Since
we are honoring a great American and a great Hungarian today, please allow
me to start my message to my friend in Hungarian:
Kedves
Gyuri Bácsi!
Igaz
magyar maradtál életedben és halálodban is. Amerikában, hű amerikaiként
élted életed nagy részét, de fiatalkorodat meghatározta a magyarság
Himnuszban is megírott sorsa: a szenvedés. Te ezt büszkeséggel, elveid
melletti kitartással viselted, ameddig viselni tudtad. Egy igaz barátot
veszítettünk el mindannyian. Nyugodj békében, Gyuri bácsi!
Uncle
George, you have been both a true Hungarian and a true American patriot in
your entire life. You epitomize all the suffering of Hungarians and you
also lived the American dream. When you returned from the Soviet
concentration camp you suffered through another oppression when the 1956
revolution was brutally crushed by the Soviets. You were always a true
democrat - you
could not suffer dictatorship.
I
was so proud to see your documentary presented at the Embassy. Whenever we
spoke, it was a real honor for me. I became a great admirer and a friend
of yours. It was so good to see that you met and was respected by such an
outstanding historic figure as Otto von Habsburg, who, like you, lived
trough the stormiest periods of Hungarian history. We have never spoken
about it but your Jewish heritage as well as your Christianity bought the
two of us even closer.
When
I visited you at your hospital bed the most we spoke about was your
family. You were a brave man. You fought dictatorships and your illness
with the same determination. The last conversation with you meant a lot to
me. I knew how close you were to Hungary.
You are and you will remain an inspiration to me and my colleagues
at the Embassy and many thousands of Americans and Hungarians forever. On
behalf of myself and all your Hungarian friends I wish you peace on this
journey that you have embarked upon.
András
Simonyi
