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Hongaarse minderheid in Roumenië Zaterdag 15 oktober 2005 werd ofiicieel het MAR-huis (Michiel Adriaanszoon de Ruyter huis) geopend in Krasznamihalyfalva (de Hongaarse naam voor het Roemeense Mihaiena) de heer Ir F.C. de Ruyter de Wildt, die in 2001 de officiële herdenking van de bevrijding in Debreczen bijwoonde,  en die in 2003 aldaar een schoolproject startte,  was gevraagd de opening te verrichten en de Stichting had hem daartoe afgevaardigd.  Bij de opening overhandigde hij aan de Burgemeester , de Bisschop en aan het hele dorp, een tweetal exemplaren van het boek Az Ozeán Ura, dat hij ook al in Hongarije had geschonken, alsmede een ingelijste poster met een reproductie van het schilderij van Karel Dujardin. Het Michiel Adriaensoon de Ruyter Huis, Roumenië. Tijdens de openingsceremonie sprak hij o.a. de navolgende woorden: You have chosen the name "Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter House," to honour my ancestor for liberating 26 ministers from the galleys in Naples on february 11th 1676,  But my ancestor did much more in his live than save those ministers. He kept my country free of oppression by the English, French and Germans, he opened or restored trade relations with many different countries and liberated almost 2500 slaves just because he could not stand suppression. Freedom was one of his strong motivators and I can imagine you have developed a similar motivation in the past century.  "de Brug" This house has a community function for your village as a place where people meet, where thoughts and ideas are exchanged and where festivities are held. To me it also symbolizes the quest for truth and happiness, for new worlds and the exchange of ideas, as did the discoverers of ancient times.  That you build this house in the shape of a ship makes this symbol even stronger. A ship can sail through easy seas or through heavy winds. I wish you wisdom and a strong believe to guide you on your travels. As long as you focus on your destination and don't let any forces lead you from the path, you will eventually reach your goals.  What you probably did not know is that Michiel de Ruyter met many different cultures and people on his travels and this broadened his view on what people believe. He kept his strong faith as a Protestant but was also able to look beyond his own believes. He kept an open mind to what other people believe as long as they respected each other. This is why, after he liberated the ministers, he expressed his sincere hope that the Lutheran and Calvinistic believes within the Protestant church would grow closer towards each other and end their differences.   When I was invited a few years ago to four places in Hungary , Papa/Sjarspotok/Debrecen and Budapest,    to commemorate the 325th anniversary of de Ruyter's death, I offered a key to the Hungarian people.  This key was not only a copy of the actual key to the crypt beneath de Ruyter’s tomb in the New Church in Amsterdam but most of all it is a symbol. It symbolizes the opening of doors between the Dutch and Hungarian people.  Since my visit, Hungary has joined the European Union. I know you feel a close relationship to your neighbouring countrymen and I hope Rumania will also join our Union in the near future. De aanbieding van de reproductie van het schilderij van Karel Dujardin (Rijksmuseum Amsterdam) De opening van het MAR-Huis. So now I would like to offer Bishop Laszlo Tukisch and mister mayor Miklos Gereb a copy of the biography of Michiel de Ruyter, "Az Oceán Ura" and to you, the community of Krasznamihalyfalva, I offer a framed reproduction of a painting of my ancestor, by the famous Dutch painter,:  Karel Dujardin, to adourn your "Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter House", and I hope that his high moral standards and personal courage may also be a guideline for your community.                                                                                            Terug naar de vorige pagina