During the period of the regime change and afterwards, the correspondence was particularly lively, as the popularity of the last Hungarian heir to the throne in Hungary prompted many of his followers to take up the pen even on the occasion of the holidays. In April 1989, Erzsébet Gelsey, the secretary of Otto von Habsburg, wrote about the spectacular increase in the exchange of letters: “You can’t imagine how much the Hungarian correspondence has increased, and none of my colleagues speak Hungarian. His Majesty, who does exceedingly hard work and is usually only at home for hours, has entrusted me to thank you most warmly for your efforts in this matter and to convey his many warm wishes and greetings.” Thus, the pre-written form letters in response to the festive greetings have served to increase administrative efficiency. This was also the case at Easter 1992.
The response, written on the headed paper of the European Parliament, shows that there were many different kinds of letters to be answered, and that in addition to being polite, it was important to formulate a meaningful message.
Text of the letter translated into English:
“Thank you wholeheartedly for your Easter wishes. May the celebration of the Resurrection give you hope in difficult times. With the help of God, we will achieve our goal: a happy Hungarian homeland in a united Europe.”
Thirty years later, with these lines, the Otto von Habsburg Foundation wishes all its dear friends and readers a blessed and peaceful Easter.
