[Dénes Bernád]

Csaba Becze. I see that it took you about five days to put together your vitriolic personal attack against my person. Instead, I think you should have used your precious spare time for something more constructive, more positive - for example writing a few sentences for a material related to the history of aviation we both try to reconstruct.
We would all certainly be more ahead.

What can I say, most of your accusations are unfounded and therefore obviously lacks any proof, except your word. Referring to unnamed persons when accusing me is not only unfair, it’s outright disgusting. Enough to say that no one contacted me in regards of the accusations you threw upon me.

I will tackle just one issue you raised.
I did visit the Hungarian military archives, several times, much earlier than you ever set your foot into the institution (between 1989-1992), as did the photo archives, in the time when it was still called the ‘Munkasmozgalmi muzeum’ (Museum of the Workers’ Movement), or so. Of course, I spent less time there then I wished for, but there was an ocean between me and the Hungarian archives, which greatly hindered access. Even so, almost every time I visited Europe I went for as many days as I could afford timewise to do research in various archives. For example, last time I was in Rumania, in Pitesti, for ten days this past August, to study for the second volume of my book, ‘From Barbarossa to Odessa’. If you want proof, just let me know. And yes, I did visit Bundesarchiv in Germany as well. Again, I can give you proof, if you wish. I spent time in the Canadian and Bulgarian archives, too. And so on. Moreover, it is not necessary to visit a particular archive to get primary information. It’s also enough to order microfilms (I have about 20 reels from NARA), or order photocopies of documents, or entire ‘fonds’ (I have several thousands such copies). Finally, you can pay someone to do the research in lieu of you, if you have no possibility to do research personally. I did this in regards to the Hungarian archives, and paid a six-figure sum to a well-known and respected researcher. Again, if you want proof I can give it to you – privately.
However, I bet all these details don’t really count for you, as you have apparently a beef against my person – probably the ‘sour grape’ syndrome (see below).

Take for example, the last book I co-authored (being also the project leader): ‘From Barbarossa to Odessa’ – a copy of which I sent you for a fair price and free of any postal charges, despite not asking you to contribute with anything (at that point I thought that we are colleagues in good faith. Apparently, I was dead wrong). Would you care to point out what sizeable part did I copy from the Internet, or various forums, like this one, as you allege? Of course, I did ask questions here, for small details, or for ‘peer review’ of a part, which is a normal thing to do. After all, that’s why we are here, on this discussion forum, aren’t we?

This is the first time in 20+ years while I am researching the history of aviation and writing about it that I am subject to such a vicious personal attack. There must be a good reason to it. And it’s certainly not me.

Your post is apparently more about how good you and your research are, and how bad my person and my research is. So be it, if you say so. Who cares?

Take my advice, Csaba Becze. As I said, use up your extra energies to create something useful, something lasting, not such senseless and baseless pamphlet, which serves nothing and no one gives a damn about. If you cannot hold hatred for yourself, then please take it somewhere else. I hope I don't speak only my mind when I state this: you – or anyone else who behaves in the same manner - are not welcome here.

P.S. The one thing that actually hurts me is that a fellow Hungarian, who also researches the history of aviation, thus should behave like a colleague, chose rather to act unprofessionally. Or is this exactly the root of your problem?