Much consternation and indignation were displayed in the upper stratum of Hungarian society, as well as in some Jewish circles, because of the publication of the first edition of an Hungarian Jewish encyclopedia, a sort of “Who’s Who in Hungarian Jewry.”
The editors committed the indiscretion of including in the encyclopedia not only the Hungarian Jews who openly profess their Judaism, but also those who are prominent in society and are in the habit of denying their faith or origin. Thus, the list includes many prominent Hungarian personages, some of whom belong to the nobility.
Some of these personages feel “compromised” by the disclosure of their Jewish origin, are issuing denials and threaten to institute court proceedings for the withdrawal of the edition. The first to file a suit for libel was Prof. Weszely of the University of Budapest. He demanded satisfaction of the editors, since he is, he asserts, in no way of Jewish origin.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.