What makes a good food photo, what's the secret?

The quintessence of a good foot photo is the love of food and drink because you can be technically good, but if you don't enjoy eating, you'll never be a good food photographer. But this is true for any subject of photography: if you don't like mountains, you won't see the beauty in them. When I talk about food, I mean not only the love of flavours, but also the love of the ingredients. I'm picky about food, but I also love to photograph ingredients that I don't eat because they are visually pleasing – the shape, the colour, the texture. Anyway, our relationship with food can go down to an almost instinctual level, because it's vital to eat and drink, so it's not hard to touch the public with this kind of content. Of course, it's not enough to take a photo of what you eat for lunch, because sharing it might annoy others, and I'm thinking here of professional, carefully considered food presentation. It can evoke deep memories and feelings that go back to our childhood.

The taste and smell of a favourite food can be revived just by looking at a picture.

I think a food photo is good when I look at it and my mouth is watering, or when looking at it I feel that I just have to get that!

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Photo: Réka Csulak - Three Pod Studio threepodstudio.com

Where does your deep passion for gastronomy come from?

I grew up in Sződ, Pest County, where our family had a long tradition of home cooking. One of my grandmothers was a catering manager, the other a cook, but my grandfather also liked to cook on an open fire. I could always be counted on to help with the preparation - peeling potatoes, dipping cream - and from fifth grade I cooked my own lunches, learning how to prepare my favourite dishes. I also inherited some artistic inclinations from my mother, who used to draw, paint, and do crafts with me. And my dad is a skilled carpenter, from whom I absorbed an unfailing entrepreneurial work ethic. As we always had a garden and livestock, it was natural for me that meat does not grow in plastic packaging in the fridge, and that vegetables and fruit need months of care before they are in season.

You graduated from the University of Horticulture. How did you later end up in Finland and how did you go from being a horticultural engineer to an entrepreneur and food photographer?

Back in 2015, my ex-husband and I moved to Sweden to volunteer and then to the UK to work. After we went our separate ways, I came north again in February 2021 after meeting a Finnish gentleman. Prior to that, as the positive culture shock wore off in England, I tried to remedy the loneliness of grey weekdays by blogging to find people with similar interests to me. My blog was called Holy Whisk, and in the beginning, I shared mainly Hungarian recipes in English.

The first post was written at Christmas 2016, and around Easter 2018 I had the idea to buy a professional camera to take better pictures than the phone for the blog.

It was a major learning process to learn how to use it and the software needed for post-production, but the feedback confirmed that the effort was not in vain. I took part in social media photo challenges, plus I did a 'food stylist and food photographer' course in London - which prepared me to start my own business in this field.

And you did. Your website currently lists the following titles next to your name: photographer, blogger, food stylist, recipe developer, mentor...

These five areas go hand in hand. Over time, my blog has moved from recipes to more professional interviews, and recipe development has come from the fact that clients don't always provide me with a recipe to work from. Most of them now want to add value to their audience by asking me to develop a special recipe using a particular product, which I not only make after the test phase but also capture the result in promotional photos. I didn't study to do this, but there are many basic recipes in my family that I can use as a starting point and develop further.
The food stylist line was also a given, as it is very important to carefully plan what will be in the picture around the food, choose the equipment - cake stand, small spoon etc. - and equally importantly to keep the visual value of the food from the beginning to the end of the shoot, so that everything would look perfect. Some photographers employ a dedicated food stylist, but I handle everything from A to Z in one person and am responsible for the final look. And I became a mentor because other fellow photographers approached me for advice and I was happy to take it on. But it can only work as long as I am doing it myself, without it I would not be authentic. In such a fast-changing field as photography, you can't pass on knowledge from years ago.

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Photo: Réka Csulak - Three Pod Studio threepodstudio.com

You mentioned how important it is for the food to look perfect from the beginning to the end of the shoot. What tricks are sometimes helpful and necessary – for example, in the case of a fast-melting ice cream?

In promotional photography, I never use artificial substitutes for the sake of better looks, because of advertising fidelity. There, when shooting, the popsicle or ice cream that comes out of the box is the same as the one sold in the store.

But where the ice cream represents a flavour, not a specific product - say the smell of a car fragrance or the taste of lip gloss - you can put a non-melting substitute in the cone. Chocolate ice cream can be made with mashed potatoes coloured with brown food colouring, a harder buttercream, or even sugar paste. To avoid a completely frosted effect, it is also worth drizzling with coloured cooking cream, as if it has already melted. To give you another example, the drizzle is usually made by spraying a mixture of water and glycerine on a tomato peel or other vegetable. When the beer foam settles, salt can be sprinkled in to make it foam again, and whisky can be replaced by a similarly coloured tea. A dried meat pie can be re-greased or brightened if necessary - but, I stress, a substitute is only appropriate when it is not the main element of the image or the product being promoted. What else helps: if the adjustments are not yet made on the final product, but on a test item of similar size and consistency. Because when I use a lamp, it's always hot, and a freshly cut herbs will quickly wilt.

In what ways is a food shoot technically different from any other type of shoot?

It's not very different. Obviously, I don't need to capture a flying falcon from a great distance with a mouse in its beak, so I use lenses suitable for close-up photography. For advertising purposes, if I want to create a controllable environment, I use artificial light to show the best of the food. And the beauty of natural light is that as the clouds go, the highlights and shadows change.

But I prefer to work outdoors only when I have to present a seasonal product or to show how close to nature it is.

There are some products where it looks good to have the trees reflected on the packaging but I don't like having some messy environment show that way. It's important to have unique ideas and a unique vision, but it all depends on what the company wants because even though many people think that a freelancer is creative and always does what he or she thinks, the paying client has their own ideas. If they sticks to a specific idea, it’s rather problem-solving that I do.

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Photo: Réka Csulak - Three Pod Studio threepodstudio.com

For the most part, who are the customers? Do you travel to their places?

The majority of photos are promotional photos, which are requested by product manufacturers less often by restaurants or hotels. This is why, in most cases, I develop the recipe for the product sent by the client and prepare the food myself, which I then shoot in my own studio. If I work for a place where a chef is preparing the menu, he or she is the food stylist, I just do the final setup. One of the tricky things that I do there is, for example, pouring the sauce over the food so that it doesn't run off too soon. But the client can also be a kitchen appliance company - they usually come from Western Europe or America. I rarely have to travel there but I can do that on request.

Overall, I get the feeling from your words: in this area, in this way of life, you have found your place.

Yes, because this form of business allows me to combine my love of food and my love of creating without major compromises. As well as constantly training and developing my skills, I want nothing more than stability, peace of mind, and a good work-life balance.

I'm not aiming too high, if everyday life is perfect, that's enough!

Winning prizes in professional competitions is of course very important feedback that the direction I'm going in is the right one.

You work as a Hungarian, on the international stage. To what extent is it possible to bring a Hungarian approach to your work?

My approach is more international now, but my blog started with Hungarian recipes. And my first major food photography award - the final of the Pink Lady Food Photographer of The Year Awards and within that the Highly Recommended title in the gastroblogger category - was for my picture of a wedding cake from Zala. It is a traditional cake served at Hungarian weddings, with a short pastry as the base. It's made up of two halves, with a little cream in the middle, food colouring on the outside and a leaf stuck in, so it looks like a peach. The flavour of course has nothing to do with peaches, it's more of a cocoa and rum flavour. I'm happy if this and other Hungarian delicacies have sparked interest in Hungarian gastronomy! I'm looking for opportunities to make the Hungarian way of cooking a topic of conversation. The traditional customs associated with our food can also be touched upon, for example, information can be linked to a social media post about the celebrations where a particular cake is eaten. This is a special way for me to raise Hungary's reputation.
 

Regina, who has suffered head and brain injuries, has been learning to walk and talk again for the past 6 years, but her rehabilitation will be a lifelong process. Although there are visible marks of her accident, she is now able to live with the changes and make the most of them. Regina is a member of the Richter Phoenix community and her story is an inspiration to all women in difficult situations to never give up, because you can always get up and start again, you just need to recalculate.

You don't remember anything about your accident, but you remember your life before it. What was Regina like before the accident? How did she live, what were her dreams and aspirations?

Before the accident, Regi was an outgoing, party-loving, confident, and assertive girl, now Regi is more reserved and withdrawn. According to my friend Anna, my core qualities are still the same, such as my endurance and stubbornness, but they've just changed a little bit because of the accident and the years that have passed. But of course, I am sure I’m different on the outside than I experience "me" and my changes on the inside.

Before the accident, I was working in the hotel and catering industry, working nights, living my life with the "you only live once" attitude typical of young people. I don't remember exactly having any big dreams, but I do know that I had high hopes for my American internship. My desire to gain experience in an international setting and to be appreciated seemed to have been fulfilled. I loved the US and I arrived at the American luxury hotel as a waitress. I had to meet very complex requirements and I wanted to prove that I could do it.

