`Abdu'l-Bahá returned to Stuttgart, then left in the evening for Budapest, changing trains in Vienna the next morning. To this date no travel teacher had visited Budapest and there were no resident believers. [ABM316]
• The trip was made at the invitation of, among others, Mr and Mrs Lipót Stark. the Secretary General of the Theosophical Society, who had given a lecture entitled "The Bahá'í Movement" on the 25th of February, 1912 and the text of the lecture had been published in the Esperanto periodical Teozofia (Theosophical). [SBBR14p110]

`Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Budapest and He was met by a delegation at Keleti pu Ostbahnhof (Eastern Train Station). Another welcoming party had been waiting for Him at the Western station where a train had arrived from Vienna. He was escorted to the Ritz Hotel (now called the Hotel Forum) on the Pest side where He was further welcomed by a delegation of citizens. To compensate for the fact that many had missed His arrival at the train station, He held a press conference in the hotel lobby. [AB384, SBBR14p110]
• For details of His visit see AB384–8 and MRHK362–70 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest by Alice Schwartz-Salivo.
• See Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to Budapest on the Hungarian Community website. There you will find information on the places visited by `Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest.
• See 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest by Gyorgy Lederer in SBBH14p102, 109-126.
• See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to Budapest found in SoW Vol 24 Issue3 June 1933 p85.

  "…it was His hope that Budapest might become a centre for the reunion of the East and the West, and that from this city the light might emanate to other places." ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest p1; BWNS303; MRHK363]

While walking `Abdu'l-Bahá crossed the Chain Bridge and attracted a crowd of curious onlookers who had seen His picture in the newspaper. [MRHK363]
• He received visitors at His hotel. Among them are Dr Agnes Goosen, the Rector of the University of Budapest, Dr Alexander Giesswein, a member of Parliament and Sirdar Omrah Singh of Punjab. Professor Julius Germanus, a young Orientalist from the Eastern Academy, brings a group of Turkish language students. [MRHK364]
• He visited the homes of several families.
• In the evening He spoke to 50 people at the Theosophical Meeting, praising the organization and its goals. Dr Germanus interpretes the talk into German.

Julius Germanus from the Eastern Academy called upon 'Abdu'l-Bahá at His hotel accompanied by his Turkish students. [SBBR14p112]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Hungarian Orientalist Professor Ignáz Goldziher in his home. He was the first person of the Jewish Faith to occupy a professional chair in the University of Budapest. and he had previously written about the Bahá'í Faith. Some time later Professor Goldziher received a carpet and a tablet as a gift from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SBBR14p116, AB386]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá delivered a lecture in the old Parliament organized by the Peace Society and the Esperanto Association to an audience estimated to be 500, 800 or 1,000 depending on the source. He was flanked by Catholic prelate Dr Alexander Giesswein and Dr. Goldziher, a Jewish Orientalist. The significance of seeing an eminent Jewish scholar and a Catholic clergyman on the same stage on either side of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was not lost on the audience and they broke into applause. [SBBR14p116-117. MRHK362]
• After the lecture a dinner was given in His honour at the Hotel Pannonia. [MRHK366]

'Abu'l-Bahá received many visitors at His hotel including the president of the Túránian Society, Jewish-born Arminius Vambéry. He was an orientalist and one of the most colourful figures of the nineteenth century. He had some prior knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith. (Ali Kuli Khan had met him as he was travelling near Karbila disguised as a dervish, probably in 1896. [SUR73-74]) Some time later he wrote a much-publicized tribute to the Bahá'í Faith. [AB8, 386–7, SBBR14p114]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá visited the home of Arminius Vambéry. [SBBR14p115]
• He was invited to speak at the former House of Magnates in the National Museum Building by the founder of the Hungarian Turanian Society, Alajos Paikert. ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Budapest p4]

