Only here, (not) only for German students
Earlier, a German consulate general operated in Pécs, in consideration of the German minority population of the region and the relatively high number of the German nationality. Thisaccounts for the existence of an honorary consulate in the city. The German consulate general in Pécs is the only one in Hungary. We asked its leader, Zsuzsanna Gerner, Honorary Consul of Pécs about their job.
How could you describe the tasks of the honorary consulate?
The primary task of the Honorary Consulate is to manage particular consulate matters of the German citizens living in its remit. The remit of the Pécs office consists of Baranya, Tolna and Somogy counties, and the Southern part of Bács-Kiskun county. One part of the clientele are the German nationals who are settled down in the region, while the other – bigger – part are the German students of the UP. There are some tourists coming from Germany who seek our guidance, for example in the process of recovering lost documents. Also, there are a few Hungarians who ask for our help before leaving to work in Germany.
How can you be of help to people? What types of documents should we prepare before visiting the consulate?
We issue life certificates yearly to the German pensioners living in the area. Besides, the Consulate has the authority to authenticate photocopies, translations and signatures. Students from the Medical School regularly visit us to get a photocopy of their diploma, or to translate their judicial records. Hungarian citizens can also find help if they need authenticated translations of their diplomas or other academic certificates for working or studying in Germany. However, our clients need to visit the consulate in Budapest to apply for passports and identity cards.
What are the most common problems that you encounter at the consulate?
Administration about the Student ID Card should be smoother in students’ opinion, and it would be better to reach Pécs more easily both for them and for their visitors. The poor transport infrastructure is a problem for the German investors as well: branches established in Pécs should be reached within a day leaving Germany in the morning and arrive at their home in the evening. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get to Pécs in this way at the moment.
How could these problems be prevented?
Several faculties of the University of Pécs help the orientation of foreign students with homepages in German. As for the Medical School, there is even a student office specialized in solving the problems of the German students which obviously offers enormous help to them. As for transport, all German interested parties would welcome the possibility to reach Pécs by plane. Traffic within the city would be easier for those who arrive by car if there were parking tickets valid for one week, similarly to the German practice.
Could you give an example of an especially difficult situation and how you solved it?
Consultancy is one of our tasks beside the others I mentioned earlier. Practically this means that aiming to solve problematical cases we involve the competent persons, for example lawyers, doctors, service firms. Occasionally we contact with the Hungarian Prison Service Headquarters, if a German citizen is restrained in Pécs. In one of these cases we bought shoes and laundry detergent for a young German man.
How do you see the acceptance of German people and their culture in Hungary?
Germans and their culture exist here since the foundation of the Hungarian state. The number of German dwellers are significant in Pécs and in the Trans-Danubian Region: their ancestors were relocated here during the 17th and 18th centuries. Pécs – or as Germans call it, Fünfkirchen – was one of the towns of Hungary where German language dominated in education, public administration and cultural life until the 19th century. It is not widely known, butmany famous “Hungarian” persons are of German origin,e.g. Franz Erkl, Franz Liszt, Nikolaus Ybl, Emerich Steindl, Ignatz Semmelweis, Anton Dreher, Johann Gundel, Josef Schmierl (József Törley), Michael Lieb (Mihály Munkácsy), Maria Krippel (Mari Jászai), Luise Reindl (Lujza Blaha), Géza Ziegler (Géza Gárdonyi) Josef Pehm (József Mindszenty), Alexander Großschmid (Sándor Márai) or Ferenc Purzeld (Ferenc Puskás).
Could you list some similarities between Germany and the region of Pécs?
Pécs and a lot of townships of its countryside have several twin-cities in Germany. For example Himesháza is connected with Rasdorf which is near to Fulda. This relationship originates from the Germans of Himesháza speaking the same German dialect for already 350 years in Hungary as the people of Rasdorf in Germany. Other ties between twin-cities were established on the relocations of the Germans living in Hungary after the II. World War, because those who were evacuated never really disaffiliated from Hungary.
How did you get involved with German culture? What do you teach at the university?
I come from German nationality family from Hungary. I completed my studies at German minority schools, after that, at German universities. I grew up in a bilingual environment, however, German culture and the German traditions have always dominated in our family. I teach German language, history and language sociology primarily, butother courses like system linguistics and contact-linguistics as well.Beside language history my research activity concerns the language of the ethnic Germans in Hungary, and correlations between language and identity.
What cultural events would you recommend for German visitors?
First of all those that can contribute to the recognition of the extremely diversified culture of Pécs and the region. There are only a few cities in Hungary which - in terms of its language and ethnic composition - could offer more than Pécs. We should capitalize on this. Besides, I would like to encourage the German students to try to get acquainted with German culture in our city. I would promote such an initiative on their behalf with pleasure.
Is the consulate planning or supporting any event that would be interesting for university students?
On the Day of German Unity the consulate holds a reception and invites the leaders and the representatives of the German Student Council of the Medical School of the UP. Besides, this year I am going to initiate a student forum for the newly admitted German students.
Opening hours
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00-12:00
Tuesday 12:00-15:00
Pécs, Vasvári Pál utca 4.
Info: fuenfkirchen@hk-diplo.de, 72/504 250
Vivien Németh
Photo: Szabolcs Csortos