Balatonfüred over 45 years ago – a postcard from 1980
This old postcard was sent in 1980 from Balatonfüred on Lake Balaton in Hungary to Plauen in what was then East Germany, now Germany. The card shows typical views of the traditional spa and holiday resort of Balatonfüred and is today a small piece of German-Hungarian travel and everyday history.
What happened - 1980 in Balatonfüred?
The 155th Anna Ball in 1980 in Balatonfüred: A Celebration of Hungarian Ball Tradition
On Saturday, July 26, 1980, the 155th Anna Ball took place in Balatonfüred – one of Hungary's oldest social balls. All tickets were sold out, according to contemporary press reports, and guests from many countries traveled to Lake Balaton. Folk artists from Karcag presented their regional folklore in honor of the ball.
What exactly happened at the 155th Anna Ball in 1980?
July 26, 1980 fell exactly on a Saturday, thus aligning perfectly with the traditional date near Anna's name day. The ball was very well attended internationally: in addition to Hungarian guests, visitors from nine different countries came to Lake Balaton. The folk artists from Karcag already presented an exhibition of their costumes and folklore beforehand, before performing at the ball itself.
For a historical postcard from this period, this paints a particularly harmonious picture: summer at Lake Balaton, international guests, Hungarian folk art, and a ball tradition that in 1980 already looked back on 155 events.
Where does the Anna Ball tradition come from?
According to tradition, the landlord Szentgyörgyi Horváth Fülöp János hosted a ball on July 26, 1825, at the Horváth House in Balatonfüred in honor of his daughter. However, she was baptized Krisztina and had five first names – Anna was not among them. Why the ball still bears her supposed name has not been definitively clarified historically.
The oldest documented Anna Ball in Balatonfüred dates back to 1836, recorded in the diary of politician Miklós Wesselényi. The current continuous ball numbering was only introduced retrospectively in 1959, based on an assumed first ball in 1826. The number "155th Ball" for 1980 results from this convention.
Who met at the Anna Ball in the 19th century?
Balatonfüred was one of Hungary's most important spa towns in the 19th century. Famous guests included Lajos Kossuth, István Széchenyi, Miklós Wesselényi, Mór Jókai, Mihály Vörösmarty, and the actress Blaha Lujza. The ball was thus much more than a dance evening – it was a central meeting point of the Hungarian Reform Era.
Who was Kiss Ernő?
According to tradition, Krisztina met the hussar officer Kiss Ernő at the first ball in 1825. Whether this first encounter actually took place at the ball is considered uncertain among historians. Kiss Ernő later became a Honvéd general and was executed in 1849 as one of the thirteen Martyrs of Arad; since 2003, the city has annually awarded a Herend porcelain figurine in his memory.
What customs still characterize the ball today?
Since 1962, Jenő Huszka's Anna Ball Waltz has opened the evening. The election of a Ball Queen can be traced back to 1862; the winner and her ladies-in-waiting receive vases from the Herend Porcelain Manufactory, and the Ball Queen also receives the golden Apple of Discord. Each year, all 18-year-old young women from Balatonfüred are invited to their first ball. Since 2022, the Anna Ball has officially been counted among the Hungarikums, values of Hungary recognized as culturally particularly significant. The tradition lives on: the 201st Anna Ball will take place on July 25, 2026, at the Anna Grand Hotel.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Anna Ball
What happened at the Anna Ball in Balatonfüred in 1980?
On July 26, 1980, the 155th Anna Ball took place, with 412 tickets sold and guests from nine countries. Folk artists from Karcag presented their regional folklore.
Why is the ball called "Anna Ball" if the girl's name was Krisztina?
The daughter in whose honor the first ball was held was named Krisztina, not Anna. The exact origin of the name "Anna Ball" has not been definitively clarified historically.
Who was Kiss Ernő and what is his connection to the Anna Ball?
Kiss Ernő was a hussar officer who, according to tradition, met young Krisztina at the first Anna Ball in 1825. He was later executed as one of the thirteen Martyrs of Arad; since 2003, an award has been presented in his honor at the ball.
Has the Anna Ball truly been an uninterrupted tradition since 1825?
No. The first historically documented Anna Ball dates back to 1836, and the continuous ball numbering was only introduced retrospectively in 1959.
Is the Anna Ball a Hungarikum?
Yes. The Anna Ball in Balatonfüred was added to the collection of Hungarikums in 2022.
