castle county of Pest

all Hungarian noblemen!

and let shine gloriously

also the national theater!

Connect Buda with Pest

with an eternal bridge,

so that the arrival should also promote

your splendid work"

János Kardos (1801 - 1875) was an evangelic priest, teacher and writer. In Vienna he finished his studies in theology. He worked and lived in Hodos (Slovenia). He wrote and translated ecclesiastical books and school books. Kardos was the first to translate works by Hungarian writers and poets from Hungarian into the Slovene language. (works by Petõfi, Arany, Jókai, Kisfaludy, Vörösmarty etc.). Amongst others he also translated Mihály Vörösmartys appeal:

"Domovini nevkleknyeno

Boj oh Vogrin, podan!

V nyej mas zibel i ednauk grob,

Gde bos varvan vuszpan.

Zvön nyé nega vecs za tébe

Meszta na tom szvejti;

V trdnom milom sorsi ti je

Tü zsiveti, mrejti"

"Oh Hungarian citizen, be an

extraordinary supporter of your homeland,

Even in the grave your wisdom shall

take care of you and cover you.

Except here there is no other place for you in this

big, wide world.

Fate shall save or punish you:

You shall live and die here. "

Imre Lenarsich (1882 - 1966) was a priest with Slovene roots. In 1882, he was born in Gornji Slaveci (Slovenia). In Szombathely he passed his final exams and was ordained to the priesthood. In Tisina (Mura region / Slovenia), he was a chaplain for five years. In 1909, he received the canon-juridical doctorate. As a priest Lenarsich Imre worked three years in Murska Sobota (Slovenia) and 14 years in Alsószölnok (Slovenian Raba region). From Alsószölnök Imre Lenarsich went to Nyögér, a small village close to Sárvár where he died in 1966. In Nyögér, he was a provost and celebrated his golden and his diamond mass respectively too.

In the small village Nyögér, one still remembers Lenarsich affectionately. In 1997, the Lenarsich foundation was founded and documents and data about his activity was collected keenly. In the parish of Nyögér even today Lenarsich’s black-and-white photos and books, among them also Slovene books are kept. Dr. Imre Lenarsich never denied his Slovene descent. The believers of Nyögér and its surroundings called him "uncle Mirko" and also bishop János Mikes thanked for the photos of Lernarsich with the words "dear Mirko", which he wrote on a postcard.

Károly Doncsecz (1918 - 2002) was a potter and in 1984 he received the award "Master of folk art" for his work Doncsecz was born in Orfalu and learned the art of pottering in Magyarszombatfa. He graduated from the apprenticeship in Zalaegerszeg, Sümeg and Szentgotthárd. From 1940 on Doncsecz lived and worked in Kétvölgy. Since the 1970s, he was the only Slovene potter in Hungary. His potter works were presented in numerous exhibits all over Hungary and Slovenia. When he was still alive, travel groups from the motherland Slovenia often visited him in his kétvölgyian workshop, and Doncsecz did not only tell about his craft, but also about biographies of many Slovenes from the Raba region in his mother tongue.

Károly Karjczár (1936) is a Slovene teacher. He wrote Slovene textbooks and collected ethnological objects. In 1958, Krajczár reached the Slovene-Hungarian professional certificate in Budapest. Between 1964 and 1970 he was a professional inspector of the Slovene language and also a Slovene teacher at Berzseny College in Szombathely. In 1954 and 1996, his book with the title: "Popular Fairy Tales of the Slovenes from the Raba Region - Rába-vidéki szlovén népmeseék" appeared in Slovene language, which was published in a new edition in Hungarian and Slovene in 1990.

Irén Barbér (1939) worked in the national administration. She is an active auxiliary in Slovene cultural life and a long-standing member of the mixed Pável Ágoston orchestra in Felsõszölnök. In 1993, her novellas "Trnova paut - The Trnova Way" and in 1998, "Zivljenje ever kratko - Life is Short" were published. Irén Barbér is the president of the Union of Slovene Pensioners in the Raba region.

Orsolya Gállos (1946) is an art expert and was born in Siklós. Her father was of Hungarian descent, but her mother was Slovene by birth and came from Ribnica. Beside the Hungarian educational theory education Gállos reached the Slovene teacher certificate at the University of Ljubljana. At the University of Ljubljana she works as a Hungarian corrector. Furthermore, she translates works of Slovene authors into Hungarian and publishes the Slovene literature in Hungarian magazines. On account of her translation work she received a honoring from Hungarian publishers already 4 times.

László Korpics (1952) is an accordion player and collector of Slovene folk songs. However, he works as a tailor. In 1972, he was on television for the first time where he accompanied on his accordion a duet singing in Slovene. From that day on he accompanied many trios and quartets and together with his orchestra he played at numerous balls. Since 1972 Korpics collects and takes down the melodies and texts of Slovene folk songs from the villages in the Raba region. He performs regularly with the lady’s quartet of Rábatótfalu, which he accompanies since 1976 at Hungarian ethnic group events and in Slovenia too. Korpics received one of the biggest musical honorings in Hungary, the "Gallus badge".

Mária Kozár (1952) is an ethnologic researcher of the Savaria museum in Szombathely, and the head of the Pável Ágoston museum in Szentgotthárd, in which she organized a long-term exhibition about the Slovenes in the surroundings of Szentgotthárd in 1983. Her books, which were published together with Ferenc Mukics, are: Slovensko Porabje (1982) and Textbooks about the Slovenes for Elementary Schools and High Schools (2003). Books, which were published by Mária Kozár only: Slovensko Porabje (1984), Felsõszölnök - Gornji Senik (1988), Etnoloski slovar Slovencev Madzarskem - The Ethnologic Dictionary of the Slovenes in Hungary (1996), Felsõszölnök. Száz magyar falu könyvesháza - Felsõszölnök. The Book House of the Hundred Hungarian Villages (2000), Dolnji Senik - Alsószölnök - Unterzemming (2001), A Magyarországi Szlovének - The Hungarian Slovenes (2003).

Ferenc Mukics (1952) is a Slavist. He wrote for a newspaper in Vas County called "Vas Népe". At the Hungarian radio he was a journalist and also an editor. He is the officer and also head editor of the Slovene radio in Szentgotthárd. Together with Mária Kozár he published the following books: Slovensko Porabje (1982) and Textbooks about the Slovenes for Elementary Schools and High Schools (2003). Together with Bertalan A. Székely Ferenc Mukics wrote: Két nép hü fja - The Two People’s Loyal Son (1996), together with Dusan Mukics he composed the folk music collection: Fücskaj, fücskaj, fanticek moj (2001), and on his own he wrote The Hungarian-Slovenian Phrase Dictionary (1993) and The Slovene Linguistic Book (1997).

Translated from German into English: Joël Gerber

The German text is based on: "A Magyarországi Szlovének"/The Hungarian Slovenes", Mária Mukics, Press Publica, (2003)

.