`Abdu'l-Bahá was sick and the weather was bitterly cold. He went to the studio of Professor Robert A. Nadler of the Royal Academy of Art to sit for a portrait. He gave him a total of three sittings during His visit to Budapest. [AB387, MRHK368-9]
• "The portrait is remarkable not only because of its art, but also because of its later miraculous fate. Reportedly, after heavy bombing in 1945, only that part of the building in which the painting was hung remained unharmed." [Renée Szanto-Felbermann Two Portraits p3, Rebirth: Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann p159]
• The painting was purchased and taken to the Bahá'í World Centre in 1972. [SBBR14p118]
• See SBBR14p108 for a picture of the portrait.
• In the afternoon He visited the home of Sirdar Omrah Singh. [AB387]

'Abdu'l-Bahá's plan had been to leave but His departure was delayed due to a request from the president of the Túránian Society, Count Pal Teleki, who later became the Hungarian Prime Minister two times.
• In the afternoon 'Abu'l-Bahá visited Arminius Vambéry at his home again and some time later sent him a tablet and a carpet by the post. It was reported in "Star of the West" (February 1929) that this tablet was in possession of Arminius's son, Rusztem Vámbéry. [SBBR14p115, 125, AB387, SoW9Vol9p24]
  • See BW5p329 for the testament written by Professor Vámbéry and published in the Egyptian Gazette September 24th, 1913.
  • See SUR73 for the story of Arminius Vámbéry, while travelling with a caravan and disguised as a dervish, encountered another caravan loaded with coffins bound for burial in the vicinity of the Shrines in Karbilá'.
  • See The Dervish of Windsor Castle: The Life of Arminius Vambery by Lory Alder and Richard Dalby.
• At a meeting of the Túránian Society in the grand hall of the National Museum 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a lecture entitled "Peace Between Nations and Religions" to some 200 people. The talk was translated into Hungarian by Leopold Stark and into English by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. [SBBR14p113; ABM318; Talk by Abdu'l-Baha Given in Budapest to the Turanian Society on 14 April 1913 (Provisional)]
• 'Alí Abbás Áqá, a Tabrízí carpet merchant, hosted a dinner party in His honour. Among those attending was the Turkish Consul. [AB387, MRHK367, SBBR14p113]

`Abdu'l-Bahá left Budapest and travelled to Vienna by rail, reaching the city in the evening and taking residence in the Grand Hotel.

Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said: "the freedom of Europeans, that an individual is free to do whatsoever he desires as long as he does not harm any other person," and says "In the religion of God, there is no freedom of action. Man cannot transgress the law of God, even if no harm is done to others. For the purpose of the law of God is education, for others and for oneself. In the sight of God, to harm oneself is the same as to harm someone else, and both are blameworthy." [Message 9 May 2014]

• It is estimated that some 30 people accepted the Faith during His visit. [AB388, SBBR14p120]
• In 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt p80 it is reported that a bust of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was made during His time in Vienna. Two copies were received in Port Said via Stuttgart on the 18th of July, 1913, one intended for Ahmad Sohrab and the other for Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání.
• Also see Martha Root: Herald of the Kingdom by Kay Zinky pp361-374 for "Àbdu-l-Bahá's Visit to Budapest".

After a stay of three weeks she travelled to Wiesbaden in Germany to visit a contact and spent five days at the home of the Schweitzers in Suffenhausen. She visited friends in Esslingen and stayed one night in Frankfurt before sailing from Antwerp on the 17th of June for the United States. During this trip she visited Liverpool in England, Luxembourg, Vienna and Graz in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Zuffenhausen, Esslingen, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Nuremberg in Germany as well as Spa and Brussels in Belgium. [SYH132-134, 240]

In the spring of 1927 she went to Sofia, Bulgaria.where Martha Root had visited for 12 days in February.

