A Potted History
History is never far from a Hungarian’s mind. Questions about how Hungary has fared in the past – and how it is likely to get on in the future – are usually met with rolling eyes and heavy sighs. Not to put a too fine a point on it, the locals will be quick to assure you that Hungary has been drawing the short straw for most of its 1,000-year existence. But perhaps it’s the legacy of the Mongol hoards, the marauding Turks, the insatiable Habsurgs, the uncompromising Germans, the spirit-crushing Soviets and more than the odd home-grown dictator that have made Hungary the fascinating historical patchwork it is today.
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