ENGLISH INFO

Hungary was considered an “aluminium superpower" among the
countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. Accord-
ing to the Soviet-Hungarian pact, alumina, which was made from the
bauxite mined in Hungary, was smelted in the Soviet Union. Many
products were manufactured of the aluminium which was transport-
ed back. Several types of kitchenware were among these. Alumini-
um was cheap, light and highly thermally conductive which made it
ideal for kitchen usage. Beside enamelled and cast iron cookware,
teapots, milk pots, pressure cookers, coffee makers, cutlery
rapidly spread in the 1960’s. In the middle of the decade, “the
camping fever" broke out. As a result, the Hungarian industry start-
ed mass-producing various camping equipment. For example, hot
plates, camping furniture, outdoor kitchen equipment.

In the 1960-70’s the Hungarian coffee consumption skyrocketed.
Drinking coffee (accompanied by a cigarette) at home or at the
workplace became an everyday activity. Coffee beans were grind-
ed by industrial grinders in grocery stores or at home by electric or
hand grinders. Coffee was often made by moka pots prone to pres-
sure build-up explosion, but electric coffee makers like the Uni-
press and Autopress also became popular.
For a long time only unbranded coffee was offered for purchase.
Rivalry between companies appeared in the spirit of the new eco-
nomic mechanism. Food and Chemical Packaging Company
(later the Compack) launched the legendary Omnia coffee in 1968,
which was countered with Amigo by the Csemege Confectionery
Factory. Later, cheaper brands appeared like Ali Baba or Kongó.
The objects of coffee culture were defined by heat-resistant glass-
es, aluminium spoons and saucers, porcelain coffee sets and metal
coffee tins with logos.

The toys of the 1960’s were defined by tin and tinplate toys, dolls,
and plush dolls, doll houses, construction sets and model kits,
model railroads and board games.
From the 1950’s to the 1970’s small-scale associations and
joiners made toy furniture from solid wood and plywood. Their
products were meticulous replicas of the interior design typical of
the era. Accessories made of porcelain, wood, aluminium and
plastic could also be purchased. Some of the toys such as doll-
house soft furnishings were made by the careful hands of parents
or grandparents.
Mass-produced rubber toys were made of the puppets used in the
popular puppet show series of The Hungarian Television, but the
puppet with an uncanny resemblance of "Böbe baba" was
handmade.
The most desired toys of boys were model railroads of which the
western German Märklin brand was considered the benchmark.
Beside the most wide-spread PIKO made products, Hungarian
and Soviet made model railroads could be purchased.

The fashion of the 1960-1970’s was shaped by following the west-
ern trends and the tension of the shortage economy. Miniskirts,
nylon tights, later the flared trousers, jeans and thick soled so
called platform shoes came into fashion. As accessories plastic
and nylon bags, statement jewellery were popular. Western imports
were the ultimate luxury in cosmetics. The harmony of colour and
material of jewellery, bags and shoes started to become more and
more important in formal wear.
The national clothing industry often produced monotonous,
low-quality mass-produced clothing. Women got their desired
clothing from smuggling tourism or the parcels sent by relatives
from abroad. Private tailors became more and more important who
made the desired western clothing to measure from the smuggled
"Burda" fashion magazines, so creativity made up for the limited
selection of the clothing shops. Many domestic papers such as
"Ez a divat", "Divattükör", "Nők Lapja" and "Fürge Ujjak" provided
inspiration. In terms of fashion, many looked up to the well-known
Hungarian actresses, singers, and television announcers of the era
as role models.

In the 1960-70 the most popular domestic tourist destination was
Balaton but among others, mountainous regions, forests, and spas
were also favoured. Masses spent their holiday in cheap Trade Un-
ion holiday resorts or campsites. The later became meeting places
of western and eastern German people. The domestic and interna-
tional holidays were organised by IBUSZ and Express Youth and
Student offices. Until 1972 different passports were required for
each international journey. Later the red passport was introduced
which entitled the holder for a 30-day visit in a Socialist country.
Only with an invitation from abroad, people were allowed to trav-
el to the west once a year, or with a blue passport once in three
years. International journey was often fuelled by shopping tourism.
Souvenirs - especially those from Western trips - were displayed
in prominent places in the home, most often in display cabinets,
where they ‚proclaimed’ the owners’ travel experiences.