2682) National Anthem of Hungary, Hungary: Bicentenary Anniversary Celebrations (1823-2023): 3,000 Forint (Cupro-nickel) and 15,000 Forint (Silver) Coins issued by the Mint of Hungary at their facilities in Budapest on behalf of the National Bank of Hungary (NBH): Date/Year of Coins issue: 23.02.2023:
The Header/Banner showcases the Obverse and Reverse of the Silver Coins against a background of the handwritten anthem and an image of a half-length portrait of Ferenc Kölcsey (who wrote the poem which became the basis of National Anthem of Hungary), based on a painting by artist Anton Einsle from 1835.
The National Bank of Hungary has released Silver Proof (P) and Cupro-nickel Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) coins marking the Bicentenary Anniversary of the poem written and which became the basis of Hungary’s National Anthem.
"Himnusz" (meaning - "Hymn" or "Anthem") is the National Anthem of Hungary.
The lyrics were written by Ferenc Kölcsey, a nationally renowned poet, in 1823, and its currently official musical setting was composed by the romantic composer Ferenc Erkel in 1844, although other less-known musical versions exist.
The poem bore the subtitle "A magyar nép zivataros századaiból" ("From the stormy centuries of the Hungarian nation"); it is believed that this subtitle – by emphasising past rather than contemporary national troubles – was added expressly to enable the poem to pass Habsburg censorship.
The full meaning of the poem's text is evident only to those well acquainted with Hungarian history.
The first stanza is sung at official ceremonies.
It was de facto used as hymn of the Kingdom of Hungary from its composition in 1844, and was officially adopted as National Anthem of the Third Hungarian Republic in 1989.
The lyrics of "Himnusz" are a prayer beginning with the words - "Isten, áldd meg a magyart" (meaning "God, bless the Hungarians").
The title in the original manuscript is "Hymnus" - a Latin word meaning "song of praise", and one which is widely used in languages other than English (e.g., French or German) to mean "anthem".
The phonetic transcription "Himnusz" replaced the original Latin spelling over time, and as the poem gained widespread acceptance as the de facto anthem of Hungary, so too the word "Himnusz" took on the meaning "National Anthem" for other countries as well.
Although Ferenc Kölcsey completed the poem on 22.01.1823, it was published first in 1829 in "Károly Kisfaludy's Aurora", without the subtitle, despite it being part of the manuscript.
It subsequently appeared in a collection of Kölcsey's works in 1832, this time with the subtitle.
A competition for composers to make the poem suitable to be sung by the public was staged in 1844 and won by Erkel's entry.
His version was first performed in the National Theatre (where he was conductor) in 07/1844, then in front of a larger audience on 10.08.1844, at the inaugural voyage of the steamship Széchenyi.
By the end of the 1850s it became customary to sing Himnusz at special occasions either alongside Vörösmarty's Szózat or on its own.
In the early 1900s, various members of the Hungarian Parliament proposed making the status of Himnusz as the National Anthem of Hungary within Austria-Hungary official, but their efforts never got enough traction for such a law to be passed.
Later, in the 1950s, Rákosi made plans to have the Anthem replaced by one more suited to the Communist ideology, but the poet and composer he had in mind for the task, Illyés and Kodály, both refused.
In 1989, Erkel's musical adaptation of Himnusz finally gained official recognition as Hungary's National Anthem, by being mentioned as such in the Constitution of Hungary.
Traditionally, "Himnusz" is sung at the beginning of ceremonies, and Szózat at the end.
Recognition is also given to the "Rákóczi March", a short wordless piece (composer unknown, but sometimes attributed to János Bihari and Franz Liszt) which is often used on state military occasions; and the poem "Nemzeti dal" written by Sándor Petőfi.
Another popular song is the "Székely Himnusz" ("Szekler Hymn"), an unofficial ethnic anthem of the Hungarian-speaking Szekler living in Eastern Transylvania, the Székely Land (now part of Romania) and in the rest of the world.
