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Hungary Confronts Its Anti-semitism

May 30, 1990
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A clear statement condemning anti-Semitism is expected shortly from the Hungarian government, as it already has been condemned by a ranking dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church here.

Bishop Asztrik Varszegi denounced anti-Semitism as “the cancer of our people, of Europe and of the whole world.”

He was addressing about 20,000 people who had just marched in the first Catholic procession organized in Budapest in 43 years. Varszegi’s remarks were the harshest condemnation of anti-Semitism by any Catholic priest here in memory.

Hungarian Prime Minister Jozsef Antall and Foreign Minister Geza Jeszensky met here with two representatives of the World Jewish Congress.

Leslie Keller, chairman of the WJC’s Eastern European Section, and Lajos Bakos, deputy chairman of the WJC’s Budapest office, expressed their concern over recent manifestations of anti-Semitism in Hungary.

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