I have always loved travelling, I wanted to see the whole world and that desire is still there today. I'm very proud that my injuries didn't get me benched.

Travel may require more planning now, but nothing can hold me back.

Do you remember that moment when you realized that your life would never be the same again as it was before your accident? What was the hardest thing to accept and come to terms with?

I realized that my life had changed forever about a year after my mother and I came home from America. It was after a festival that I realized I could no longer tolerate and deal with as many external stimuli as before. I had already accepted that my movement would not be the same, but it was very bad to be confronted with the fact that I was sometimes too "overwhelmed" by impulses because of my skull injury. At first, of course, I would have crashed and burned to get my old life back, but luckily I had just started writing my thesis, so that distracted me.

Anyone who has seen my short film or exchanged a few words with me knows that it's the change in my speech that I find most difficult to process. I'm upset that I couldn't take the oral part of the final exam when graduating and that I can't converse perfectly in either language. But I try to look on the bright side: I communicate well in writing in Hungarian, English, and Italian. And I think there's a lot of good stuff in the "new" Regi, you just have to discover it.

What physical and mental phases did you go through during your rehabilitation in the US and then here at home? When you received the diagnosis, what did you feel, what did you think: did you immediately feel a surge of "yes, I can do this" or did you hit a serious low?

We came back from America without a diagnosis because no two brain injuries are the same, you can't predict what to expect.

While I was in a coma, no one told my mother exactly what I would be able to do when I woke up. They just told her that there was a possibility that my personality would change, too and to be prepared for that. 

The traumatic head and brain injury was a fact, but they could not say to what extent the affected areas could be improved. I was given advice on what to be careful of in this type of injury and what was forbidden, but they didn't say that anything was impossible and that gave me great strength. It gave me hope that when even the experts don't know where the limit is and there is no pre-written scenario, anything is possible. My physiotherapist in the US also encouraged me by saying that it was up to me what I could achieve. At the time I felt I was unstoppable. I also saw the same thing from my mother, who taught me by her own example, that you should never give up. But I don't want to mislead anybody, because there have been low points. But in the end, I always got up, I recalculated and I kept going. And I still believe that you only live once, but that phrase has now taken on a new meaning for me: you only live once, so take care of yourself, because some things can never be undone.

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Photo: Gábor Dorcsák

What is your focus now, what are your main goals?

Achieving a fully independent life is my main goal and fortunately, I have already taken the first steps on this path. However, in order to keep at it, it is important that I continue with the rehabilitation and the sessions. At the same time, I want to do well at work. However, my accident has taught me one important thing: to focus on really living in the moment, because who knows how long it will last. That doesn't mean that I don't plan at all, of course, but rather that I have shorter-term plans.

You mentioned that there was a time when you hit rock bottom. Where did you find strength then? What and who got you through it?

It was an important realization that I cannot deal with my traumas alone, I need a psychologist who can help me. When I was confronted again and again with the fact that my rehabilitation was still not over, I was very depressed. At those times, my mother gave me strength by pointing out how much I had improved from a year earlier. Then it taught me to compare myself from 1-2 years ago to now and I would always "vitalize myself" and think that I could do even better. But what gave me strength in the beginning, made me tired after a while. The feeling of never having an end and actually not knowing why exactly I was struggling. I am stronger now and I can take such obstacles more easily. In any case, learning to look back and not forget where I started from gives me incredible strength to this day.

How has your relationship with your mother changed over the years? Do you have any common habits?

We had a strong mother-daughter bond since the loss of Dad, and now it has become even more resistant. It's really nice to know that I can really count on her at any time. 
Because my mum raised me on her own, there are some things we are very similar in, like our impatience, but she is a much more firm and quicker decision-maker as a manager. Being my boss has also given our relationship a new framework because there are things I can say to a mother but not to a superior. I had to learn that too. But I'm very grateful to have such a cool mom. We go to concerts and the theatre together a lot and of course, she is my number one travel companion.

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Photo: Gábor Dorcsák

You graduated and wrote your thesis on the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, using your own experiences. What advice would you give to young people who have been through a similar trauma as you?

I would not dare to give advice, because each trauma is different and I am not familiar with the subject in such depth.

However, for anyone who has suffered any kind of trauma, I can only recommend that you see a trauma therapist specialist.

And to those who feel hopeless, I say: don't despair if something doesn't work out as quickly as you'd like. You just have to find the method or strategy that works for you. It is worth focusing on what we can control and looking at where we want to go: forward. In the meantime, it is OK to cry, and even to complain if something doesn't work, but there is one thing you must not do: quit. Because you can always try again. It's OK if we don't know what to do next, but we must always look for opportunities. And you don't need to know the end result to improve. You should always focus on the next step and be happy with every small result.

Have your friends stood by you or has your life changed completely in that way, too?

Some people have stood by the "new" Regi, so there are friendships that have deepened and we have got to know each other better. Most of my friends were open to the change at first, but there were relationships that wore out or didn't revive. It may have been because they expected something different from me, or because they expected my pre-accident self back, or even because my speech was the barrier.

I no longer want to live up to all kinds of external expectations, and anyone who cannot accept me as I am now is better off not being part of my life. Those who are close to me see that I have remained interested, adventurous, and funny and that I can be counted on. Rehabilitation can only be done in a positive and constructive environment, so I try to surround myself with people who convey that energy. This doesn't mean that I need to be sugar-coated, so you can come to me with any problems or difficulties, I'm very happy to help if I can. It's more about the everyday attitude.

What do you think are the qualities and strengths you developed after your accident that will help you achieve your goals?

I'm much more compassionate now and I'm sure that this quality of mine has been strengthened as a result of the accident. I am also more persistent and determined. My mother says that she can now even employ me as a finance officer in her company because I am more precise and I can cope with monotonous work much better. I used to be unable to work in an office and sit in one place for so long.

Where are you now in your rehabilitation? What do you want to improve and make a positive change in?

My physiotherapist and I are now focusing on stretching and functional use of my right arm. Besides that, we don't forget my gait and my legs, the focus is on improving my balance. And of course, I want to improve my speech, so with my phoniatrist we are trying different new techniques because you never know which one will work and which one will help you make progress.
All we know is that there will be a ceiling because too many areas in my head are damaged, but we haven't reached it yet and we can't predict where it is. Fortunately, I have managed to find dedicated professionals who are doing everything they can to help me improve, which motivates me to do my best.

What is your biggest dream that you know you want to make come true?

So far, it has been to return to America, including the scene of the accident. Now that I have done that, my greatest wish is that my mom would take me to Bali, to the monkeys. But I also want to visit my girlfriend in San Francisco or my relatives in northern Europe. I have travel destinations on my dream list because I know they are achievable dreams, but I'm in no hurry. In time, they will all come true.

The Richter Phoenix Community 
”Vivere militare est. – To live is to fight.” (Seneca) 
Life can often present us with situations where we feel weak or feel that our future is bleak. At such times, we can be motivated by an inspiring story that sets an example. One of the aims of the Richter Phoenix Community, launched in 2018 as part of the Richter for Women program, is to inspire others through the courageous women featured in the program – women who not only stood up from a difficult situation but also dared to speak out about it. The program's patrons are Olympic bronze medalist and Paralympic champion fencer Pál Szekeres and Gabriella Jakupcsek, who has been instrumental in its implementation since the beginning.

The interview was supported by Gedeon Richter Plc.
 

Get on the wakeboard!

Wakeboarding is an easy-to-learn extreme sport invented by surfers who wanted to indulge their passion even when there were no big waves. So they invented the idea of being pulled by a rope attached to a motorboat and later built cableways specifically for this purpose. Fans of this sport, which is particularly popular with young people, now have access to a number of wakeboard tracks built on natural water in Hungary.

Lupawake in Budakalász is one of the most professional wakeboarding venues in the country, with four different levels of ropes and twenty-two world-class elements. The Venice Beach Cable Park is located on Lake Velencei next to the open-air beach and the Velence Korzo, but it has become a favourite not only for its idyllic location but also for its 800-meter, five-pole track, which hosts the national wakeboard championships.

The Lido beach in Vonyarcvashegy is one of the best beaches on Lake Balaton in itself, and the exciting 820metres long, five-pole water skiing track is a magnificent bonus.

Another excellent choice is the Bamboo Island in Siofok, which really is an island: located eighty meters from the coast on a 460 square meter pier, it offers wakeboarding lovers a five-pole track no less than a kilometer long.

It's worth a try, as wakeboarding on the open waters of Lake Balaton is a really cool experience.

Where else in Hungary do you find wakeboarding facilities? Near Budapest, you can try this extreme water sport in Dunaharaszti, Martonvásár, or Gyömrő, around Lake Balaton in Balatonfüred, but beginners and advanced wakeboarders can also enjoy it in Kecskemét, Győr, Pécs, Szeged, and Nyíregyháza.

Via Ferrata - more than hiking

Via Ferrata is an Italian term meaning an iron track or climbing path. It refers to mountain trails on which various cables, chains, iron ladders, stairs, etc., are securely installed to allow safe passage. Although via ferrata trekking does not require rock climbing skills, it does require physical fitness, practice, and equipment. The difficulty levels of the routes are indicated on a scale from A to E, where the rating is always determined by the most difficult point of the marked section. However, before anyone sets off on a trail, it is important to know that you must be accompanied by a guide for the first time, and it is essential to learn how to use the equipment correctly! There are four places in Hungary: Tatabánya, Csesznek, Cuha Valley, and Sárospatak, there are fifteen different trails to try out this challenging and extremely spectacular sport.

Tip: Csesznek, a village in the Bakony, is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the Transdanubian region, with different difficulty levels: the "Futrinka ucca" (not a typo) with difficulty level B is easy to complete even with children and even with mild terrain, while the memorial route named after Zoltán Tálos is recommended only for professionals, since in addition to its 70 m length, the elevation rise is forty-five meters, making it extremely difficult. But there is also the Ostromlók (‘Besiegers’) trail, the first Via Ferrata route in Hungary, or the Várpanoráma (‘View of the Castle’) trail, which, true to its name, offers a beautiful view of Csesznek Castle - but only if you walk the 180-meter trail, which is made difficult by slippery stones and some steeper sections, making it a level D trail.

Paragliding – Flying like a bird

If you've ever dreamed of flying, paragliding gives you just that experience. You can spend hours in the air, riding the air currents.

Beginners can learn the basics in courses lasting a few months, while those who are already familiar with the sport can practice almost anywhere in the country.

Paragliding is also available in Budapest and its surroundings, such as Gödöllő, as well as in Gyöngyös, Eger, Tokaj, the Balaton Highlands, and Hajdúszoboszló, but there are also suitable areas in Békéscsaba, Pécs, Győr, and Sopron. Popular paragliding spots include Csolnok near Esztergom, the Csobánc peak near Badacsony, and the Kétágú hill on the western ridge of the Pilis mountains.

Tip: For those who want to try paragliding but are afraid to take on the extreme adventure alone, there is also the option of tandem flying with a qualified instructor. This is the most direct way of flying and, as the passenger is positioned in front (and the instructor behind), the passenger's view is unobstructed. And for those who have tried the experience several times and want to try something a little more, thermal flying is worth a try. The word 'thermal' means warm, rising air, which can be used to soar to altitudes of 1,000 to 2,000 meters, or 2,500 to 3,000 meters in very good weather conditions.

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Paragliding at Lake Balaton - Photo: Profimedia

Mountain biking at a breathtaking pace

There are countless forms of cycling, from simple urban cycling to road racing and off-road cycling. The latter is becoming increasingly popular in Hungary, with downhill and enduro cycling being the two fastest-growing disciplines. Cross-country cycling enthusiasts like the sport for its speed, its struggle with terrain, obstacles, and, sometimes, the weather. Although mountain biking is not allowed on all hiking trails in Hungary, mountain bikers can also enjoy their favourite activity on dedicated trails. In addition to the Bringaréna in Eplény, mountain bike trails can be found in Veszprém, Pécs, Sopron, and several places in the Buda Hills.

Those who would like to enjoy "downhilling" - a more extreme form of off-road cycling, a high-speed descent from a mountainside - can do so at some of the country's legal downhill tracks - apart from the aforementioned Eplény - in Mátra, where a seven-kilometer track awaits the riders of gravity.

The average width of the track from Kékestető Peak to Mátrafüred is two to four meters, and there is a 600-meter altitude difference awaiting riders descending it.

In the Sopron Park Forest, an 11-kilometer track with a 300-meter altitude difference was built in 2013.

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Mountain biker on the Kékestető Peak - Photo: Hungarian Tourism Agency

Diving  – The world from a different perspective

Diving in Hungary? As incredible as it may sound at first, it's not! There are several places in Hungary where you can dive: Dorog, Csepel, Szalkszentmárton, Kőbánya, Ecséd, Gyékényes, Tata, Lake Hegyesdi, and even in the heart of Budapest, in Lake Feneketlen (which literally translates to 'Bottomless'). 
The Fényes spring in Tata is a wonderful hot springs diving place in Hungary, hidden in the ancient marshlands. The 16-25 degree springs were formed two to three million years ago along the fault lines of volcanic eruptions in Transdanubia. The largest lake in the baths was formed by the springs and their run-off water was used for bathing by Countess Esterházy, hence the name Grófi (’of the Counts’) Lake. Today, the main attraction is the constantly bubbling, crystal-clear, quartz-covered bottom of the springs, the 'mini-geysers'. However, there are several lakes in the area where you can dive: the Körtefás lake has the richest vegetation, with sunfish, bream, and carp up to 70 to 80 centimeters in size, as well as amur fish up to a meter long. However, divers say that the best lake is the protected Fountain Lake, which is the longest lake suitable for diving, with the most water lilies and the most aquatic vegetation.

You can dive among huge aquatic plants, chase fish, and look for turtles.

You can practically feel like you're wandering through a tropical jungle while diving.

Tip: Diving in the Kőbánya cellar system is an experience not to be missed. The unique Budapest site offers a glimpse into a lesser-known part of the city's past, as the cellars were once used by winemakers, later by the Dreher Brewery, and during the Second World War, the underground aircraft engine factory was located here. Today, diving is possible at the former industrial sites, which are preserved in thirteen to fourteen degrees of water, and one of the four dive sites does not require a cave diving qualification.

Adventure parks for young and old

Adventure parks are becoming more and more popular in Hungary too, and for good reason, as you can take part in all kinds of extreme challenges and experience the exhilarating effects of the "adrenaline rush" without putting yourself in danger. There are countless adventure parks in our country, each with its own specialty, from the simplest rope and board-based arcades to canopy slides. 
You can choose between complex adventure parks (such as the Sobri Jóska Adventure Park in Kislőd or the Oxygen Adrenalin Adventure Park in Mátrafüred), skill adventure parks (such as the Sherpa Adventure Park in Balatonfűzfő, the Zamárdi Adventure Park or the Tőserdei Adventure Park in Lakitelek) or bobsleigh tracks (in Visegrád, Sopron, Szilvásvárad, Balatonfűzfő).

Tip: For a more extreme experience, try the best technical parks in Hungary, the Skyward wind tunnel in Csepel, or the Hell Kart extreme go-kart track in Miskolctapolca.

Resources: drivemagazin.hu; csodasmagyarorszag.hu 

This article was written with the professional support of the Hungarian Tourism Agency.
 

What is HUNOR exactly?

HUNOR is an acronym for HUNgarian to ORbit, reflecting the complexity of the program and the versatility of Hungarian space activities. The HUNOR space program is Hungary's own space exploration and space technology project, whose main objective is the development of space technology and scientific research in space. The program works closely with the UN, NASA, and NATO and brings together space activities in Hungary, enabling the launch of new experiments, space experiments, space probes, and satellites. (The name ‘Hunor’ is a popular boy's name in Hungary, meaning "Hun". In Hungarian mythology, brothers Hunor and Magor were the ancestors of the Hun and the Magyar ethnic groups. – translator’s note)
"This initiative will allow the country to participate in international space research and create innovation in the field of space flight. Space exploration not only leads to scientific and technological advances but also inspires and motivates the younger generation and shows that the frontiers of humanity can be continuously pushed," said Dr. Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space.

HUNOR-objectives

The HUNOR program aims to put Hungarian space research ( exploring space weather, space plasma, etc.) and high-tech industry on an upward trajectory.

The aim is also to send a Hungarian research astronaut to the International Space Station, where the chosen one will spend almost a month on board the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying out scientific experiments developed exclusively by Hungarians, including lunar rock tests and biomedical experiments.

Hungarians in space again

During the HUNOR space program, Hungary will have the opportunity to participate in an international space expedition in late 2024 or early 2025. Semmelweis University will be involved in training the astronauts and preparing the environment around them. Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, will be responsible for the medical expertise in the HUNOR Program Steering Board. 
"Monitoring astronauts' health and managing space-related research is an exciting and challenging task. The Semmelweis team is committed to ensuring that selected astronauts are trained to the highest standards so that they can successfully complete their future space missions. The selection of the astronauts is the result of a rigorous process, with the top 8 candidates selected from 240 applicants," said Dr. Béla Merkely, who also said that the candidates were tested in a selection process lasting almost a year to assess their mental capacity, physical endurance, personality stability, scientific work ethic and ability to work as a team. They undergo physical training to improve cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and neuromuscular coordination. Psychological training prepares them for the isolation and confinement they may experience during space missions.

Out of the four selected candidates, one will be allowed to fly into space.

Among the candidates are Gyula Cserényi, 33, an electrical engineer, Tibor Kapu, 31, an aerospace development engineer, Ádám Schlégl, a clinical orthopaedic surgeon and András Szakály, 40, an aeronautical design engineer.

Gyula Cserényi commented on his training to honvedelem.hu: "The performance diagnostic test of the medical team was physically demanding. A mask was placed on our faces to measure our breathing capacity, our upper bodies were covered with electrodes, and we had to run the kilometers on the treadmill - as long as we could. We also had psychological tests. Like we had a sea of questions, a total of 600 in psychology, for example, and we had 20 minutes for each test. Or there were a lot of maths problems, for which we were given 15 minutes in total."

At the Kecskemét site of the Hungarian Defence Forces Medical Centre, the selected participants also flew in Gripen aircraft, albeit in the back seat. The complex task sequence included high-intensity, high-overload turns, low- and medium-altitude aerobatic elements, high-altitude, supersonic flight, and other special manoeuvres to prepare the astronaut candidates for physiological conditions that differ from the norm.

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The original landing unit of the Soyuz 35 spacecraft on display at the Transport Museum. The spacesuit of Bertalan Farkas, the first Hungarian astronaut, at the seat of Valery Kubasov. - Photo: Fortepan/ László Faragó

Hungarian inventions help to explore space 

"The Hungarians have already contributed to the exploration of the cosmos with a number of equipment, developments, and research, which have strengthened the Hungarian space industry and made it more competitive on the international market.

Such achievements include the launch into space of a number of small satellites, nanosatellites, which serve various research purposes and collect data on space phenomena.

We have also sent space probes into deep space, which have helped us understand how our solar system and the universe work. In Hungary, there are currently about 40 companies that base all or part of their activities on the space industry," said the Ministerial Commissioner responsible for space research.

Some other important Hungarian-developed space assets:
Puli Space: the Hungarian-developed instrument is a very small detector, less than 40 dekagrams in size, which is capable of searching for water ice in the upper layers of the lunar rock.
Pille: It joined the Soviet Union-led Interkosmos program in 1967. Bertalan Farkas went into space in 1980, where he carried out the Doza experiment. This was the first test of the Pille, one of the most successful products of Hungarian space activities, whose later versions were also used on NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) space vehicles. The Pille was a miracle in itself, as it was the first device to accurately measure the radiation dose to astronauts in space. 
The VEGA probes, equipped with Hungarian instruments, examined the Haley comet. 
In 1971, the Lunar Rover, the lunar surface exploration vehicle, was also designed by a Hungarian, Ferenc Pavlics. 
The first Hungarian satellite, Masat-1, was launched in 2012.
Tritel RS is a radiation meter still in active service. Its touch screen allows astronauts to view measured doses in tabular and graphical form.

It is not a typical story, even in reform-era Hungary, that a talented young pianist born into a noble family can start his career with absolute parental support: no paternal reprimands, no sibling conflicts, and no poverty in the early years of his career. And Imre Székely, born on 8 May 1823 in a noble family in the Upper Tisza region, had this. Yet today we know almost nothing about him.

What could be the reason for this oblivion?

János Kéry believes that several factors have contributed to the fact that Imre Székely is hardly mentioned in contemporary Hungarian music history. 

"He was a good composer, but not as outstanding a talent as Franz Liszt, but I would daresay he was on a high artistic level with Mihály Mosonyi or Ferenc Erkel - we know them, but not Székely."

The other reason could be the Hungarian style represented by Imre Székely. As he says: "If you say Hungarian music to someone anywhere in the world, the style of classical music that comes to mind is certainly the style represented by the above-mentioned". As an example of how true this is, János Kéry cites an episode from 1947, Tom and Jerry, in which the pianist Tom plays a Liszt rhapsody, namely the Hungarian Rhapsody II, while Jerry, who sleeps on the hammers and then wakes up, annoys him in various ways.

However, this widely popular Hungarian music, with its traditional melodies, fell out of fashion at the beginning of the 20th century, during the time of Bartók and Kodály. The Bartók 'from pure sources only' principle no longer allowed classical music fantasies based on folk music motifs - in Imre Székely's oeuvre, 'daydreams' - to be identified exclusively with the Hungarian musical style. Even if this did not change the assessment of Liszt's oeuvre, the minor composers, the second line, simply fell out of fashion.

The next reason, which may lie behind the oblivion, leads us to the history of the family and the origin of Imre Székely. He came from Mátyfalva, from a Catholic noble family, where, in addition to classical education, service to the fatherland was part of his upbringing, and this background may have provided the political basis for his neglect during the Monarchy and then during the decades of communism.

From the river Tisza to the limelight

Imre Székely's father was a law graduate in the county service, who kept nearly a thousand volumes of Latin, English, German, French, and Hungarian books and journals, played the piano himself, and taught all three of his sons to play music. Lajos played the violin, Imre the piano, and István the cello.

When the father saw Imre's talent, he decided to rent out his property and move the family to Pest to provide a better education for the children. 

"He was given a job as the chief magistrate of the Pest-Pilis-Solt county, and their apartment was on the ground floor of András Fáy's house", recalls János Kéry, adding that Fáy, as a member of the most active Hungarian political circle of the reform era, was not only the founder of the First Hungarian Savings Bank of Pest but also a theatre organizer and stage director, taking the fate of Hungarian musical education and musical culture to heart.

András Fáy lived with the Székely family in his house in Pest and organized French-style salons and musical evenings in his holiday home in Fót, where the young Imre Székely also developed a confident stage routine. His audiences included prominent political and literary figures of the time, such as István Széchenyi, Lajos Kossuth, Ferenc Deák, Ferenc Kazinczy, Ferenc Kölcsey, Dániel Berzsenyi, Miklós Barabás, József Bajza, and István Ferenczy - just to name a few. Imre, meanwhile, became close friends with Fáy's son Gusztáv, who also played the piano, and they studied music and law together.

After graduating from the Academy of Law, Imre took part in the 1843-44 Hungarian Diet of Pozsony (today Bratislava, Slovakia) where his concerts were a great success, mainly performing pieces by Franz Liszt and his own works. It was then that he made up his mind to break with family and nobility traditions and devote his life to music. The decision to take up art was not uncommon at the time, but his father's attitude was all the more so, as he immediately supported his son's decision both morally and financially.

While he was still alive, he gave his son part of his inheritance to help him get further in his studies.

The investments of both the talented youngster and the "prodigal father" who supported him was a good decision. After graduating as a student of Ferenc Erkel in Pest, he travelled to Paris at the turn of 1846-47 with two friends, the aforementioned Gusztáv Fáy and the legendary violinist, Edé Reményi. Their talents quickly became known in the Parisian salon scene and they soon found themselves in Alexandre Dumas' salon, giving sold-out concerts, sometimes solo, sometimes together, organised by the Societe Philharmonique. János Kéry believes that Székely even heard Chopin live, who gave his last concert in the city in February 1848.

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Imre Székely on the painting by Miklós Barabás

Queen Victoria and a children’s song

It was in Paris, that our hero lived through the Spring of Nations, for after the events of 15 March he became a member of the Hungarian delegation that went to the writer - Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lamartine, in the hope of French help. According to János Kéry, the Hungarian War of Independence and the death of his father prompted Imre Székely to return home, but after the revolution was crushed, he set off west again, this time to London. Paradoxically, while he was persecuted by Austrian politics for his involvement in Paris, the Hungarian fashion magazines reported on his highly successful London performances, the popularity of his music, and the fact that Queen Victoria herself listened to his concerts and even played his pieces.

The first piece of his series Hungarian Fantasy, originally titled Souvenir de ma patrie, was also written in London, and it elaborates and embellishes several Hungarian folk songs and art songs. 

The most striking element of the melody to the modern ear is undoubtedly the double appearance of the popular children's song about a multicoloured calf: Boci, boci tarka.

"We will probably never know whether he was inspired by the children's song, or vice versa, i.e. whether the theme took on a life of its own as a result of the popularity of the work," says János Kéry, who believes that the three and a half years he spent in the British imperial capital were the high point of Imre Székely's career and perhaps also the key to his return home. He was already thinking about emigration when he came to Hungary for a few concerts in 1852, and the following year, thanks to a political détente towards him, he moved home and even took on the musical education of Archduke Albrecht's children.