Depiction of the Himnusz on a sculpture:
On 07.05.2006, a sculpture was inaugurated for Himnusz at Szarvas Square, Budakeszi, a small town close to Budapest, created by Mária V. Majzik, an artist with the Hungarian Heritage Award, depicting the full text of the poem in a circle, centered around a two metres high bronze figure of God, with 21 bronze bells in seven arches between eight pieces of stone, each four and a half metres high.
The musical form of the poem can be played on the bells. The cost of its construction, 40 million forints (roughly 200,000 USD), was collected through public subscription.
Two English versions of the National Anthem are as under:
1)Hungarian original: written by Ferenc Kölcsey - 1823):
I
O God, bless the nation of Hungary
With your grace and bounty
Extend over it your guarding arm
During strife with its enemies
Long torn by ill fate
Bring upon it a time of relief
This nation has suffered for all sins
Of the past and of the future!
II
You brought our ancestors up
Over the Carpathians' holy peaks
By You was won a beautiful homeland
For Bendeguz's sons
And wherever flow the rivers of
The Tisza and the Danube
Árpád our hero's descendants
Will root and bloom.
III
For us on the plains of the Kuns
You ripened the wheat
In the grape fields of Tokaj
You dripped sweet nectar
Our flag you often planted
On the wild Turk's earthworks
And under Mátyás' grave army whimpered
Vienna's "proud fort."
IV
Ah, but for our sins
Anger gathered in Your bosom
And You struck with Your lightning
From Your thundering clouds
Now the plundering Mongols' arrows
You swarmed over us
Then the Turks' slave yoke
We took upon our shoulders.
V
How often came from the mouths
Of Osman's barbarian nation
Over the corpses of our defeated army
A victory song!
How often did your own son aggress
My homeland, upon your breast,
And you became because of your own sons
Your own sons' funeral urn!
VI
The fugitive hid, and towards him
The sword reached into his cave
Looking everywhere he could not find
His home in his homeland
Climbs the mountain, descends the valley
Sadness and despair his companions
Sea of blood beneath his feet
Ocean of flame above.
VII
Castle stood, now a heap of stones
Happiness and joy fluttered,
Groans of death, weeping
Now sound in their place.
And Ah! Freedom does not bloom
From the blood of the dead,
Torturous slavery's tears fall
From the burning eyes of the orphans!
VIII
Pity, O Lord, the Hungarians
Who are tossed by waves of danger
Extend over it your guarding arm
On the sea of its misery
Long torn by ill fate
Bring upon it a time of relief
They who have suffered for all sins
Of the past and of the future!
2) The Second Version:
I
O, my God, the Magyar bless
With Thy plenty and good cheer!
With Thine aid his just cause press,
Where his foes to fight appear.
Fate, who for so long did'st frown,
Bring him happy times and ways;
Atoning sorrow hath weighed down
Sins of past and future days.
II
By Thy help our fathers gained
Kárpát's proud and sacred height;
Here by Thee a home obtained
Heirs of Bendegúz, the knight.
Where'er Danube's waters flow
And the streams of Tisza swell
Árpád's children, Thou dost know,
Flourished and did prosper well.
III
For us let the golden grain
Grow upon the fields of Kún,
And let nectar's silver rain
Ripen grapes of Tokay soon.
Thou our flags hast planted o'er
Forts where once wild Turks held sway;
Proud Vienna suffered sore
From King Mátyás' dark array.
IV
But, alas! for our misdeed,
Anger rose within Thy breast,
And Thy lightnings Thou did'st speed
From Thy thundering sky with zest.
Now the Mongol arrow flew
Over our devoted heads;
Or the Turkish yoke we knew,
Which a free-born nation dreads.
V
O, how often has the voice
Sounded of wild Osman's hordes,
When in songs they did rejoice
O'er our heroes' captured swords!
Yea, how often rose Thy sons,
My fair land, upon Thy sod,
And Thou gavest to these sons,
Tombs within the breast they trod!