Sources:
- Hungarikumok Gyűjteménye – Magyar Értéktár: "Füredi Anna-bál", hungarikum.hu
- Veszprém Vármegyei Értéktár: "Füredi Anna-bál", ertektar.vpvarmegye.hu
- Hungarian Wikipedia: "Anna-bál"
- CsodalatosMagyarorszag.hu: "Anna-bál 2026 Balatonfüred" (Hungarikum status 2022, program 2026)
- Programturizmus.hu / GoTravel.hu: Program and date of the 201st Anna Ball 2026
- Kelet-Magyarország, July 3, 1980, p. 5 (Hungaricana-Digitalisat) – for the Karcag reference
And in Plauen? What was happening in beautiful Plauen - 1980?
Plauen 1980: An Anniversary Year dedicated to Lace
In 1980, Plauen was dominated by its famous lace: an anniversary was celebrated under the motto "100 Years of Plauen Lace," the products of VEB Plauener Spitze were in demand in more than 40 countries, according to contemporary reports, and in the same year, the 21st Plauen Lace Festival took place.
An old postcard often carries more history than is apparent at first glance. This also applies to a card from 1980 that found its way to Plauen. For this very year can be connected with a tradition that is inextricably linked to the name of the Saxon city to this day: Plauen lace.
In 1980, "100 Years of Plauen Lace" was celebrated
That this anniversary was actually celebrated can still be proven today by historical evidence. A wrap blanket produced in 1980 is preserved in a museum collection, expressly bearing the inscription "100 Years of Plauen Lace 1880–1980."
The year becomes even clearer through a photograph from the Federal Archives. The photo was taken on November 17, 1980, at VEB Plauener Spitze. It shows worker Ursula Weidenmüller at a large embroidery machine with a working width of two times 13.5 meters. High-quality embroidered curtains were produced there.
The contemporary image description explicitly mentions the anniversary of Plauen lace. It also states that in addition to curtains, lace handkerchiefs and fashionable lace for women's outerwear were produced. The company's products were reportedly in demand in more than 40 countries around the world at that time.
The story did not begin on a single day
Historically, however, the origin of Plauen lace cannot be attributed to a single birthday. The 1980 anniversary is clearly documented, but the technical and economic development spanned several years.
The Plauen Lace industry association names 1881 as an important milestone. At that time, the production of machine-embroidered tulle lace succeeded in Plauen. In the following years, the region developed into an important center of the German lace and embroidery industry.
The great international success came around the turn of the century. In 1900, Plauen lace products were awarded a Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition.
Therefore, the phrasing "in 1980, the anniversary of 100 years of Plauen Lace was celebrated" is historically more accurate than the assertion that Plauen Lace was invented exactly in 1880.
The 21st Plauen Lace Festival in 1980
The anniversary year had a second typical Plauen highlight. In 1980, the 21st Plauen Lace Festival took place.
A historical chronicle of the festival reports that the opening was associated with the then-traditional daytime fireworks. Afterwards, there were dance performances on the stage of the Parktheater.
The Lace Festival itself already had a long tradition at this point. The first Plauen Lace Festival opened on September 17, 1955. For many years, important events of the festival took place on the grounds of the Parktheater.
Thus, in 1980, two stories converged: the anniversary of the famous Plauen Lace and the 21st festival with which the city celebrated its most renowned product.
Plauen Lace had long arrived in the world
The information from the Federal Archives shows the importance of lace production for Plauen at that time. The products of VEB Plauener Spitze were, according to contemporary descriptions, in demand in more than 40 countries.
Not only classic lace fabrics were produced. The range included embroidered curtains, lace handkerchiefs, and fashionable lace for women's clothing, among other things.
The name Plauen was thus no longer just for a Saxon city. Plauen lace had become an internationally renowned product and carried the city's name far beyond the region.
What an old postcard can suddenly tell
For a postcard from 1980, this connection is particularly beautiful. The card not only represents a place and a date. It leads right into a year in which Plauen celebrated a tradition that had made the city's name known beyond Germany.
While a postcard was being written, stamped, and sent somewhere, large embroidery machines were at work in Plauen. Curtains, handkerchiefs, and fashionable lace went to numerous countries. The 21st Lace Festival was celebrated at the Parktheater. And with "100 Years of Plauen Lace," a textile history that had shaped the city's image for generations was remembered.
That's precisely why this story fits so well with an old card from 1980: it connects a personal piece of everyday life with a special year in Plauen's city history.
Sources
Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-W1117-006, photograph from November 17, 1980, photographer Wolfgang Thieme.
Museum-digital, object "Wickeldecke 100 Jahre Plauener Spitzen 1880–1980".
Stadt Plauen, "Geschichte der Plauener Spitze" and "Spitzenfest-Chronik".
Branchenverband Plauener Spitze und Stickereien, Historie der Plauener Spitze.
Chronik des Plauener Spitzenfestes 1978–1980.
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