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Sunday, September 6, 2015

Don't they remember ?

The short memory span of the current Hungarian Government has been demonstrated by its leaders and leaves no doubt as to its position regarding the Refugee Crisis which at the present time bedevils not only Hungary, but all of Europe.
The solution to this crisis, if their is one, is not the building a 4 meter high fence along the boarder with Serbia, to keep out a further influx of asylum seekers who fear for their survival in their own countries.
The solution is not the statement of " The boat is full " and the suspension of pertinent agreements with all other European Union members.
As a "solution" to this problem, I suggest that Mr.Victor Orban ("We don't want more Muslims), the Right Wing President of Hungary should read a book !
Yes, he should read a little book, written in 1957, by the American writer James A. Michener, called:
"The Bridge at Andau"
It describes the brutal subjugation of Hungary by Russian forces, when Hungary wanted to introduce a "little Democracy" into their country. A revolution ensued during which hundreds young Hungarians were killed. Other thousands, rounded up and deported to Russia, likely Siberia, but many thousands escaped, many of them across a little bridge, near a small Austrian border village, called Andau.
The year was 1956, the beginning of November and every Hungarian who was able to reach "the bridge at Andau" could expect an Austria, only recently freed from Allied Occupation forces, to welcome any and all refugees with open arms.
Maybe Mr. Victor Orban should be taken there, shown this bridge,  and then he should be urged to read this book "The Bridge at Andau" which starts as follows:

 "There was a bridge at Andau, and if a Hungarian could reach that bridge, he was nearly free.
It wasn't much, as bridges go: not wide enough for a car nor sturdy enough to bear a motorcycle:
It was a foot bridge made of rickety boards with a hand railing which little children could not quite reach...... "

When Hungarians were in need, when they were refugees, when they sought asylum, nobody told them:
"The boat is full" !
Europe accepted them without questions being asked and then America opened its doors. 
For many Hungarians the USA and Canada became their ultimate goal, their new and welcoming home.

Mr. Orban ! Go, read the book.

Bertstravels 
will gladly buy it for you
or lend you his own.








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