Hungarian literature boasts a rich tapestry of voices that have woven together stories, poems, and insights that resonate through time. From the stirring verses of poets to the poignant narratives of novelists, the literary landscape of Hungary is a treasure trove of inspiration and contemplation. Whether delving into the complexities of human emotion or capturing the essence of Hungarian culture and history, the words penned by Hungarian authors have left an indelible mark on the world of literature.
Through their works, Hungarian authors have explored themes ranging from love and loss to societal upheaval and the quest for identity. Their writings offer glimpses into the human condition, inviting readers to ponder life’s mysteries and marvel at the beauty of language. From the classics of Ferenc Molnár to the contemporary voices of Magda Szabó and Péter Nádas, Hungarian literature reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of its authors, resonating with readers around the globe.
Below, you will find a collection of quotes by Hungarian authors, each offering a unique perspective or insight. Whether you seek words of wisdom, moments of reflection, or simply a glimpse into the soul of Hungarian literature, these quotes are sure to inspire and captivate.
Out of nothing I have created a strange new universe. Janos Bolyai
Love is a game that two can play and both win. Eva Gabor
I do not think that I am a person who cannot be trusted. Bela Kun
Stock market bubbles don’t grow out of thin air. They have a solid basis in reality, but reality as distorted by a misconception. George Soros
It is only with burning anger that we can speak of this attack by counter-revolutionary reactionary elements against the capital of our country, against our people’s democratic order and the power of the working class. Janos Kadar
Generalizations, like brooms, ought not to stand in a corner forever; they ought to sweep as a matter of course. John Lukacs
Competitions are for horses, not artists. Bela Bartok
Life is only a long and bitter suicide, and faith alone can transform this suicide into a sacrifice. Franz Liszt
Strange as it may seem, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and formal education positively fortifies it. Stephen Vizinczey
Values are more important than money. Viktor Orban
Self-discipline is what separates the winners and the losers. Thomas Peterffy
In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain. George Szell
If you will it, it is no dream. Theodor Herzl
Kill the snake of doubt in your soul, crush the worms of fear in your heart and mountains will move out of your way. Kate Seredy
I think I look great in pretty much everything… kidding! For the red carpet, I like to do really natural eyes and a nice sleek ponytail. Sometimes I’m into a really dark rouge, purple bold lip. Barbara Palvin
If you are curious, you’ll find the puzzles around you. If you are determined, you will solve them. Erno Rubik
I always had a good dexterity. The story in my family goes that at the age of 3 I could thread needles faster than anybody. Judith Leiber
There are so many people working so hard and achieving so little. Andy Grove
Nothing is more sad than the death of an illusion. Arthur Koestler
My parents owned a pharmacy in Budapest, which gave us a comfortable living. As I was their only child, they wanted me to become a pharmacist. But my own preference would have been to study philosophy and mathematics. John Harsanyi
Water is life’s matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
When I was 20, journalists would ask me what I would do when I retire from waterpolo. For me this is not just a five- or ten-year-period in my life. This is life itself. Tibor Benedek
Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them. Dennis Gabor
I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house. Zsa Zsa Gabor
Goals transform a random walk into a chase. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The biggest challenge is to fulfill your own ideas about yourself. Judit Polgar
Civilization is built on a number of ultimate principles… respect for human life, the punishment of crimes against property and persons, the equality of all good citizens before the law… or, in a word justice. Max Nordau
I never hated a man enough to give him diamonds back. Zsa Zsa Gabor
There are no crowds out there demanding to see smoking scenes in movies. Joe Eszterhas
Neutrality, as a lasting principle, is an evidence of weakness. Lajos Kossuth
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive. Andy Grove
Modernism, rebelling against the ornament of the 19th century, limited the vocabulary of the designer. Modernism emphasized straight lines, eliminating the expressive S curve. This made it harder to communicate emotions through design. Eva Zeisel
The only things you regret are the things you don’t do. Michael Curtiz
You take a number of small steps which you believe are right, thinking maybe tomorrow somebody will treat this as a dangerous provocation. And then you wait. If there is no reaction, you take another step: courage is only an accumulation of small steps. George Konrad
Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people as possible is a benefactor of humanity. Zoltan Kodaly
Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes. George Soros
We seek him here, we seek him there, Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven? – Is he in hell? That damned, elusive Pimpernel? Emma Orczy
Everything has a purpose or premise. Every second of our life has its own premise, whether or not we are conscious of it at the time. That premise may be as simple as breathing or as complex as a vital emotional decision, but it is always there. Lajos Egri
Complex things, if you don’t understand them, it seems complicated. If you understand them, and we know how to handle it, it became simple. Erno Rubik
I can only hope that neither of my daughters was scarred by their upbringing. Georg Solti
It always makes me sad when I think of how I saw Wagner wasting his vitality, not only by singing their parts to some of his artists, but acting out the smallest details, and of how few they were who were responsive to his wishes. Anton Seidl
I was interned in Auschwitz for one year. I didn’t bring back anything, except for a few jokes, and that filled me with shame. Then again, I didn’t know what to do with this fresh experience. For this experience was no literary awakening, no occasion for professional or artistic introspection. Imre Kertesz
Every form is a base for colour, every colour is the attribute of a form. Victor Vasarely
Moreover, only a strong and united scientific opinion imposing the intrinsic value of scientific progress on society at large can elicit the support of scientific inquiry by the general public. Michael Polanyi
The public is never wrong. Adolph Zukor
Human dignity is better served by embracing knowledge. John Polanyi
Let us take our children seriously! Everything else follows from this… only the best is good enough for a child. Zoltan Kodaly
Groupies are just very enthusiastic fans, that’s all. Tommy Ramone
Beware of missing chances; otherwise it may be altogether too late some day. Franz Liszt
What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes. Harry Houdini
HAM radio is very inexpensive, it is nearly unlimited and free to use. The only limitation is that you can only talk for five minutes to any given person because the station gets out of range within that time. Charles Simonyi
Philanthropic colonization is a failure. National colonization will succeed. Theodor Herzl
God may not play dice with the universe, but something strange is going on with the prime numbers. Paul Erdos
Everything is a subject. Every subject has a rhythm. To feel it is the raison detre. The photograph is a fixed moment of such a raison detre, which lives on in itself. Andre Kertesz
In Hungary, if homosexuals would like to live together, they can do so under the civil code. But what we call marriage is exclusively for one man and one woman. We are a Christian country. That’s a historical fact. Viktor Orban
But you don’t get into a business because of personal tastes. Peter Munk
I am a great admirer of mystery and magic. Look at this life – all mystery and magic. Harry Houdini
Blind commitment to a theory is not an intellectual virtue: it is an intellectual crime. Imre Lakatos
I listen to all kinds of music – new music, old music, music of my colleagues, everything. Gyorgy Ligeti
