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A housefire in 2011. The contents of a box that survives become the catalyst for a quest whose seeds were planted in 1983 – the day Linda Ambrus Broenniman learned that her Catholic father was Jewish and what little family history she knew was a lie. 

Searching for truth, Linda pieces together the astonishing story of her Jewish ancestors—the Politzer family—their remarkable lives lost to her father’s secrets.  From the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 1700s to modern day Hungary and America, she finds her family: doctors and lawyers, entrepreneurs and industrialists, writers and musicians, artists and art collectors. She learns of their resilience in surviving religious persecution, wars, epidemics, and economic upheavals.

Among her discoveries is the revelation that her mother had collaborated to save her best friend and her family from deportation to Auschwitz, and in the process rescued a number of other Hungarian Jews, including the man who would become her husband.

Finding her roots brought Linda a new sense of who she is and a peace that now she can honor the memories of her family.  In helping Linda find her family, András Gyekiczki wrote, “I hardly know any non-fiction sagas to better exemplify Hungarian Jewish fate of the past 300 years as this Politzer story… All that fantastic talent and readiness to act for the birth of modern Hungary. All the suffering they went through...”

Illuminating the destructive power of hatred, dehumanization, and injustice, this powerful story encompasses issues that still echo today.

 Bethesda Communications Group

Linda Broenniman introduction

Linda Ambrus Broenniman grew up in Buffalo, New York as the middle of seven children. Her parents were Hungarian physicians who survived World War II and started their new life in the U.S. in 1949. A graduate of Swarthmore College with a BA in psychology, Linda went on to earn an MBA from Carnegie Mellon. Several years after graduation, she left mainstream corporate America to follow her own path as an entrepreneur, letting her passion for uncovering hidden potential in unexpected places guide her. It was this passion that fueled her search for her hidden family following an untimely incident that led to a stunning revelation. Linda lives in Great Falls, Virginia with Ed, her husband of 28 years, and their dog, Juno.

Additional note:

The museum opens at 2 PM and the reading will begin at 2:30 PM. There is no charge for people to attend the Museum or the reading. Please let us know if you will attend: elvira@orlymuseum.org or (510) 384-5606 or RSVP here. 

Beverages and Hungarian pastries will be available at the Museum before and after the talk.

Fontos tudnivalók:

A Múzeum (du. 2-től látogatható) és a könyvbemutató (2:30-kor kezdődik) látogatása díjtalan. Kérjük részvételi szándékát az elvira@orlymuseum.org email címen, vagy az (510) 384 5606 -os telefonszámon.

Az előadás előtt és után frissítők és házi magyar sütemények várják a látogatókat a Múzeumban.

Equestrian Tradition of Hungary: Exploring Its Ancient Roots and Rich Historic Legacy in Paintings and Current Practice

PRESENTATION NOTE:

“This illustrated PPT presentation on the proud tradition of Hungarian equestrianism sets the scene with the early domestication of horses in the Kazakhstan region of the Eurasian steppeland. We follow with the later development of horse breeding at the famous site of Pazyryk, in the Altai Mountains of Southern Siberia. Next, we trace the mounted lifestyle of herders and mobile pastoralists that ranged from west China to the stomping grounds of the Royal Scythians in the Black Sea area. As we will see, each of these areas resonates with the distant pulse of ancient Hungarian (Ősi Magyar, Hun, and Avar) mounted, nomadic culture. We are on surer ground in our discussion regarding the arrival of the Huns in the Carpathian Basin, the introduction of the stirrup into Europe by the Avars, and the spread of the csabrak/csábrák (saddlecloth) out of the Hungarian Hussar culture into the military schools of Western Europe in the 19th century. The talk concludes with an examination of the equestrian-themed paintings exhibited in OMHC, which vividly document the legacy of Hungarian “csikós” culture still on vibrant display in Hortobágy, Hungary's puszta region.”