Distinguished teacher of the National Music School

In 1853 he married Magdolna Halasy, the stepdaughter of the martyr of Arad, Vilmos Lázár, in whom he found a true spiritual companion. They had six children, but only two of them lived to adulthood. The two daughters, Ilona and Irén, were both very good pianists, and both became writers and literary translators, and composers. The family spent most of the year in Pest, but in the summer they retired to a farm near Tiszasüly. Imre Székely's last known residence between 1880 and 1886 was at 5 Szarka (today Zrínyi) Street, in the city centre, where he held music parties every Sunday. János Kéry also points out that while Imre Székely made house concerts a regular feature and was himself a concert artist, teaching gradually became the focus of his life.

After the court of the Archduke and many private pupils, the National Music School, the most prestigious institution of his time, invited him to become one of its teachers.

The National Music School (“Nemzeti Zenede”) was the predecessor of the Hungarian National Music Academy that was founded in the reform era. He taught a succession of enthusiastic and music-loving students, and together with Ede Bartai he started writing musical textbooks: he published a multi-volume collection of piano technique lessons, the School of the Sound Series (“Hangsorozati Iskola”), and his 15 Invetions (“15 Invenció”) series was made part of the piano curriculum. "It's interesting how much he has found himself in secondary teaching. Although he was a good friend and colleague of Franz Liszt and a former pupil of Ferenc Erkel, when they founded the National Music Academy, Székely did not follow them, remaining as a teacher in the Music School's class for outstanding talents," János Kéry points out, adding that he taught the poorer students for free.

He was of weak physique and his health deteriorated rapidly from the 1880s, but despite his persistent ill health, he remained an active teacher to the last. The obituaries following his death in 1887 reveal a modest artist who lived his vocation as a servant and an excellent teacher, remembered as the standard-bearer of Hungarian national music and a virtuoso performer who unashamedly deserved the praise of Franz Liszt. The authors of these texts were the students who learned from him how to play the piano in a heartwarming way, while their master regularly gave them the opportunity to participate in house and major concerts. On one occasion, he himself was honoured with a large-scale concert on his birthday: the 1879 Székely Feast included his own works as well as a tribute by his contemporaries.

Almost all of his memoirs highlight his modesty, his kind nature, his tireless work for Hungarian music, and his loving family background.

János Kéry believes that if we were to appreciate Imre Székely's life's work on the occasion of the 200th anniversary, we should probably highlight his lovable, quiet, and humble service, his debauchery-free life, his diligence in the second line behind the genius.

Asked about his plans as a monographer of Imre Székely for the bicentenary, he said that his long-term plans include a studio recording of his life's work, and in this commemorative year, he is trying to bring Imre Székely's name back to the memory of composers with a series of concerts in Hungary and abroad.

The Beach at the Körös estuary near Csongrád

Many say that nowhere is the Tisza river bank as beautiful as where the River Körös flows into it near Csongrád. It's quite a sight to see the slower, greenish Körös slowing down the fast-flowing Tisza, which by depositing its sediment created the famous 700-metre-long sandy bank. And when the water level is lower, sandbanks appear making the beach look like the seaside. The riverside beach (‘Körös-torok Partfürdő’) is Csongrád's main summer attraction, a popular social centre, filled on warm days with families bathing, sunbathing, young children swimming in the shallow water, and young people playing volleyball and football. It has everything you need for relaxation or a fun holiday: snack bars, restaurants, camping, a playground, volleyball and football pitches, and even water bikes and boats for hire.

Tip: On weekend nights, life on the beach changes, with the daytime hustle and bustle replaced by club music. On the first weekend of August each year, the Körös Torok is the venue for one of the biggest popular music events in the Southern Great Plain, the Körös Torok Days (KTN) Festival.

Körös backwater near Gyomaendrőd

Gyomaendrőd is uniquely surrounded by a number of backwaters – there are sixteen in the outskirts of the town, all of varying size and condition, which are popular with the Hungarian fishing community, as they are home to a wealth of fish. The stretches of backwater are also ideal for those who long for a bit of retreat and spend a few days on the water in a wild and unspoilt environment. The open beach on the north-western shore of the Templom-zugi backwater, on the Gyomaendrőd section of the Hármas-Körös, has retained its natural setting and bird-filled tranquillity, so if you prefer to avoid the crowds and the noise, it’s the place for you.

Tip: After time on the beach, let's visit the Erzsébet grove in Gyomaendrőd! A few years ago, the five-hectare grove was expanded with an interactive canopy trail, which includes three different trails. It's also worth climbing up to the fifteen-metre-high wooden lookout tower.

Open beach in the Danube Bend

Along the Szentendre branch of the Danube, at the foot of the Visegrád Hills, lies the charming village of Dunabogdány. When the water temperature of the Danube is suitable for bathing, many people choose the beautifully landscaped open-air beach for a splash, both on weekdays and weekends. The beach is a safe choice for small children, with its one hundred and fifty metres of fine sandy beach and slowly deepening waters. There is plenty of shade to escape the summer heat. This stretch of beach has been officially open for swimming since 2009, the water sample is always excellent for swimming and the sand is always prepared on the beach for the big rush before the beach season. And it's not just sunbathing and swimming that you can pass the time with here: the beach has a playground, football and volleyball fields, and a bakery and restaurant are just a short walk away.

The good news for dog lovers is that a special beach has been set aside for them so that dogs can also have a chance to cool off.

Tip: The town of Visegrád is not far from here where you can visit the Solomon Tower, the citadel or choose the bobsleigh track! With small children, you can also visit the King Matthias Historical Playground and the Mogyoró Hill Wildlife Park.

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The beach of Dunabogdány - Photo: dunabogdany.hu

Göd – One of the gates of the Danube Bend

Everyone should try open water bathing once in a while, and Göd, located on the bank of the Danube, offers two great alternatives: the Lower and Upper Göd open beaches, which are also accessible from Budapest by bike. On this stretch of beach, you can enjoy the closeness to nature, a slowly deepening sandy beach where you can rent a canoe and even bathe with your dog.

Tip: Walk to Homoksziget (’Sand Island’), where you can swim and bathe to your heart’s delight far from civilisation.

Lake Szelid

The Lake Szelid in Bács-Kiskun county with its grassy shore and sandy beach reminds us of the most beautiful beaches of Lake Balaton. The lake is five kilometres long, three to four metres deep, with a water surface area of approximately eighty hectares, making it the fifth largest natural lake in Hungary, and it was deepened thousands of years ago by the Danube.

Its water is excellent for bathing and even has healing properties.

It has not yet been classified as medicinal water, but the sodium magnesium carbonate and sodium iodide released from the soil are beneficial for nervous, hormonal and rheumatic disorders. The beach offers children more than just a swim, with other activities such as a giant water slide, water bikes and playgrounds. Older children can hire a boat, canoe or even windsurf.

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Lake Szelid - Photo: Kiskunság National Park

Lake Kotró near Gyékényes

The biggest attraction of Gyékényes, the village on the Hungarian-Croatian border, is its gravel pit lakes, including one of the most popular, the three hundred and twenty-hectare Kotró, which is not only a favourite destination for anglers, but also for divers because of its crystal clear waters – visibility underwater can reach up to eight metres – and its open beach, where you can also enjoy all kinds of water activities. 
The shore of the lake of Gyékényes is dotted with small cottages, cosy chalets and a campsite, an ideal destination for those who want to enjoy idyllic nature.

This popular recreation and fishing spot was awarded the title of ’Our Heritage – Treasure of Somogy’ in 2011.

The area is part of the Danube-Drava National Park, where there are plenty of other natural treasures, too to admire.

Tip: At Kotró Lake you can play beach volleyball, go water biking and wakeboarding. In summer, fishing and sporting events, festivals and diving cups are also held here. For the latter, the lake hosts have sunk several cleaned wrecks in the water, so that divers can see motorboats, cars and water bikes in the depths.

The Nagytevel Lake in the Bakony Mountains

The area around Bakonybél and Lake Hubertlak is probably familiar to many hikers, but in summer it is worth heading a little further west, as the reservoir of Nagytevel is a few kilometres away. The reservoir, which is artificially inflated from the waters of the Pápai-Bakony brook, is a popular fishing spot all year round, but in summer it is also a great place for a relaxing beach holiday. The water is not only at a pleasant temperature but also crystal clear, according to recent measurements. After hiking in the area you can relax on the shore of the Lake, on the north-western part of which you’ll find a well-equipped beach with a refreshment bar, playground and camping facilities.

Tip: Next to the beach, thirsty visitors will find the ‘Ida Spring’ with its fresh, cool water and a statue of the Holy Mary with a nice resting place.

This article was written with the professional support of the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Published in the July issue of Képmás magazine.

