PETER CZINK, IHMHPS PRESIDENT
IHMHPS President Peter Czink was born and raised in Canada by Hungarian immigrants who fled their homeland after the 1956 Revolution. His first experience with volunteerism was in 1978, as one of the pioneer members of the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation, and his devotion to historical preservation has never waned. It was in that decade that he had his first years of para-military experience, and served his country again in the 1990s. Just before the dawn of the 21st Century, he began immersing himself in his heritage and culture, and today he is considered one of the most dedicated and hard-working Hungarian-Canadians.
A staunch advocate for raising awareness of cultural challenges, and a tireless promoter of Hungarian arts, culture and history, Czink is also founder and editor of the New Hungarian Voice – one of the world’s most popular English language Hungarian periodicals. For many descendants of Hungarian immigrants, his work has ensured that their culture and heritage is accessible and interactive.
Also on a voluntary basis, he revitalized the Vancouver Chapter of the World Federation of Hungarian Veterans, which he led for nine years. In 2008, he made the bold move of founding a new organization – the International Hungarian Military History Preservation Society. The vision of the IHMHPS is to educate English speaking people about Hungary’s millennia of military history, and to scientifically document the past in order to better understand the present. He has shed and unlearned the political and racial feuds sparked by centuries of European conflict, and hopes that through innovative education and tolerance, we can all do our part to make the world a better and more peaceful place.
Peter Czink is also on the board of directors of a number of other cultural and historical groups in Canada and abroad, and is involved with many veteran’s associations in Europe.
LORRAINE WEIDEMAN, IHMHPS VICE-PRESIDENT
Born in Edmonton, Lorraine inherited her exceptional passion for the Hungarian cause from her paternal grandmother, who came to Canada from the Bánát region of Transylvania.
She is one of the driving forces behind many of the most successful Vancouver-Hungarian community projects, and she has used her vast fine-arts, design and business experience to modernize numerous cultural and historical enterprises.
As IHMHPS Vice-President, Lorraine involves herself in every aspect of the organization – from design and presentation of our projects and publications to the creation and maintenance of our website. Her skill and experience with organization, and event planning, her tireless and exemplary volunteer work-ethics, and her knowledge of historical artefacts has earned Lorraine respect and admiration from the community.
MANFRED WINTER, IHMHPS VICE-PRESIDENT, AUSTRIA
Manfred Winter has been a career soldier since 1982. He is currently a Sergeant-Major in the Austrian Armed Forces Logistic School – Institute for Transport Services, has served with the UN in Cyprus (2000-2001) and the Austria-Hungary Border Control Mission (2007). He has spent many years as a training instructor and logistics NCO and is a qualified rescue diver since 2000. During his mission in Cyprus, he served as a Sergeant Major in the HQ Company of a multinational battalion (United Nations Austrian, Hungarian and Slovenian Battalion) which was given the task of observing Turkish and Greek movements. It was during these eighteen months that he bonded with his Hungarian comrades every year they meet for a weekend in Austria, Hungary or Slovenia.
Our own IHMHPS Austrian Vice-President since 2010, he has also been a member of the MHBK (World Federation of Hungarian Veterans). He joined the Österreichischer Kameradschaftsbund (Austrian Veterans’ Association) in 1982, and since 2005 he has served as Public Relations Secretary in the Mödling Chapter of the Austrian Veterans’ Association. He is also a member of German veterans’ groups, including the Bayerischer Soldatenbund (Bavarian Veterans’ Association); and is in charge of foreign affairs of the Lettenreuth Chapter of the Bavarian Veterans’ Association and the Baden 2nd Dragoon Regiment Comrade’s Association.
Manfred Winter is an enlightened historian who has dedicated his life to the preservation of all that is noble and honourable in his homeland’s rich historical tapestry. His many decorations are a testament to his exemplary service and dedication, and his skill and insight has greatly enriched the IHMHPS. He was born in 1965, and is married to Sigrid. Their son Christoph was born in 1992 – he and his mother also share the passion for historical preservation.
GEORGE HENNESSY, IHMHPS VICE-PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA
George Hennessy was born in Budapest in 1947, and a year later emigrated to Australia with his parents. Both his father and grandfather served Hungary during the World Wars, and he became a national serviceman in the Australian Army for two years. He originally joined the Sydney Chapter, and then the Vancouver Chapter of the MHBK (World Federation of Hungarian Veterans), and is a member of the National Servicemen’s Association and the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Association.
Currently living in Sydney, Australia, he is married with two children and two grandchildren, and works as a recruitment manager in the automotive industry. He has a passion for Hungarian military history among his many activities, which include travel to remote locations in the Australian outback. George Hennessy is exceptionally reliable and hard-working, and has followed in his forefathers’ footsteps as an exemplary fighter for the Hungarian cause.
FERENC VARGA, IHMHPS VICE-PRESIDENT, FRANCE
Ferenc Varga was born in Celldömölk, Hungary (he now lives in Monteux, France), and began his early military training at the Lajos Kossuth Military College in 1994. In 1995, following a family tradition, he signed up for five years of service in the French Foreign Legion – five years turned into eighteen years and two months. During a visit to the D-Day landing sites in Normandy in 2004, he came across a Hungarian veteran’s grave, and his dedication to researching the fates of fallen Hungarian soldiers buried in foreign soil began. Over the years he sought out more graves and information, and meticulously collected his data, sharing it with official organizations and authorities.
To date he has researched and documented some 600 WWII individuals buried in war graves in seventeen cemeteries; around 850 WWI veterans buried in war graves in fifty-four cemeteries; plus another 900 Hungarians who died serving in the French Foreign Legion. In 2017, he was awarded the Hungarian War Graves Preservation Silver Cross of Merit.