Hungary's history stands shoulder-to-shoulder with heroes and famous people - not surprising, since its evolution to an independent nation state has been nothing less than tempestuous. Most, if not all, of Hungary's famous (sometimes infamous) peope have, in one way or another, been associated with, or inspired by, Hungary's turbulent past. One outstanding character, ironically not a Hungarian, was Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish attaché during World War II, who helped countless Jews avoid the concentration camps. Two statues in his honour stand in Budapest.

Two composers of international renown are Franz Liszt (1811-86) and Béla Bartók (1881-1945). Liszt liked to think of himself as part gypsy, a musical identity beautifully borne out in perhaps his most famous work, the 'Hungarian Rhapsodies'. Similarly, Bartók drew on the gypsy tradition of music, a tradition still very much alive in Hungary today.

Historically, the most heroic poetic voice belongs to Sándor Petöfi (1823-49) whose work 'National Song' was the inspiration for those who, like himself, fought and died in the 1848-49 War of Independence. Another poetic voice of considerable influence, especially among Hungarian youth, is Attilla József (1905-37), who vehemently attacked the harmful effects of progressive technology. Today, György Konrád and Péter Esterházy are considered leading luminaries in Hungarian literature.

Admiral Miklós Horthy, who formed an uneasy alliance with Germany during World War II, is still remembered for his nationalist spirit and his yearning to regain Hungary's pride and lost lands after the tragic post-war settlement which virtually crippled the country. Also celebrated is János Kádár, Hungary's leader for 32 years, who successfully engineered Hungary away from Soviet totalitarianism to a more liberal form of socialism.