From Hungary’s first female diplomat to folk tradition guardian: The extraordinary life of Zsuzsanna Erdélyi
Zsuzsanna Erdélyi led a remarkable life as both a pioneering diplomat and a dedicated ethnologist. Her career took sharp turns due to political upheavals, yet her passion for Hungarian folk traditions endured. Decades later, she reflected on her diplomatic years with the words: ‘That was my life!’
Born with a talent for languages, Erdélyi graduated with a degree in Italian before joining Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After World War II, she broke barriers as the institution’s first female diplomat. Her organisational skills and dedication stood out, even in the rigid world of mid-century bureaucracy.
Her diplomatic career ended abruptly with the communist takeover. Undeterred, she turned to ethnography, joining Noah’s Ark in 1953—a group of intellectuals and former Cistercian nuns led by László Lajtha. Together, they travelled across Hungary, recording folk songs and religious chants late into the night. Erdélyi often left her children at home during these trips, balancing motherhood with her relentless fieldwork. The strain of her work became clear in 1956. While collecting material during the Revolution, she suffered nervous exhaustion and was hospitalised. Despite this, her 1968 collection, Hegyet hágék, lőtőt lépek, reached a wide public. Professional recognition, however, remained elusive. Looking back, she described her years in diplomacy not with bitterness, but with pride. The phrase she chose—‘That was my life!’—captured both the intensity of her experiences and the quiet acceptance of their abrupt end.
Erdélyi’s legacy spans two distinct worlds: the corridors of post-war diplomacy and the rural landscapes where she preserved Hungary’s oral traditions. Her work in ethnography, though less celebrated in academic circles, left a tangible mark on cultural history. The records she helped gather continue to offer insight into a vanishing way of life.
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