‘The Harbor of Our National Existence’ – A Short Film on the First Two Hundred Years of the Academy
How did an institution of such defining importance for the Hungarian language, culture, identity, and science — the Academy — come into being in a city where most people spoke German and there were no Hungarian-language cultural institutions? How has its history unfolded over the past two centuries, in parallel with that of the nation itself? At the ceremonial General Assembly, a short film titled “The Harbor of Our National Existence” was presented, produced by the animation studio Animatiqua. The creators used rarely seen historical photographs, brought to life with the help of artificial intelligence.
In addition to exploring the Academy’s history from its Reform Era beginnings to the political transition of the late 20th century, the film offers a virtual tour inside the headquarters built through public donations and provides a glimpse into the political debates that also shaped the institution’s fate.
It also brings to life the period when, after the turbulent years of history, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences—through its central role in the governance of science—organized and directed the entire system of basic research, both through its inherited and newly established research institutes.
The film, which summarizes the defining moments of the first 200 years of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, is narrated by actor Pál Mácsai.