Resources: 
https://www.top7hungary.com/legjobb-kis-hazai-furdotavak/ 
www.ilovedunakanyar.hu, https://csongradikorostorok.hu/koros-torok 
www.szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu 
 

On the road to world fame as a child prodigy

Her parents noticed her talent very early, as she began to play the pieces on the piano she had picked up in a self-taught way, at first by listening to the piano lessons of the piano teacher next door. As a child, she attended the Academy of Music, where she studied with Arnold Székely and later Ernő Dohnányi. In 1924, at the age of ten, she made her first public appearance, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, and a year later she so charmed a Swiss artist couple with her playing that they immediately offered her a contract, and from then on her career continued to climb steadily. With their support, she became an internationally renowned concert soloist of her time at a very young age. Never playing a piece the same way twice, she became passionately immersed in the music. She built her repertoire primarily on works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Brahms, and Liszt, and also enjoyed playing works by Handel and Bach. In 1933, at the age of 19, she won first prize at the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition, which brought her worldwide fame, although she never liked competitions.

Her marriage was love to the grave

At the beginning of her career, she met her future husband, the music critic Aladár Tóth, who kept a close eye on the exceptionally talented young musician. "This fragile little girl, when she sits at the piano, is already imbued with the introspection of a true artist's soul, a solitude withdrawn from the world. She is full of seriousness and a sincere, true temperament," he wrote of her when she first appeared in public at the age of ten. He and Annie Fischer became close during a tour of Italy, where Annie's mother asked the critic, who was sixteen years older than her, to accompany her.

On this journey, a lifelong love was born between the two, which lasted until the death of Aladár Tóth.

After the trip to Italy, Aladár Tóth stopped writing reviews about her, but he actively supported Annie's career, and later he also helped her to put together her repertoire for her concerts. Annie was 23 when they married in 1937. They survived the Jewish persecution of the Second World War in neutral Sweden, where they travelled for Annie Fischer's piano concert, and from where they returned to Hungary only in 1946. According to their contemporaries, their relationship was fabulously harmonious, and their marriage, according to their friends, was characterized by a deep intellectual connection as well as a close spiritual bond.

An artist couple in the Rákosi era

Aladár Tóth was the director of the Opera House from 1946, while Annie Fischer toured the world as Hungary's "musical ambassador" from the 1950-1960s. So they were " favoured" by the communist regime, but it was precisely because of their recognition that they managed to save the careers and perhaps even the lives of many of their friends and acquaintances. Annie Fischer, for example, personally went to see Mátyás Rákosi when their landlord was about to be deported, and Aladár Tóth did much to save the artists of the Opera House from the harassment of the regime. 

"Annie and Aladár Tóth – just like my mentor Zoltán Kodály – used their name and influence tirelessly to help marginalized and discriminated artists", recalled pianist Tamás Vásáry.

They spent their summers at their house at Lake Balaton, in Balatonaliga, where, in addition to everyday recreation, they regularly hosted the greatest composers, musicians, and critics of the era. They maintained close friendships with Zoltán Kodály and his wife, as well as with leading musicians of the music world, such as György Solti, Imre Ungár, Lívia Rév, and Mihály Kuttner. They had a lively social life; the sounds of Annie Fischer's playing on the Bösendorfer piano and the music they listened to on foreign radio stations could be heard from the house.

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Annie Fischer in the hallway of the Hungarian Radio, with Soviet pianist Emil Gilels to her right - Photo: Fortepan/Zoltán Szalay

The artist couple's idyll on Lake Balaton was disrupted for a time by the communist party state when the Party decided to build a recreational house on the site of their house. According to the story, they were offered several local properties as compensation, but Annie Fischer and her husband insisted on their familiar surroundings, so in the end the Communist Party leadership had a replica of their summer house built for them. Lake Balaton was a prominent place in Annie Fischer's life: she loved fishing, boating on the lake, and, in the evenings, dazzling guests with her cooking.

Later, when she travelled to the farthest corners of the world, she said she would not trade the sunset at Lake Balaton for anything.

Royal dignity and authentic simplicity

Throughout her career, she has worked with world-renowned conductors such as Otto Klemperer, with whom she performed Beethoven's complete Piano Concerto at the Royal Festival Hall in London. She has also appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York, and her performances have travelled the world from Japan to Australia. Although she never taught piano, she was well acquainted with the students of the Academy of Music and followed and supported the path of many young talents throughout her life. She helped Zoltán Kocsis, Tamás Vásáry, András Schiff, Péter Frankl, Ilona Prunyi, Donatella Failoni, Adrienne Hauser and Csilla Varga from the very beginning. Tünde Csoba was the only one with whom she worked for a long time, informally but as a student. "She was very irritated by the 'empty' piano playing. [...] For her, there was only one thing that was important, and you had to deal with that: what the composer was thinking, what he felt, why he wrote this or that piece, and what he had to say. Even if today all that is completely unfathomable. That's what you have to convey to the audience, that's the only thing that makes sense," recalls Tünde Csoba, whom Annie also helped to reducer her performance anxiety. This is in line with Zoltán Kocsis' description of her: "Perhaps no one has pursued the artistic truth of the music with such fierce perseverance as she has." Elsewhere, he said that Annie Fischer was characterized by "authentic simplicity combined with royal dignity".
Nevertheless, she was also a chain-smoker, who put down her cigarette almost only for the time she sat on stage in front of the piano, and by the time she reached the curtain at the end of the performance, she was awaited with a lit cigarette. She always dressed with elegance and modesty, and her beautiful figure and photogenic face often inspired photographers.

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Photo: Fortepan/Antal Kotnyik

The pianist who didn't like to listen to her own playing

In her old age, she had become so immersed in Beethoven's works that she was the only pianist in the world to record all 32 of his sonatas. 
She later repeated the recordings several times because she was dissatisfied with them, then refused to allow them to be released, and it was only after her death in 1995 at the age of 80 that they became available to the public. Throughout her life, she was reputed to dislike recordings, especially of her own playing, and so she left relatively few recordings for her artistic stature. "After I die, they can release anything with me," she told her friends.

She did not give any interviews either and tried to avoid the adoration that surrounded her. However, several pirate recordings of her piano playing were made and anecdotes record how, despite her self-criticism, she was sometimes surprised by the excellence of her own playing. It is recalled that once, on entering Péter Frankl's apartment, she heard music playing on a record and asked, "Who plays Mozart so beautifully?" "This is a rare pirate record of you playing the Piano Concerto in E flat major with Otto Klemperer," was the reply.
Annie Fischer has received three Kossuth Prizes among her many awards. She devoted her whole life to her vocation and music, which is why she never had children. Even as she approached her eightieth birthday, she gave a few concerts for audiences in Italy, Japan, and Italy. "When we talked about a career as a performer, she often asked me: 'Do you know what you're into? It's a hell of a career." She often talked about how hard it was, but she could never give it up. The career was her life," recalls his student Tünde Csoba. She played and dazzled the world for seventy years.

Resources used:
•    http://www.parlando.hu/Csoba1.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20170815135801/http://lfze.hu/hu/nagy-elodok/-/asset_publisher/HVHn5fqOrfp7/content/fischer-annie/10192#
http://www.parlando.hu/2014/2014-4/Egy-hamis-FischerAnnie-kep-urugyen.pdf
http://epa.oszk.hu/02900/02964/00014/pdf/EPA02964_gramofon_2014_nyar_006-016.pdf
https://www.ujsagmuzeum.hu/fischer-annie/
https://mersz.hu/mod/object.php?objazonosito=matud202110_f66602_i1
 

If someone were to ask me to explain the difference between arrogance and the healthy self-confidence needed for world sporting success, I would suggest they sit down in a café with Dominic Szoboszlai to have a chat. And then just watch his eyes, his movements, his gestures. The respect with which he thanks the waiter for the drink, the way he talks about his profession, football, with his eyes sparkling, and the way he looks at his father, who is watching him with stern pride from the next table. Zsolt Szoboszlai, who taught this boy to work and be humble from the age of three, and only when these two were already basic did he make him realize that he was not only hard-working but also talented.

Because "Talent is a divine blessing, but without incredible will and humility, it is worth nothing" – as Dominik had tattooed on his arm at the age of 15.

The quote comes from 114-time England national team player Steven Gerrard, who spent 17 years as a footballer for Liverpool, where he became captain and an icon. And whose Liverpool number 8 jersey was recently inherited by Dominik Szoboszlai. To get this far, he needed the confidence that, among many other things, the wolf tattooed on his other arm reminds him of when he is hit with a mean remark. He said it makes him remember that he had never seen a wolf sleep badly because of the sheep's opinion.

This inner strength also requires, of course, that you never forget where you started. Dominik claimed that he had no role models because he wanted to follow his own path, but when I asked him if he always wanted to be the best at everything, he said "Of course!" and nodded towards his father saying “Like him”. "What if they were competing against each other?" – I tried to corner him. "Then I always win!" – two of them said at the same time. "All I have to do is look in the mirror and I see him," resumed the father.
The father, who never gave Dominik any digital gadgets until he was 14, only let him play with ‘the’ ball. And when he finally got an Xbox like his peers, he didn't play with it, because he was still only interested in the ball. Learning still was there, but there was no going to the cinema, or hanging out with friends in the square or the mall. His parents' discipline made it clear: you only get something if you do something for it, nothing comes for free.

