My Fulbright is a dual appointment. I teach two classes at the University of Debrecen and on Wednesdays, I travel 90 minutes to the north to the city of Miskolc where I teach a class in the American Studies Department at what used to be the Technical University.
The two cities couldn’t be more different, and in a way, their differences reflect the larger schisms present in Hungary today. Both Debrecen and Miskolc are to the east of the Danube–the divisions between the two Hungaries are pronounced–one feeling more a part of Western Europe and the other, because of its geography tilting more towards Russia and the east. But, Debrecen is a bustling prosperous city. It is the birthplace of the Hungarian Protestant Reformation and is often called the Calvinist Rome. The University was started as a Calvinist Theological Seminary. My apartment building is in the “Classic Style,” with high ceilings, large light-filled rooms, and lots of ornate wood moldings. You’ve seen photos of the main building at the University (locals pride themselves on it being the most beautiful university building in Central Europe).
Miskolc is in the industrialized north. It is in one of the hardest hit regions of the country, with the highest unemployment rate, the largest ethnic minority (the Roma), and the most poverty. Aocording to my landlady, Debrecen votes with Fidesz (the Conservatives) while Miskolc votes Socialist. I have inserted a brief excerpt from a news story that made headlines throughout Hungary a week ago:
Miskolc police chief Albert Pásztor was fired and almost immediately reinstated over the weekend after making controversial statements on Roma crime. The backlash and counter-backlash was sparked when he cited police statistics that all muggings in the northeastern city in December and January were “committed by people of a Gypsy origin” in a Friday press conference. He was removed from his post by Justice Minister Tibor Draskovics the following day, only to be reinstated on Sunday following a hail of protest and an investigation by national police chief József Bencze that found the statements did not violate human rights. (2 Feb 2009)
The housing projects building during the communist era reflect the values of “socialist realism”–affirming the contributions of workers to building a communist society. They can be found all over the country….even on Andrassy Utca (the Champs-Elysse of Budapest–full of breathtakingly beautiful neo-classical buildings built at the turn of the 19th century). One of my colleagues lives in one of these complexes on the outskirts of Debrecen…he likens it to living in a concrete box. They are poorly constructed with shoddy materials and with little attention to the comfort of the workers condemned to live in them… As a result of upward mobility, many working and middle-class workers have been able to move to better housing…the efforts to rehabilitate neighborhoods in Miskolc are evident. Small houses with brightly painted stucco walls and clay tile roofs take pride of place amid small, but tidy gardens. In contrast to these neighborhoods, the projects are a blight on the landscape. They are increasingly home to the poorest and most disadvantaged of Hungarians. As you might expect, crime rates have soared. Thus the controversy with the police chief.
The issue of the Roma is extremely sensitive. Is it a human rights issue? Or is it criminal justice issue? One of our Hungarian guest speakers at the orientation was asked a question about the gypsies. He refused to answer the question.
According to the locals, when Fidesz was in power, more money went to cities like Debrecen (hence the new pedestrianized area). When the Socialists took office, more money was directed to cities like Miskolc, partly to redress the imbalance in resources and public monies. (Politiics is politics wherever you are). The EU and World Bank have made some investments in recent years in Miskolc…
The photo at the right shows the new entrance to the main building at Miskolc. It features a central atrium that is three stories high, marble floors, and potted palm trees surrounding modern seating areas. A lot of money has also been targeted to the science labs. I understand that a new indoor pool/student fitness center is also in the works…this despite the fact that many of the classrooms date back to the 1940s and desperately need to be updated.
In addition, there are some plans in the works to try to develop Miskolc as more of a tourist destination. Many have told me about the wonderful thermal cave baths. I’m still trying to convince Bernard to try them with me. This financial crash, the troubles with the plummeting values of the HUF (forint), and the dismal outlook for the immediate future threaten these plans. I hope that Miskolc (or parts of it) will not be condemned to squalor….many worry that it is already the breeding ground for serious social and political problems.
So, on that happy note, I leave you.
Thanks for tuning in and best regards,
Marcsi
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