A Friendship Spanning Centuries

The Russian-Hungarian friendship has been celebrated for six years now in Tokaj, recalling the good relationship of II. Rákóczi Ferenc and Czar Peter the Great and thanks to this, the success of the wine-diplomacy. This year’s commemoration began with a holy liturgy held by archbishop Antal in the local St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, then after the welcome speech of Mayor György Posta, the participants laid wreaths on the memorial plaque of the Russian soldiers, who as the representatives of the Tokaj Russian Wine Purchasing Committee organising the wine export to Russia between 1733 and 1798, found eternal rest in Tokaj.

At the marble tablet on the wall of the church placed there by the Ministry of Defence two years ago, István Szabó, Defence State Secretary representing the Ministry, recounted the sixty-five year success story of the operation of the wine purchasing committee. “The Tokay Wine contributed to the fact that beyond the official relations, a real co-operation and friendship was established between the two countries. But friendship is like good wine: only time will tell its value. I am sure that we will discover the values of co-operation in the future too, the relations between our countries will stand the test of time" – State Secretary Szabó summed up the experiences of history projected on presence.

Colonel Maxim V. Vorobiev, Military and Air Attaché of the Embassy of the Russian Federation to Hungary also remembered the results of the successful political and economic co-operation hundreds of years ago, from which we can benefit in the presence and in the future: “The nation, which does not cherish its past, will not have a future. It is a common feature of the Russian and the Hungarian peoples to remember with great respect our glorious ancestors, we preserve and cherish their memory. Particularly, it is our mission to remember the fallen heroes, and the soldiers serving their homeland in peace, representing their nation. One of the most beautiful symbols of this is that every year we celebrate here, in Tokaj the Russian-Hungarian Friendship Day, honouring the memory of soldiers, who served in this town, in this country in peace-time and not in war" – Colonel Vorobiev pointed out.

The 6th Russian-Hungarian Friendship Day celebration continued with a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial plaque placed on the Tokaj Museum’s wall. In his festive speech, Mr. Dezső Török, the President of the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County General Assembly, recalled the start of the wine-friendship of the two countries: “I can confidently state that one of the foundations of the Hungarian-Russian friendship is the Tokay Wine, its consumption has a long tradition. The creation of new relationships began at the time of our fellow countryman, the native of the historic Zemplén County, II. Rákóczi Ferenc and Czar Peter the Great, who ordered that Tokay Wine must always be present in his court. And what the Czar liked, liked the boyars, too. It was along these events, that the Hungarian-Russian diplomatic relations formed, and the wine friendship was born. The Tokay Wine was included among the favourite drinks of the succeeding czars and czarinas. Thereafter, the purchase of wine became a priority task of the court officials, and the Russians appeared on the Tokaj-Hegyalja region at about this time. The wine was delivered over the Tokaj-Kiev-Moscow and Tokaj-Krakkow-Danzig-St. Petersburg route" he said.

The commemoration in the Museum was closed with a wreath-laying ceremony at the marble tablet set in memory of the Hungarian-Russian friendship, the sixty-five years of successful activity of the Committee of Hungarian Wines.

Photos of the author