Scroll down for The City of Veszprem and Zsuzsi - Socialist history - and - The Green Children of Woolpit- A medieval story
The City of Veszprem and Zsuzsi
If you go down to Veszprem in Hungary, you will find a city of pasts. An historic past with a castle – and a socialist past with its social housing developments. Veszprem is ancient and modern and cultural and fun. Veszprem is well worth a visit.
And, whilst visiting Veszprem last summer, I discovered a statue just off the main square. A statue of a woman. And, this woman could have been anyone. But, this is a statue of Zsuzsi in stone. And, Zsuzsi was, and still is, someone quite special. She's loved by the people of Veszprem. And, funnily enough, Zsuzsi comes from a time that was not loved at all. The socialist era.
The clearing up was fast at the end of the socialist time. The hammers and sickles and the Lenins and Stalin's soon disappeared. Hungary was Hungary again. But, Zsuzsi was not cleared away. This small part of the past had to stay. Zsuzsi was very important.
Zsuzsi was not only a woman, she was more. All through the communist days, the people of Veszprem saw Suszi as a symbol of hope. And, sure enough, the dark days of oppression did come to an end. And there Suszi stood. True to the hearts of the people who loved her.
But, some people had believed that Zsuzsi should leave Veszprem as well. She, after-all, was a socialist figure. And so, the council decided that Suszi should be broken up, too, Just like the Lenins and Stalins. But, the people said no in a very loud way. Suszi should stay. They would not let her go. And, so, the council gave way. And, that's why Suzi's still there. In the hearts of the people in the heart of the city of Veszprem.
The city of Veszprem has many different pasts. But, Zsuzsi' eternal. Zsuzsi is hope.
Veszprem. A small town in Hungary that's well worth a visit.
Zsuzsi- by Nigel A. JAMES
A Mystery - The Green Children of Woolpit
In 1142, two very strange children were discovered in the English village of Woolpit. They were brother and sister. The children had unusual clothes and spoke an unknown language. But, the strangest of all, they were green. Two green little children. A mystery. No one knew who they were, and no one knew from where they had come.
Then, after being given a home by Richard de Calne, the children quickly learned English. And, after some time, their green colour gradually faded. They had become like everyone else. But, sady, after an illness, the little boy died leaving his sister alone. It was then the girl told what she knew.
The children had come from St. Martin's. A land where the sun never shone and the light was like twilight and everything and everyone was green. But, how had they come to Woolpit? The little girl had no idea. The only thing she remembered was looking after her father's cattle in St. Martin's. Nothing more.
The girl became known as Agnes and later married. But, the mystery remained. St. Martins, her very strange language, and green, the colour of her skin.
A true story and a mystery that has never been solved. The Green Children of Woolpit.
Woolpit Village in England
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