From the Eurasian Steppes to the Streets of Kecskemét: A Journey into Hungary’s Equestrian Soul

Join us for a captivating visual and cultural exploration of Hungary’s deep-rooted equestrian heritage — one that bridges ancient nomadic traditions with present-day practices.

Dr. Mrea Csorba, a U.S.-based art and architectural historian born in Kecskemét, brings a uniquely personal and scholarly lens to this topic. Growing up with horse-drawn wagons rolling past her childhood gate, and tracing her academic journey from the art of Scythian burial sites to Hunnic relics beyond the Great Wall of China, she offers rich insight into the visual and material culture of Hungary’s horse-centered identity. 

Dr. Mrea Csorba, az Egyesült Államokban élő művészettörténész és építészettörténész, Kecskemét szülötte, személyes és tudományos szemszögből közelíti meg a témát. Gyermekként lóvontatta szekerek gördültek el házuk kapuja előtt, kutatói pályája pedig a szkíta sírművészettől a kínai Nagy Falon túli hun emlékekig vezetett. Előadásában gazdag betekintést nyújt Magyarország lóközpontú identitásának vizuális és tárgyi kultúrájába.

This illustrated presentation brings together:
– Archaeological art of early steppe peoples
– The pastoral and military legacy of Hungary’s horse culture
– Contemporary representations in painting and practice

Additional note:
The museum opens at two and the talk will be at 2:30 PM. There is no charge for people to attend the Museum or the Talk. Please let us know if you will attend: elvira@orlymuseum.org or (510) 384-5606. 

The Museum has a brochure of Hungarian art for sale which has been donated for the purpose of being sold as a fund raiser for the Museum. None of the pictures for sale are of horses. 

Beverages and Hungarian pastries will be available at the Museum before and after the talk.

Fontos tudnivaló:
A Múzeum (du. 2-től látogatható) és az előadás (2:30-kor kezdődik) látogatása díjtalan. Kérjük részvételi szándékát az elvira@orlymuseum.org email címen, vagy az (510 ) 384 5606 -os telefonszámon. A múzeumban kapható egy eladásra szánt, magyar festményeket bemutató kiadvány,  a Múzeum javára adományként felajánlott festményekről. (A kiadvány képei között nincsenek lovas ábrázolások.)

Az előadás előtt és után frissítők és házi magyar sütemények várják a látogatókat a Múzeumban.

What makes it special?

• The glaze shifts color in light: it can appear green, gold, burgundy, purple, or blue.

• The name comes from the Greek word eos (dawn), evoking its radiant glow.

• It is made using a secret technique, known only to a select few.

Zsolnay and Modern Design

Although Zsolnay is often associated with historic and Art Nouveau styles, the Eosin glaze continued to evolve as a modern design icon.

• During the 1960s and 1970s, Zsolnay artists introduced bold new shapes and color palettes while retaining the elegance of Eosin.

• Designers embraced geometric, abstract, and organic forms, combining artistic experimentation with tradition.

Come see for yourself!

This special exhibit showcases original Zsolnay Eosin pieces and the stories behind them. Discover how a decorative technique became part of Hungarian cultural identity—and how its legacy continues to shine.

We warmly invite you to a special afternoon dedicated to mothers.

On Saturday, May 10, from 2 to 4 PM, in our garden in full bloom, enjoy homemade pastries, hot tea and coffee, and heartfelt conversation—and take a moment to admire our featured exhibit: Herend’s Porcelain Women, a celebration of grace and craftsmanship.

A moment of care, a gentle pause—because on Mother’s Day, you deserve our full attention.

Szeretettel hívunk egy különleges délutánra, amely az édesanyákról szól. Május 10-én, szombaton, du. 2:00 és 4:00 óra között, a virágba borult kertben finom házi süteményekkel, forró teával és kávéval, meghitt beszélgetésekkel és egy különleges kiállítással várunk: Herend női alakjai – a kecsesség és kézművesség ünnepe.

Egy kis odafigyelés, egy gyengéd megállás – mert Anyák napján igazán megérdemli, hogy önre figyeljenek.