Hungarians come together on April 11th of each year to celebrate The Day of Hungarian Poetry. Held on the birthday of famed Hungarian poet Attila József, the event has been going since 1964 and brings young and old together to celebrate the inspiring achievements of their country’s greatest literary geniuses.
Famed writer and poet Sándor Márai was also born on this same day. In addition, important Hungarian poets such as Sándor Weöres and Sándor Petőfi are also remembered on this day.
In Budapest, József Attila’s birthplace was filled with songs and poetry recitals, as cultural and political leaders came together to remember the tragic genius who committed suicide in 1937 at the age of 32.
In addition, similar ceremonies were held throughout the country. As students in Pápa recited Petőfi, a “wall of poems” was erected in Szombathely next to a statue of Sándor Weöres, and a “poetry tram” wound its way through the streets of Debrecen.