We must open the border

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The Pan-European Picnic was a peace demonstration at the Austrian-Hungarian border near Sopron on 19 August 1989. This is an important antecedent was cutting through the iron curtain, Germany unification. This picnic was a big protest against the Socialist government, which was called the Pan-European Picnic. While this was happening more than 700 people who lived in East Germany (which was Socialist) escaped to the West. The idea of opening up the border was László Magas'. Originally, it was only to be a picnic, but then he came up with the idea of the border opening. Obviously, Szentmargitbánya is five kilometres away from the national border. Its mayor helped us to get the Austrian authorities to authorise the opening. Laci had practical reasons for suggesting the opening, as it was a border gate closed down back in 1948 and out of use ever since. Actually, that's the old road to Pozsony, but that's where the Roman road ran, too, an ancient one, indeed. You can still see its ruins. There used to be a little toll house there. So, it had been an operational border crossing since "Trianon" to 1948. Without it, it's a forty kilometer long trip by car if you go all the way around in the direction of the Kelen brook; that's how far away the Sopron border crossing is. Laci Magas said that "we mean to invite folks from Margitbánya, but isn't it silly? Why should they take the 40 kilometer long roundabout route, when they are only 5 kilometres away". What might have given rise to the idea of the border opening was, by the way, a fair that took place in a small village in the vicinity of Szombathely as well as in an Austrian village a few kilometres away, when a temporary border opening permit was issued enabling people to come and go freely. Naturally, the border guards were standing there checking documents. We got the permission on the Hungarian end straight away.

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Nagy László

László Nagy was born to conservative, religious parents in 1957 in Szombathely. His father was a forest engineer, while his mother took care of their three children. The family moved to Sopron in 1960. They lived in Nigeria between 1970 and 1977. László did his secondary school leaving exam in Germany and then continued his studies at the Technical University of Budapest. He is a founder of the 405 circle, which invited politicians and public figures (several representatives of the opposition among them) to the university. He got his degree in chemical engineering in 1982. Subsequently, he and his family moved back to Sopron. They had three children. László worked in the Sopron Carpet Factory and earned a degree in textile engineering. At the end of the 1980s he joined the local opposition group in Sopron and became one of the organisers of the Pan-European Picnic (19 August, 1989). Up until 1996 he had been politically active and a member of the Hungarian Democratic Forum's executive committee. Since 1990 onwards he has been the Hungarian representative of various foreign companies and the managing director of the Viva la Musica Art Agency. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic in 1999. He is one of the curators of Pan-European Picnic '89 Foundation

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Sopron

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Sopron – "The Most Loyal Town" Sopron is a city of Hungary, near the Western border of Hungary with Austria, at the foot of the Alps, 60 km from Vienna and 220 km from Budapest. About sixty thousand inhabitants of the city to the bed of the stream Ikva. Sopron is a wine producing region, that is one of the few in Hungary to make both red and white wines. The grapes grown here include Kékfrankos for red wine and Traminer (Gewürztraminer) for white wine. At the time of the Roman Empire, there was a city here called Scarbantia. In 1921, after the Treaty of Trianon decided by referendum to Sopron and the surrounding eight villages (Ágfalva, Balf, Fertőboz Fertõrákos Harka, Kópháza, Nagycenk and Sopronbánfalva) which country (Austria and Hungary) fall. The majority of people decided to Hungary. Since that the city has been called "The Most Loyal City " (Civitas fidelissima ). The offices remained bilingual until 1946 until the expulsion of German mother tongue . In World War II Sopron suffered badly. It was bombed several times. There were many Jewish people living in Sopron before the war. The Nazis and their Hungarian allies sent the Jews of Sopron to death camps and killed nearly all of them, as well as other people who disagreed with Nazi ideas. Sopron, as part of Hungary, was ruled by a Socialist government. At this time many factories were built around Sopron. The Socialist government took away a lot of the freedom that people had. The city of Sopron shows signs of its long history in its buildings. There is also a very old Jewish synagogue. Many old buildings whose architecture are from the 1600s and 1700s and are in the Baroque style which often has a lot of decoration. Stornó House is one of the most well-known buildings, because of its elegant Baroque architecture, its connection with King Matthias and its interesting collection. 1989th August 19, in Sopron there was a big protest against the Socialist government, which was called the Pan-European Picnic. While this was happening more than 800 people who lived in East Germany (which was Socialist) escaped to the West. People who had not been allowed to travel or live in other countries were finally allowed to be free. Hungary is now part of the European Union. Sopron now has trade with other countries, most importantly Austria. There are many German-speaking people who live in Sopron so most street signs are written in both Hungarian and German. Sopron is popular as a holiday place because it is set in beautiful countryside where people like to walk in the hills, enjoying the pure air, the forests and mountain springs. There are many hiking paths and look-out towers. Near to Sopron is Lake Fertő. The Löverek, is a beautiful hilly area south of the city, with forests of spruce, oaks and chestnut trees.