Položaj žena u Mađarskoj dvadesetih godina i uloga Sesil Tormai (1875-1937) u Nacionalnom savezu mađarskih žena i časopisu Napkelet

Abstract

Women’s national Christian movements were founded in Hungary between 1918 and 1920. These organisations played a visible role in political life during revolutionary turmoils. The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the contribution of the women’s political organisation Hungarian Women’s National Association (Hun. Magyar Asszonyok Nemzeti Szövetsége – MANSz). It was established during the Hungarian Soviet Republic with the aim of spreading and promoting counter-revolutionary ideas and was the most important women’s conservative Christian national organisation of Horthy’s regime. Led by the internationally acclaimed female author Cécile Tormay, a prominent public figure of the time, the Association advocated political and social engagement of women, in addition to their involvement in humanitarian work. It embraced a significant number of women of different social classes and contributed to the improvement of their position in society and education. In 1923, Tormay became the editor-in-chief of the conservative literary journal Napkelet, and held this position for the rest of her life. After the Second World War, the new appointed government dissolved all right-wing associations and parties founded during the Horthy era due to their ideology. Napkelet was forbidden, the Association was abolished, and the works of the renowned author, nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature, had been banned and forgotten for more than four decades. This paper aims to present the political contribution of Cécile Tormay in the socio-historical context on two levels, through the work of the Hungarian Women’s National Association and the editorial activities of the journal Napkelet.