New Director General of the National Museum Revealed

Hungary Today 2023.11.10.

Judit Hammerstein, the former director general of the Balassi Institute and the National Széchényi Library, will replace László L. Simon as the head of the Hungarian National Museum, several press reports revealed on Thursday.

As Hungary Today previously reported, on Monday, Cultural Minister János Csák, in his capacity as employer, handed over the termination document of László L. Simon, Director General of the Hungarian National Museum. The minister explained that the Director General had failed to comply with his legal obligations, even when called upon to do so, and had engaged in conduct making it impossible for him to continue his employment. The Ministry of Culture and Innovation also acknowledged László L. Simon’s previous merits in the field of culture.

On Thursday afternoon, the institution sent an invitation to the conference to Magyar Nemzet entitled: “The Hangman of the War of Independence, Prime Minister of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and Foreign Minister of the Monarchy – Life and Career of Count Gyula Andrássy the Elder.”

In this letter, Judit Hammerstein is mentioned as the acting Director General of the Hungarian National Museum.

Judit Hammerstein delivering a speech earlier this year. Photo via Facebook/Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum

Judit Hammerstein is an historian, editor, and politician who served as the press chief of the Head of Government, Viktor Orbán, between 1998-2002 and of the Fidesz parliamentary group between 2002-2006. From 2011 to 2014, she was Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, from 2014 to 2018, she was Director General of the Balassi Institute, and from 2019 to 2020 she was Acting Director General of the National Széchényi Library.

National Museum Director Fired for Failing to Protect Underage Visitors

László L. Simon had earned his boss' ire by making a light-hearted joke about the incident.Continue reading

The likely origin of the incident and the firing of László L. Simon is that recently, Dóra Dúró, Member of Parliament and vice-president of the Our Homeland Movement (Mi Hazánk Movement), launched an initiative to ban under-18s from visiting the World Press Photo (WPP) exhibition.

She referred to the Child Protection Act in connection with some of the photos on display.

Former director László L. Simon argued that the institution could not legally enforce the request, and it could not ask visitors for ID cards.

The series of photos that Dóra Dúró might have considered problematic was created by Hannah Reyes Morales, entitled The Gay Old People’s Home, depicts the residents of an old people’s home in the Philippines. The caption say, “The Golden Gays are a Filipino LGBTQI+ elderly community, living together and supporting each other for decades in a country where they face discrimination, prejudice, and increased hardship due to their age and socio-economic status.”

Fact

Hungary’s Child Protection Act was passed by Parliament on June 15, 2021, and caused a great stir internationally. The basic principle of the new legislation is to preserve the rights of parents regarding the sexual education of their children. Thus, the law includes various changes, such as the expanded scope of action against pedophile offenders. The new legislation obliges media service providers not only to restrict access to pornographic and violent content to minors, as was the case under the previous legislation, but also to restrict to given periods of time the broadcasting of programs and advertisements that promote and depict sexual awareness, gender reassignment, and homosexuality. The law also stipulates that the above content may not be shown to minors in childcare, public education, or educational institutions.

Constitutional Court Reaffirms Right to Criticize LGBTQ Ideology

The case, brought by a pro-LGBTQ publisher, was a test case for the freedom of speech in Hungary.Continue reading

Via Magyar Nemzet, Featured image via Facebook/Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum