Budapest Celebrates Poetry Day with Tributes to Poet Attila József

Actors performing in Budapest in a train carriage during a program titled Poems on the Platform

On April 11, Hungarian Poetry Day is being celebrated all across the country. Here’s a list of Budapest’s variety of literary and cultural programs.

Hungarian Poetry Day is celebrated annually on April 11, this year marking the 120th birthday of one of Hungary’s greatest poets, Attila József (1905–1937). The day honors Hungarian poetry and poets, both past and present, through nationwide literary events, readings, and performances. It was first celebrated in 1964, and has since become a major cultural event, with schools, libraries, theaters, and public institutions organizing programs to promote poetry appreciation.

On this day in Budapest,

passengers on tram lines 4 and 6 will hear contemporary poems around Poetry Day, and a special Poetry Tram will be stationed at Deák Ferenc Square.

The event is organized by the Budapest Municipality, Budapest Transport Center (BKK). They are once again joining the Vates Poetry Week series to promote Hungarian poetry’s importance and diversity. During the week people from Vates art store traveled to countries all over Europe spreading the poems of Hungarian writers.

Between April 11 and 13, Karinthy Theatre actors will recite poems by Ákos Fodor, one of the most famous masters of Hungarian haiku, on tram lines 4 and 6.

On a vintage Art Nouveau-style tram parked at Deák Ferenc Square, visitors can hear performances of Hungarian poems by well-known actors from the József Attila Theatre, Katona József Theatre, Radnóti Theatre, Örkény István Theater, and Vates. The tram pays tribute to József Attila’s childhood and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On April 11, the Örkény István Theater will hold a communal singing of his poem Rejtelmek (Mysteries). The day ends with presenting a special edition of Sándor Petőfi’s iconic poem, Anyám tyúkja (Mother hen, dear).

The Poetry Marathon (Versmaraton) will also take place again this year. Sixty-one poets featured in this year’s edition of Poems of the Year (published by Magyar Napló) will read their works over 12 hours at the Hungarian Catholic Radio’s headquarters.

Poets will also be interviewed by fellow writers, editors, and journalists. The event will be streamed live on YouTube, and on the Facebook pages of the Hungarian Writers’ Association and Hungarian Catholic Radio.

József Attila Theatre will announce the winners of its drama competition Csókol, Attila. In the afternoon, an Irodalmi Szalon (Literary Salon) will feature actor Gábor Fekete performing József Attila’s poems, psychologist Lili Rácmolnár discussing the psychological aspects of his life, and songs by Gerendás Péter.

The Óbuda Social Circle will present a joint event by contemporary poets Virág Erdős and Dániel Varró for the first time. Their show, With Love to Attila, includes a selection of poems specially chosen for the occasion. Cultural historian Ferenc László will moderate the discussion, which explores poetry’s purpose in today’s world. Attendees will be able to meet the poets and get books signed.

A poetry flash mob will also take place at noon in front of the Matthias Church, where students and teachers of the Kosztolányi Dezső High School will recite three poems by József Attila: Hopeless, Mama, and Slowly Contemplating.

In Újpalota (Budapest),

a poetry stream started at 2 p.m. on the main square. Anyone can step up to the microphone and read or sing a poem from a book, a phone, or memory. The goal, according to the Csokonai Event House, is for locals to perform at least 100 poems throughout the day.

The Csokonai Event House will also present a premiere titled Winds Falling from Our Hearts on Friday evening. The work, created by Zsolt Prieger and performed with actress Katica Nagy, focuses on József Attila as an inspiring, activist thinker — breaking away from the traditionally somber, depressive image of the poet.

Fact

Attila József was one of the most important Hungarian poets of the 20th century. His poems are deeply personal and often reflect on mental health, poverty, and the struggles of everyday people. Born into poverty in Budapest, he used his writing to express both his inner world and the injustices he saw around him. Although he died young, his voice has echoed through generations, his poems are still taught, quoted, and celebrated today. His legacy lives on not just through his work, but through the many statues, awards, and cultural institutions that bear his name.