Description

The scouting movement, initiated by Robert Baden-Powell in 1907, reached Hungary by 1910, resulting in the establishment of the Hungarian Scout Association on December 28, 1912, led by Sándor Sík. Official activities commenced on April 12, 1913, with membership quickly growing to 3,000 nationwide by 1914. Despite a ban during the Hungarian Soviet Republic, scouting resurged after its collapse in September 1919, with Árpád Ravasz serving as president until 1921.

During the interwar period, under former Prime Minister Pál Teleki's guidance, scouting flourished as a prominent youth movement, boasting 8,000 members by 1926. Hungary played a significant role in the global scouting community, co-founding the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1928. Hungarian scouts demonstrated their skills at international events, such as the 1924 World Scout Jamboree in Copenhagen.

World War II posed challenges to scouting, but Teleki's efforts sustained its operations until his death in 1941. Subsequently, the movement faced resistance from the Arrow Cross Party's attempts at assimilation. After the war, the Hungarian Communist Party aimed to dismantle scouting, leading to the prohibition of the Hungarian Scout Association in 1946 and the establishment of a communist-led organization.

Despite official suppression, former scouts clandestinely upheld scouting values, while Hungarian scouting continued abroad. With the regime change in 1989, scouting underwent a revival, culminating in the re-registration of the Hungarian Scout Association on February 11, 1989, signaling a new chapter for scouting in Hungary and neighboring countries.

Engraver: Zoltán Tóth