"Have you ever wavered if you are on the right path to your goal?" – I asked. "Never," he replied.

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Dominik Szoboszlai (right) and the author Adrián Szász in 2019 - Photo: Adrián Szász

The fact that Dominik Szoboszlai, the 22-year-old captain of the Hungarian national team, has now signed for one of the most famous clubs in the world – for more than three times the money ever paid for a Hungarian footballer – is also down to his manager, Mátyás Esterházy, who comes from a prestigious family. He says it's not difficult to get on the same page with the boy because he's the type who responds to care. Dominik said of the occasional disagreements with him and his father, "Usually they are right, but there will come a time when I will be." But they never tried to break his self-confidence: "I'm glad it's almost limitless, otherwise he wouldn't be able to bring out what he has in him," says Esterházy.

And as a fan, I'm glad that I've never seen any unnecessary fuss or star drama from this young man on the pitch, he always does his job in a disciplined manner – no matter if he's having a great day or a bad one, he's still doing his job. He never uses his excellence to overshadow others but to shine out from among them in a way that makes them also shine. He is not an individualist but humbly works for team interests. As elegant on the pitch, he is generous to the fans: he never forgets, for example, to give his jersey or shoes to a chosen one – usually a child – after a match.

The very fact that Liverpool's Facebook page, with its 40 million followers, has been welcoming the Hungarian Szoboszlai for days is, in itself, a huge boost for Hungary’s image.

But more importantly, when I saw a little boy riding his bike in a Messi jersey the other day, I thought that soon he might ask his parents for a number 8 Szoboszlai jersey instead of the number 10 of the Argentinian national team. I must admit, even I felt like buying one, even though there is a slight age difference between us in my favour.
It was also then that I realized that although I had loved football all my life, I had never bought a football jersey with a name on it. I wanted to as a child, but at that time there was no successful Hungarian footballer whose name I was proud enough to wear. Instead, I remember running around the beach in Balatonfüred in a jersey with my own name. The German tourists had a tough time trying to pronounce my name “Szász” when they saw it on my back, assuming it was a local star. Something tells me that the English will soon learn to pronounce “So-Boss-Laee” and that we can have an icon in common with them.

Dominik doesn't wear his own name on his body, but he does wear his little sister's and his parents' birth dates on his arm, also as tattoos. So they often "run out" with him on the pitch of the stadium where he has to prove himself. Whether it's the packed Puskás Arena, with the national colours on his arm, or – after Leipzig – Liverpool's Anfield Road, where the fans now sing the club anthem for him: "You'll Never Walk Alone". Well, of course not. Because he's taking everyone who’s ever helped him succeed with him. Mostly his mother, who used to sit down to study with the tired kid in the evenings. Or she'd just put out a good ‘vadas’ (hunters’ stew) in front of him from which a second helping was a lifesaver.
 

What have been the main positive aspects of your 13 years of service?
I can say that my national awareness was strengthened, I felt the essence of being Hungarian. I also experienced what living faith is, and how important the church is for the people of Transcarpathia. On weekdays at seven o'clock in the morning, they put down the hoe, go to church, and then go back to the fields. I experienced their will to live, I saw their survival. They look for a task and try to do it, not expect someone else to do it for them. There is also no competitiveness. Of course, there were difficulties and people who were separate islands, but the empathy and mutual care that I experienced in Nagydobrony contributed a lot to my personal development, as I was only nineteen when I first got there.

Why did you feel your place was in the girls' home?
I was invited to a missionary week by Éva Balogh and Gyöngyi Tar; I was an assistant pastor at the time. At the end of the week, László Katkó Sr. who was the director at the time asked me if I wanted to come and work with the kids. I accepted.

On what goals have you tried to be a spiritual leader?
In theology college, we learned how to get close to people, but practically no one prepared us for what it means to work in a home with seventy abused children. I was still only 25. I didn't know what to do when I had children telling me that they hated God and I had to listen to them. In theological education, you get a general picture, which is a good starting point. That's why I think it's very important to have different trainings and workshops for pastors where we can get tools and training for these situations. I was very lost in this at the beginning.

We had a Bible study where, in the story of Joseph, the little girl said something about what happened to her at home, and I just sat there wondering what to do next.

Shall I close the Bible study? What should I do? I always came across yet another shocking story, unbelieving that this could happen to a child, that a person could do this to their own child. I just hope that I did not make a mistake, that I made a decision according to my abilities, and that my support could benefit the girls.

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Pastor Viktória Katona – Photo: Hungarian Reformed Church Aid

What were your duties as a pastor?
Talking with children, spiritual care, Bible studies, and worship services. Only later did I become a pastor-director. I have seen and experienced a lot, but I don't really feel that my role has ever been anything else but to say that change is possible, because God can work that change in the life of an abused person, so that she can decide whether she will remain a victim or start a new life, a life that will be more meaningful than the one of her parents. I love that they regard the shelter as their home, not an orphanage. I got really angry when someone said orphanage. It is a home and everyone needs a home. A very diverse community has gathered in this wonderful place!

When did you start a family?
I cannot have children because of a health problem, so my husband and I decided to adopt. Miraculously, we waited less than six months after filing the papers and God gave us a baby. Fülöp came to our family at the age of eight months, from the state children's orphanage in Szolyva (Svalyava, Ukraine). We did not have a clause of origin, which made the process faster. I adopted him as a Hungarian citizen in Ukraine, everything was done officially. He is a little boy of Roma origin, to this day I have no doubt that he is my child!

We have received many gifts through Fülöp: you could say he has saved something on us and we have saved something on him. He knows that he is "born from heart", and that he has parents whose features he bears. Of course, we are now struggling with his questions about his origins, but there is help there too. We pray for his birth parents and I am grateful to his mother for placing him to secure hands. She knew she couldn't raise him, but she gave her child the opportunity to have a life. I feel the same way about the girls in the home. I have told them many times that their parents did as much as they were able to do, but they gave them that they are safe now.

Of course, that doesn't absolve the parents from being abusive, and it was a big task to get the girls to stop hating their roots because everything can heal from its roots.

Just this morning I thought of the analogy that a tree that has been cut down can sprout, even a new branch can come from the trunk. I can only think of these girls as the ones who were cut down, pruned, and not wanted. We have a girl who is now a kindergarten teacher in a Waldorf kindergarten in Budapest. Another works as a nanny and is studying to be a kindergarten teacher in Budapest at the same time. A third girl works as a nurse at the Schweitzer Home. Another "daughter" of mine, who lives here in Budapest and is expecting her second child, has already surpassed her own parents by lovingly caring for her child. What are these if not miracles?

What is the typical age of the girls who come to the home?
From age zero to age 18, but they don't leave at eighteen. The home is called the Good Samaritan Reformed Children's Home Aid Association, and its constitution does not state that 18-year-olds must leave the home. There is a building called the Care House, where sixteen girls can live in four apartments. The girls living in this mentoring house continue their education while still being part of the community, so they can start an independent life. The home does not receive a capitation grant from the Ukrainian state for the children, which is why external support is so important. On social media platforms, you can find the bank account number with all contact details.

How is everyday life?
Girls go to school, and do homework and chores at home.

Has anyone ever not arrived on time, or wandered off?
Oh, of course, but that's normal! If they didn't rebel, it'd be a problem. I was in a children's home, and they told me to look at how well-behaved and clean they were. Oh, I said, you know what's not good here? The fact that there's not a greasy handprint on the window, the glass hasn't been licked or the walls kicked.

Where there is iron discipline, there is no life. Where fifty children live together, the walls must be dirty.

I always say that the children who don't rebel, who don't start trying to be themselves, should be approached with love, because they may have problems, and they should be given a kind of therapy. Of course, it is not good when a child gets carried away, there are problems there too.

There must have been problems that seemed unsolvable...
The hardest part was when it turned out that they had been sexually abused. Especially if I knew it was a close family member, a relative... There were times when I felt sick after the conversation, I couldn't bear it because the child was so open. It was very difficult to listen to, there were so many cases. When they were kept tied up, or not fed, destitute, helpless, or when they were victims of abuse, their mother was a prostitute, or they were looking for food in the trash... I always hope they will recover from it because they are very strong. I can't tell you how much I have received from them, and still receive to this day. They were honest.

I've learned that when the kid slams the door on me, she's not really slamming the door on me, she's slamming the door on somebody else, only that somebody else isn't there, I'm there instead.

