PLEXUS#06. Europe's Day
May, 9th is the Day of Europe. We commemorate the Schumann's Declaration in pro of an European Union (EU) proclaimed in May, 9th, 1950. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Schumann's Declaration, today we look at the main LGBTQIA+ archives in Hungary, a European country where the rights of the LGBTQIA+ are specially in danger because of the attacks from the Government, lead by the far-right party Fidesz, since National Anti-LGBT Law was approved in 2021. This violation of Human Rigths is particularly serious given that Hungary has been a member of the EU since 2004. Recently the Parliament, controlled by Fidesz, has banned any kind of parade or public celebration of Pride in the country violating the protective legislation to the LGBTQIA+ community by the EU institutions.
Háttér Society was founded in 1995 and is the oldest and largest currently operating LGBTQIA+ organization in Hungary. They promote the equality and well-being of the community by offering support services, raising the awareness, promoting the self-organization and advocating for a legal system, public services and social attitudes in line with the needs of LGBTQIA+ people.
One of the services Háttér provides is the Háttér Archive and Library (HAL). They keep a unique collection in Eastern Europe. The center was created by Sándor Nagy at the same time of Háttér foundation in 1995. Since then, Nagy and all the Archive and Library team collect and manage LGBTQIA+ materials, documents, books and magazines with a special attention of the movement's history in Hungary.
HAL's collections are structured as follows:
01-Library: literary works; academic writings; PhD dissertations, thesis papers and essays; periodical.
02-Media: video (in magnetic and digital formats); audiovisual (AV) broadcast recordings.
03-Press: newspapers, magazines, newsletters.
04-Photo collection.
05-Archive: documents and publications from Háttér and other organizations; ephemera; scripts; personal collections.
They have around 1.500 volums of books, 300 magazines and press references and 1.000 AV items. Unfortunately, the financial possibilities of the Society do not allow them to have HAL in its own building. So, currently it's not possible to maintain the center open to the general public and any interested user must schedule an appointment in advance. In spite of that, HAL presents an online catalogue to search the items.
The Háttér Archive and Library also collaborates in the organization of other activities. They are currently working together with the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library in Budapest. In the same line, Háttér takes an active part celebrating the LGBTQIA+ National History Month in Hungary currently in March together with Labrisz Lesbian Association by organizing workshops ans lectures.
One of the main events is the exhibition Records Uncovered: Gay and Lesbian Histories in Central and Southeastern Europe 1945 - 1999. Records Uncovered begun as an online exhibition developed jointly by the Central European University's Blinken Open Society Archives (Blinken OSA Archivum) and HAL. The exhibition presents the divergences and commonalities among LGBTQIA+ movements in Central and Southeastern Europe in the second halfth of the 20th century. In 2022 the exhibition became physical and could be visited at Blinken OSA site in Budapest. The online edition can currently be accessed at Records Uncovered.
To learn more see also the Wikipedia entries for Háttér Society and HAL and their YouTube channel.
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