From:
Bela Bartok
"Throughout the 1930s, Bartók watched anxiously as Europe and his beloved Hungary drifted further under the grip of Fascist dictators. As a young man, Bartók had felt the weight of Austrian oppression and fiercely supported Hungarian nationalism. Writing to his mother, he asserted: “I shall pursue one objective all my life, in every sphere and in every way: the good of Hungary and the Hungarian Nation.” He kept his word. The spirit of Hungarian nationalism is imprinted onto the music he created with deep roots that arose from his devoted study of the folk music and folk customs of his native lands. He believed that Hungary suffered “politically and culturally” from the proximity of Germany. Early on he had an aversion to Teutonic influences, refusing to speak German unless absolutely necessary."