VI
Though in caves pursued he lie,
Even then he fears attacks.
Coming forth the land to spy,
Even a home he finds he lacks.
Mountain, vale – go where he would,
Grief and sorrow all the same –
Underneath a sea of blood,
While above a sea of flame.
VII
'Neath the fort, a ruin now,
Joy and pleasure erst were found,
Only groans and sighs, I trow,
In its limits now abound.
But no freedom's flowers return
From the spilt blood of the dead,
And the tears of slavery burn,
Which the eyes of orphans shed.
VIII
Pity, God, the Magyar, then,
Long by waves of danger tossed;
Help him by Thy strong hand when
He on grief's sea may be lost.
Fate, who for so long did'st frown,
Bring him happy times and ways;
Atoning sorrow hath weighed down
All the sins of all his days.
The Commemorative Coins:
The coins have been minted by the Mint of Hungary at their facilities in Budapest on behalf of the National Bank.
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The Reverse of the 3,000 Forint Cupro-nickel and 15,000 Forint Silver Coins (which is shared on both silver and cupro-nickel strikes), features a half-length portrait of Ferenc Kölcsey, based on a painting by artist Anton Einsle from 1835, as he is shown emerging forward.
This representation is a subtle reference to the seclusion in which the Hymn was written in Szatmárcseke.
The poet’s surname is carefully hidden in his clothing, while below the illustration is a quill pen referring to Kölcsey’s vocation as a poet.
Below the portrait is the inscription "Hymnus" in the handwritten style of the original manuscript and the year "1823" referring to the year the poem was written.
To the right of the portrait is the denomination "15000 FORINT (silver) or 3000 FORINT (cupro-nickel)", and the year of release, "2023", placed to the left half along with the mintmark "BP" (standing dfor "Budapest").
The Obverse of the 3,000 Forint Cupro-nickel and 15,000 Forint Silver Coins features a panoramic representation of the text of the Hymn and the iconic landscapes of Hungary, with rays projecting in three directions from a triangle in the centre symbolising the Holy Trinity and in reference to the sacred nature of the poem.
In a circular legend around the triangle is the inscription "NYÚJTS FELÉJE VÉDŐ KART HA KÜZD ELLENSÉGGEL" (“Stretch toward him a protective lever if fighting enemies”).
The panorama shows Kölcsey’s tomb in Szatmárcseke in the centre at the bottom, surrounded by images of the landscapes of Hungary, with Tihany, the Lake Balaton, Szigliget, Esztergom, the Danube Bend, Eger, and Tokaj in focus.
The initials "SET" of sculptor and medallist Tamás E. Soltra is hidden in the depiction of Tokaj.
The specifications of the two Coin Variants are:
i) Cupro-nickel Variant:
Country: Hungary; Date/Year of Coin issue: 23.02.2023; Coin Theme: "Bicentenary Anniversary Celebrations of the Hungarian National Anthem"; Coin Denomination: 3,000 Forint; Metal Composition: Cupro-nickel; Diameter/Size: 38.60 mm; Weight: 31.1 grams or 1.00 Oz; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU); Mint: Mint of Hungary; On Behalf of: National Bank of Hungary (NBH); Mintage: 6,000 pieces; Designed by: Sculptor and Medallist Tamás E. Soltra.
ii) Silver Variant:
Country: Hungary; Date/Year of Coin issue: 23.02.2023; Coin Theme: "Bicentenary Anniversary Celebrations of the Hungarian National Anthem"; Coin Denomination: 15,000 Forint; Metal Composition: .925 Fineness Silver (Ag); Diameter/Size: 38.60 mm; Weight: 31.1 grams or 1.00 Oz; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU); Mint: Mint of Hungary; On Behalf of: National Bank of Hungary (NBH). Mintage: 15,000 pieces; Designed by: Sculptor and Medallist Tamás E. Soltra.
- Both the Silver Proof (P) and Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) Base Metal Coins are encapsulated and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
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