Page 104 - Olympism in Socialism

Baliteletek (Misjudgemerits), which appeared in
1833. Szechenyi agreed with him; in his diary he
used to reproach Hungarians for their laziness
and their neglect of physical exercise. He was of
the opinion that only properly trained bodies and
minds could serve the country.
During the 1848-49 revolution the
government gave financial support to physical-
training establishments in Budapest, and they
planned to set up an independent Hungarian
military academy. After the defeat of the
revolution, however, many years passed before
sports-lovers again got permission to organise
themselves. Sports circles were established in
schools in 1882, and in 1891 the first athletics
competition was held in which 3,000 school
children took part. The Hungarian physical-
education system was set up in 1910 on Swedish,
German and English models, and it continued to
be the basis of sports education in schools until
the Second World War. The National Council of
Physical Education, the advisory body of the
Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education, was
established in 1913. It was granted independent
ministerial status in 1971, when it became the
central governing body in matters of sports.
In 1919 the Hungarian Republic of Councils
appointed a directorate for physical education
which embarked on the organization of sports.
The first international event in 1919 was a
football match between Austria and Hungary, 2:1
for the home team, played in front of 40,000
spectators. A series of sports competitions was
organised on national festivals, and the May Day
parade in 1919 was preceded by a mass jog-in.
Young workers gained access to sports
grounds, boat-houses and riding schools, and
physical education in schools, which had

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