In June of 1927 Louise returned to New York in the United States from Boulongne-sur-Mer, France. During this trip she had visited Liverpool, York and London in England, Brussels in Belgium, Graz and Vienna in Austria, Budapest, Hungary and Sofia in Bulgaria. [SYH140-145, 240]

The passing of Dr. Howard Luxmoore Carpenter (b. 1906, d. 24 November 1935). He was buried at the Sunset View Cemetery in El Cerrito, California. [Find a grave]
• A graduate of the Stanford Medical School in 1932.
• He married Mardiyyih Nabil (later Marzieh Gail) in 1929, and in 1932 he and his wife left San Francisco for Vienna, where he took a medical course, and afterward at the Guardian's direction traveled through Central Europe and the Balkans. With Martha Root in Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade, he then spent five weeks in Sofia, Bulgaria, assisting Miss Marion Jack, after which he stopped briefly in Saloniki and went on to Tirana, Albania, to visit Refo Chapary. He then left for Haifa, where he stayed three weeks on his way to Tihran.
• In Iran, notwithstanding the efforts of the Assembly, he was prevented for more than one year from obtaining a medical license. His health failed, and he was bedridden for many months. At last his physical condition improved, he resumed activities as a member of the Unity of the East and West Committee, and the authorities granted him a license to practise medicine. At this time he was stricken with paralysis. He lay seven months in a hospital, after which Mr. and Mrs. Rahmat 'Alá'í invited him to their home, surrounding him with the same loving care which they had given Keith Ransom-Kehler the year before. His doctors advised a return to the United States as his only hope for recovery; he braved the long journey across the desert by motor, the presence of the 'Ala'is, who escorted him to Haifa, helping him to survive it.
• After nine days in Haifa, during which the Guardian visited him daily, he took a ship for New York where he was greeted by the National Spiritual Assembly, and then left by way of the Panama Canal for San Francisco. Here he had recourse to the best medical authorities, but was pronounced incurable. He passed away November 24, 1935 . He is buried at Sunset Memorial Park in Berkeley. The Bahá'í service held for him was conducted by Leroy Ioas of San Francisco; Bahá'ís of Berkeley, Oakland, Geyserville, San Francisco and Santa Paula were present, and the words of Bahá'u'lláh on immortality radiated such power as to efface all thought of death. [BW6 p491-493]
• See Shoghi Effendi's tribute to him where he said:
  
  Next to the late Mrs. Ransom-Kehler he may, indeed, be well considered as the foremost American believer who has, in the last few years, been assisted in rendering invaluable help to the Persian believers in their efforts for the establishment of the Administration in their country… . ["Uncompiled Published Letters"]

Renée Szanto-Felbermann became a Bahá'í, the first to accept the Faith in Hungary. She was considered the first person to accept the Faith by some notwithstanding the events of 1913. [BW19:633]
• See also Renée Szanto-Felbermann, Rebirth: The Memoirs of Szanto-Felbermann p104.
• This document prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'í Community of Hungary says that Mr. Arminius Vámbéry is the first believer in Hungary. See www.bahai.hu
• See BW5p329 for the testament written by Professor Vámbéry and published in the Egyptian Gazette September 24th, 1913.

The first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Budapest was elected. There were about 14 believers in the community, mostly of Jewish ancestry. This caused difficulty for the community in the Nazi persecutions that followed. [Rebirth: Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann p108]

      According to the description of Renée Szántó-Felbermann, they could not even meet in Budapest: „It was at their (the Sugárs) house in Alag (today part of Budakeszi) that we elected the first Spiritual Assembly in the history of Hungary, Ridvan 1939. When we boarded the train for Alag, in order to avoid suspicion, we Bahá'ís did not remain together, but went by twos and threes. The same procedure was repeated on our arrival to Alag. It was a memorable, unforgettable evening, that Feast of Ridván in the small house at Alag fragrant with spring flowers. We were all deeply moved. And our dear Bertha Matthiesen was radiant. … Jenő Sugár was elected chairman, Mária Kleinberger became treasurer and I continued as secretary." [www.bahai.hu]