I cannot fix what happened to them but God's healing love can, and time never heals. I've buried a lot of people and they say time heals wounds, but that's not true because the process itself is the one that heals. If you go through it painfully, sometimes screaming, sometimes stuck, now that heals. There is no insoluble problem! What seems to be, with enough energy and time, will be solved.

Do you have any positive memories?
Oh, plenty! It's hard to choose. One was a Bread of Hungarians celebration. We had a child who was severely abused, and treated as an adult woman. She sang in the choir, like everyone else, in clean black and white. The little girl stood in the aisle and I watched as she looked at herself in a mirror and smoothed her dress. I didn't understand. Suddenly she looked at me and said, "Viktória, look, I'm a little girl!" I said OK. We reached our goal. When a child stops putting lipstick on at 11 and says she's a little girl...
Another memory is when a disabled girl ran up to me after one of my surgeries, shouting for joy, "I thought you were going to die, but I prayed so hard for you not to die, and you didn't, my God loves us, He heard our prayers!"

The third is related to a traumatic experience I had. I had twin pregnancies from an IVF program – one baby was stillborn and the other had spontaneously aborted earlier, so I was very stressed out. It was nine years ago on 11 May. I was lying in the clinic in Debrecen (Hungary), and I was in so much pain mentally that I slammed my hand into the wall, I was covered in blood. I couldn't cope. Anyone who has been through something like that knows what it means - then I got a text message.

It was from the girls. They wrote: "Dear Viktória, today we know that your heart is broken and we also wanted very much to have little siblings. But please know that your 87 daughters are waiting for you at home." I felt then that I was really at home among them.

I have many other positive experiences, of course: when a skin-and-bone child becomes a healthy adult, or when they are accepted to college. They go to learn a trade, they get their first paycheck. Or when their first child is born. Even in the hard memories, there are positives. I have my mission statement on my desk: "It is love for Christ that makes you worthy of a greater calling, of belonging to a community." I think about them a lot, I try to support them in prayer and in whatever I can. I also visit them once a month. I am studying now so that I can help young people from similar circumstances in Hungary, in my own country. I feel this is a mission that has no end. In the meantime, I am also healing, I am being healed.

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Photo: Hungarian Reformed Church Aid

Why has your stay in Nagydobrony come to an end?
My little boy has special educational needs and there was no Hungarian institution there that could take him. Fülöp did not develop properly, and when I found out that he has ADHD, I wondered how much responsibility I had for the child who belonged to us. This was the main reason for us to leave, but it was a very difficult decision. Secondly, seeing that war had broken out, I knew that I had to be in this chair to help the people of Transcarpathia. I did not arrange it this way. God knew it, and He led me. Thirdly, perhaps I was carrying too much mental burden.
 

István Gáborecz, 35, from Visk, a village in the Transcarpathian region, Ukraine, has lived in Hungary since he was 13. His family moved here in the early 2000s primarily to make a better living, but the move was also due to the fact that his father had been already working in Hungary for several years then. As the education system in Ukraine is completely different, István had to re-do the eighth grade of school after the move in order to continue his studies at a vocational high school. 

"I originally wanted to be a painter because I loved drawing from a young age and I thought it would give me skills that I could use almost anywhere. However, my application form was mixed up at the admissions stage. Whether it was intentional or just a coincidence, I don't know, but that's how I ended up in stone sculpture. They advised me to give it a chance and if I didn't like it, I could reapply from the second semester. I ended up staying."

From polishing gravestones to chainsaw carving

István's primary goal was to learn a trade, and his parents supported him in this, not telling him what to do. After finishing vocational school, he started working for a gravestone company, where his job was water polishing instead of carving gravestones. Soon afterwards, he continued his career in the construction industry, where he spent a good ten years. 

"For ten years, I worked alongside my father, where I was a kind of handyman, also dealing with the purchase and transport of goods. But I felt that this was not the work I was meant to do.
If I hadn't quit, I might be running a big construction company now, but I wanted to go back to sculpture. It took time to find myself.

I was 27 when I realized what I wanted to do."

He didn't feel that stone carving was his thing, he found the stone too cold, so he turned his attention to something else. He was inspired by the TV show Carver Kings to try his hand at woodcarving, and one particular branch of woodcarving, chainsaw carving. He watched the show almost continuously for two years, having seen the first two seasons at least thirty times. When he decided to try it, he relied mostly on his memory, trying to put into practice the techniques he had seen on TV.

"The first thing I carved was a teddy bear stuck in a log. Looking back now, it looks more like a mix of a chimpanzee and a dog, not a bear, but it was fine then. Mainly because I was just getting to know the tools. I'd never even held a petrol chainsaw before, and I didn't know how to sharpen a chain. It took me a while to get the hang of everything."

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István Gáborecz with a wooden sculpture in the making - Photo: Tímea Gribek

More effort, more freedom

Despite initial difficulties, István quickly learned the ins and outs of chainsaw woodcarving. When he started six years ago, only a few people in the country were doing it. He says that his work has helped to revolutionize woodcarving in Hungary, as traditional woodcarvers basically work with chisels, using saws only for cutting out the bid shapes. This process, however, is time-consuming, whereas chainsaws allow you to work much more freely and quickly. 

"Chainsaw woodworking gives you much more freedom, but it requires a lot of effort. It is physically very demanding to use saws, especially if you do it for a long time. But when the work is finished, it makes up for everything and I forget the hours of suffering that are often a part of the task."

Seeing the possibilities in logs

When talking about woodcarving, the artist points out that it all starts with the selection of good-quality wood. "I usually carve oak and walnut, occasionally linden, and I can practically see what can be made from the logs just by looking at them. I don't draw beforehand, I prefer to look at pictures of the given figure. Once that's done, the magic begins. You have to completely change your perspective, and you have to know three or four cuts in advance that if you cut in one place how the sculpture will turn out on the other side."

"The more the tree shrinks, the more the statue grows."

István says that he can sculpt anything, but he prefers to work with animal figures, his favourite species are those living in the forest. He started his career sculpting bears. In the first two years, he carved nearly 200 sculptures, 80 percent of which were bears of various sizes. But he has also sculpted owls, deer, wild boar, eagles, and falcons. Today his sculptures can be seen in many parts of the country.

A master woodcarver, he has competed in international competitions and has given countless demonstrations. Previously, he has toured the country in collaboration with a well-known chainsaw company and has sculpted live at various events. At first, he had a hard time getting used to the audience, but after a while, he got used to the crowd – so much so that he only felt comfortable when there were curious onlookers around. In his opinion, this also helped the creative process.

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The works of István Gáborecz - Photos: István Gáborecz, Collage: Képmás

After the woodcarving came the ice

István started to work with ice almost at the same time as he started carving wood. He started wood sculpting on 12 April 2016 and ice carving on 25 November 2016. The reason why he remembers the dates so precisely is that these moments brought a radical change in his life. Everything there is to know about ice sculpting, he learned from Zsolt M. Tóth, a well-known ice carver.

"I first approached Zsolt back in 2016, saying I wanted to learn the trade. He said he would welcome me, but he would not pay me for my work, but I could learn from him for free. Luckily, I got into it pretty quickly and it wasn't long before he was already paying me. He saw from the first session that I was not afraid of the task. The ice is cold, difficult, slippery, you have to put up with all that, not to mention the whims of the master."

István not only did well in his first "exams", but also earned the praise of his mentor. Zsolt M. Tóth had had many students before, but none of them had been able to endure the ordeal for more than a month or two.

However, seeing István’s talent and how he works, he said that he should stay in this career.

There is no other ice sculptor in the country

After his mentor moved to Germany and retired, István became the only active ice sculptor in the country. He says he now has less and less time for woodcarving, with ice taking up most of his daily life. He set up his own "ice workshop" in March 2021 and has been building it ever since.

Ice carving is no easy art: it's very versatile, with lots of tricks that take years to learn. According to István, these can only be developed with practice. However, gaining experience is often quite expensive, as the process requires a lot of time, energy, and, not to mention, electricity. Despite all this, István loves working with ice. 

"Ice can be used to make many things, including sculptures that have a function. My team and I have made a lot of swans, seahorses, and hearts out of ice, and these are the ones we get the most orders for. But once we have also carved an ice carriage that you could sit in. Another memorable one was when, a few years ago, we carved a huge floating inflatable duck out of the ice of Lake Balaton, which we did together with my mentor."

István would like to see his name among the great ice sculptors, as well as that of Zsolt M. Tóth. His aim is to create quality and unique works, he does not think about mass production. He does not want to learn any more trades, he wants to make the most of this. 

"I have sacrificed a lot to get my business off the ground. My three-year-old daughter had to live without me for a long time, and my job meant I had little time to spend with her. It was hard for the family and for me. However, I did it not only for myself but also for the future of my family. I trust that I have made the right decision.”