Abstract
The Hungarian government introduced a number of anti-Semitic laws that restricted Jewish ’presence’ between 1920 and 1944, first in universities, then in professional spheres and finally, in public places. By 1941 hardly any Jewish-born theatre workers were employed by the Budapest theatres. Simultaneously, the authorities gave permission for a Jewish theatrical initiative to launch, within the confines of the cultural organisation of the Pest Israelite congregation (OMIKE). The initiative, entitled ’Artists’ Action’ was seen as a kind of ‘cultural ghetto’ by the authorities, but to its member it represented a fight for continuous access to culture. It was also a cultural mission which provided a livelihood for 400 artists and unified thousands of people. Studying the Artists’ Action, its leaders, members and audience, also provides an insight into an identity in crisis: the search for a unified Hungarian Jewishness amidst social exclusion was actively supported by the practices of the cultural institution as well as the journal of the congregation. To read or download this article, please follow this link: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1558834 DOI: 10.14324/111.2057-2212.067
Highlights
When Oszkár Beregi, a celebrated actor of the Budapest Jewish theatre was asked to describe his experience of being a member of the company between 1939 and 1944, he said it was like a ‘last breath before we asphyxiate’. (Beregi, ‘Visszaemlékezések’ Manuscript) The Artists’ Action was an initiative of the Israelite congregation, which represented the fight of the Budapest Jews for continuous access to culture, in the form of both serious thought-provoking art and light entertainment
The narrow, largely homogenous group of members became unified in their longing for culture and in seeking a solution to their crisis of identity
As a response to exclusion some became more deeply engaged with their religion, while others increasingly held onto their Hungarian roots
Summary
When Oszkár Beregi, a celebrated actor of the Budapest Jewish theatre was asked to describe his experience of being a member of the company between 1939 and 1944, he said it was like a ‘last breath before we asphyxiate’. (Beregi, ‘Visszaemlékezések’ Manuscript) The Artists’ Action was an initiative of the Israelite congregation, which represented the fight of the Budapest Jews for continuous access to culture, in the form of both serious thought-provoking art and light entertainment. (Beregi, ‘Visszaemlékezések’ Manuscript) The Artists’ Action was an initiative of the Israelite congregation, which represented the fight of the Budapest Jews for continuous access to culture, in the form of both serious thought-provoking art and light entertainment It was an indication of the determination to provide aid for coreligionists at a time of escalating social exclusion. The Minister of the Interior, agreed to allow the Artists’ Action to start in May 1939 just before passing the Second (Anti-) Jewish Law. 2 As the connection to Nazi Germany indicates, this gesture of acceptance from the Ministers was not an example of tolerance that allowed relief to those forced out of their jobs by the Chamber Instead it followed along the lines of Mihály Kolosváry-Borcsa’s anti-Semitic work, who was director of the Chamber of Press. As Komoróczy pointed out, the ‘ghetto [was] set up before its walls were erected’. (Komoróczy, 1999:364)
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