• See www.bahai.hu for a list of community members.
• Ms Bertha Matthiesen spent a lot of time in Hungary between 1937 and 1939 when most declarations took place and the first spiritual assembly was formed. [www.bahai.hu]
• Mr Emeric Sala (Imre Szalavetz) a Canadian Bahá'í who was born in Hungary visited Budapest in 1933 and in 1937. [www.bahai.hu]
• Canadian travel teacher Ms Lorol Schopflocher visited Budapest in March-April 1937. [www.bahai.hu]

The passing of Renée Szanto-Felbermann (b 21 June, 1900, d. 28 February, 1984) in Freiburg, Germany. She is considered the first to declare her faith in Hungary. [BW19p633]
• She is the author of The Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann, published in London by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. It is the autobiography of a woman of Jewish heritage who was the first Hungarian Bahá'í. Particularly interesting is the period as Jewish-Bahá'í in Hungary during the Nazi era. [Collins7.2521]
• See the article The Baha'i Faith: Banned by the Nazis and the Communists by Caroline Fowler on Bahá'í Teachings.org.

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Budapest was re-elected for the first time since the proscription of 1950. [BINS223:4; Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Austria, 6 December 1989 www.bahai.hu Note 68]
• The assembly was first elected in 1939 but lapsed during the war. It was re-formed in 1948 only to be dissolved two years later. [BINS223:4]

To the Followers of Bahá'u'lláh throughout the World

SEVEN MONTHS AFTER LAUNCHING SUPPLEMENTARY TWO YEAR PLAN REJOICE ANNOUNCE FOURTEEN LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES IN SOVIET UNION, PLUS SIX IN ROMANIA WHERE THERE ARE NOW OVER 600 BELIEVERS, AND ONE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY EACH IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, HUNGARY AND YUGOSLAVIA. DEVELOPMENT FAITH IN ALL THESE COUNTRIES AS WELL AS IN ALBANIA, BULGARIA, MONGOLIA AND POLAND GOING FORWARD WITH EXTRAORDINARY SPEED, FORMATION MORE LOCAL ASSEMBLIES IN PROCESS OR EXPECTED SHORTLY.

The Universal House of Justice [Mess86-01p178]

The Bahá'í community of Hungary celebrated the 80th anniversary of the visit of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with a conference. In a park near the National Museum in Budapest a plaque was erected to commemorate the talk that 'Abdu'l-Baha gave at that site on the 14th of April, 1913. Some 350 Bahá'ís from 30 countries attended.
• A tree was planted by Rúhíyyih Kh´num. [www.bahai.hu, SCSC369, 372]
• At this time there were more than 200 believers in Hungary.

The Bahá'í community of Hungary inaugurated its new national Bahá'í Centre with a reception for government dignitaries, religious leaders and media personalities.
• The community had made considerable progress since the late 1980s when religious freedom started to become restored. In the 1990's they able to restore the Local Spiritual Assembly of Budapest. As of this date, there were more than 1,200 Bahá'ís in the country spread over some 65 localities. More than 2/3 of that number were of the Roma people. The Hungarian Bahá'í community was involved in a social and economic development project, MESED ("Meselo Edesanyak" - Storytelling Mothers), a program for young Roma mothers. Romas are members of a disadvantaged community, and they are often deprived of proper education. The project provided literacy training for mothers and helps them to read storybooks to their children. [BWNS303]

The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Gale Bond, née Keass (b. 13 November, 1919 in Emod, Hungary) in Cowichan, BC. [SDSC397]
• See Sole Desire Service Cause An Odyssey of Bahá'í Service: Gale and Jameson Bond by Don Brown published by George Ronald for a biography.

The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Gale Bond, née Keass (b. 13 November, 1919 in Emod, Hungary) in Cowichan, BC. [SDSC397]
• See Sole Desire Service Cause An Odyssey of Bahá'í Service: Gale and Jameson Bond by Don Brown published by George Ronald for a biography.