Latest news with #György
Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'LGBTQ+ representation in music is essential' says festival organisers
In spite of discriminatory laws being imposed against LGBTQ+ events, an organiser of this popular European music festival reveals why queer representation is more important than ever With Pride Month in full swing, a festival has come out to champion the importance of queer performance and art. Every year, thousands flock to Budapest to experience one of Europe's most popular music festivals: Sziget, which begins August 6. As a festival with a strong history of LGBTQ+ presence with its Magic Mirror stage, they have spoken out against Hungary's recent ban on Budapest's Pride march. Earlier this year, the Hungarian government passed amendment to the constitution enabling the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, as reported by NBC. On their Instagram, Sziget stated: 'Despite the current developments in Hungary our commitment remains – and becomes more important. At Sziget, we stand for freedom, love, acceptance and expression – values we've upheld since the very beginning of the island of freedom. They added: "These aren't just festival ideals – they're human rights. That's why we believe Pride belongs in the streets of Budapest – open, visible, and accessible to all.' György Ujvári-Pintér, the program and venue manager of Magic Mirror, reveals the importance of LGBTQ+ representation at the festival, particularly in region which has faced pushback against LGBTQ+ rights. He tells The Mirror: 'Sziget Festival has a long tradition of openness, as its motto also stresses: it is the Island of Freedom (Sziget meaning Island in Hungarian).' He continues: 'This attitude is broadly communicated by the festival… [Sziget] promotes tolerance and empathy, as well as the importance of understanding of what may seem 'distant' from one's own identity in their everyday life. 'Thus, I strongly believe that Sziget vehicles values that are important for the LGBTQ+ communities and makes them feel safe in a country of which political communication tends to create social tensions on many levels and punishes those who don't follow the so-called standards.' For more stories like this visit The Gulp or subscribe to our weekly newsletter for a curated roundup of top stories, interviews, and lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. In the past, the Magic Mirror has had to fight against discriminatory regulations imposed on it by Hungary's government. In 2022, the government demanded that the LBGTQ+ stage be made inaccessible to anyone under the age of 18 due to a law banning gay people from school educational materials or TV shows for under-18s. György told Dazed in 2023 that despite the pressure placed on them, they refused to follow these demands. In this environment, ensuring representation for LGBTQ+ individuals in the music space is essential. From Gyorgy's perspective, queer identity has evolved and deepened greatly over the past 30 years. When choosing a line-up, he says: 'I always try to go with this flow and pick the newest tendencies while maintaining an overall vision on the community which is also composed of not-so-young audiences.' This year, Magic Mirror's organisers plan to increase their focus on questions that aren't so readily visible – and to spotlight queer women. Just some of the acts, Gyorgy shares, will include Butch Tribute from Norway, who will perform a lecture on the notion of the Butch in the lesbian culture, as well as Australia 's YUCK Circus, who will focus on toxic masculinity from a female perspective. Marga Alfeirao's LOUNGE – a contemporary dance – will also be featured, which Gyorgy says he programmed on International Female Orgasm Day (August 8th). There will also be a performance Queenz from London, which will see the group playing classic gay hits. In terms of safety, Gyorgy says that they have a 'solid and loyal group of volunteers composed of queer people' who watch for others during the event. He adds: 'The very pacific and civilised culture of Sziget emanates the feeling of peace and understanding, so we are not used to confronting bullying or acts of violence.' Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
György Kun, survivor of Dr Mengele's experiments on twins at Auschwitz
György Kun, who has died aged 93, was one of the last Hungarian survivors of the infamous experiments carried out on twins at Auschwitz by Dr Josef Mengele; in fact György and his brother Istvan were not twins, but Mengele's belief that they were probably saved them from the gas chambers. György Kun was born on January 23 1932 in the Hungarian village of Vállaj to Jewish parents, Márton Kuhn, a farm manager, and his wife Piroska. His brother Istvan, to whom he bore a strong resemblance and to whom he was close, was born 11 months later. Life was good until, starting in 1938, Hungary – under Regent Admiral Miklós Horthy –passed a series of anti-Jewish measures in emulation of Germany's Nuremberg Laws. György was denied entry into grammar school, but his parents managed to enrol him in a local high school instead, though he was often attacked by other children as he made his way home from school. In early 1942, however, Horthy, in an effort to distance himself from Hitler's regime, dismissed the pro-German prime minister, László Bárdossy, and replaced him with the more moderate Miklós Kállay, who resisted Nazi pressure to deport Jews. Rightly fearing that Hungary was trying to contact the Allies, the Germans occupied the country on March 19 1944. Shortly afterwards, the Kuns were evicted from their farm and sent to a nearby ghetto, and from there to a brick factory, before being loaded on to a train to Auschwitz in May 1944. In testimony György Kun gave to his daughter in 1999, he recalled being greeted by Nazi soldiers with dogs and lined up for inspection. 'Mum was holding our hands. Dad was walking next to us. Then he was separated from us.' György, Istvan and their mother were taken to see Mengele. 'He asked my mother one word,' György recalled, ''Zwillinge [twins]?' My mother did not speak German, but instinctively she replied, 'Ja'.' The boys were immediately separated from their mother. They never saw her again. Taken for registration, the boys gave their true dates of birth and the mistake was discovered. One of the adult prisoners tasked with taking their details, however, was Ernő (Zvi) Spiegel who, with his twin Magda, had been the oldest of the twins deported to Auschwitz and who, for whatever reason, had been appointed 'Zwillingevater,' ('twins' father') by Mengele and put in charge of about 80 boy twins. Spiegel knew that if Mengele learnt that György and Istvan were not twins they would be sent to the gas chambers. So even though he knew that if he disobeyed orders he would be killed on the spot, he filled in false dates of birth on their forms to maintain the pretence and give them a chance of survival: 'Then the numbers were tattooed on our arms.' György became A-14321 and Istvan A-14322. It is not known what experiments they endured, but both boys survived Auschwitz and were reunited with their father, who had ended up in Dachau. During the 1956 revolution, Istvan emigrated to the US but György remained in Hungary. In 1960 he married Agnes and settled in Budapest. Due to his experiences in Auschwitz he suffered post traumatic stress disorder and other ailments, but he always remained grateful to Spiegel, who had became a father figure to dozens of Auschwitz twins, trying to keep the children together and teaching them lessons remembered from his own school days. György recalled how he had led his surviving charges back home after the camp was liberated, how he arranged for older boys to get the younger boys home after their ways parted, and how he gave them hope 'that maybe, one day, life would be joyful again'. György Kun is survived by his daughter. György Kun, born January 23 1931, died February 5 2025 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
