About the Kút Foundation of Hungary 

The foundation was originally established with the grants provided by the Rich Foundation and the J. & O. Winter Fund. The sum of these grants, however, represented only a modest amount. Over the years we have succeeded in raising, by a sustained effort, funds of considerable value which enabled us to continue our activity. The Hungarian Soros Foundation, the European Union, the Claims Conference and the American Joint Distribution Committee Hungarian Office, to name only those internationally recognized, assisted us with substantial donations. In addition, the valuable moral support we have received from the latter has been of equal importance. 

These donations enabled us to provide the services of the clinic free of charge to those who apply for our help and we regard it as a moral commitment to stick to this principle. 

The traditional approach in psychotherapy usually disregards the social background and past of the family and seeks personal or family conflicts behind the actual neurotic symptoms, psychosomatic illnesses, accidents, or suicidal intentions. This attitude obscures the effect of social traumatisation leading to these disorders. The methods developed and applied in our clinic for individual, usually short-term, as well as family and group therapy are based on the exploration of the inherent connection between the psychological symptom and the trauma the patient suffered, or the one induced by the parents or grandparents. The neurotic symptoms and psychological problems of Holocaust survivors and their descendants are dominated by factors that have their roots in reality, in past sufferings. 

Since the clinic was opened in a rented office the number of patients has grown rapidly. In 5 and a half years we have treated more than 800 survivors of the first, second and third generation. In spite of the fact that our potential - as shown in the following - has up to now been substantially limited, the number of individual and family interviews have exceeded 3000. 

Though, due to moral considerations, we do not and can not refuse to provide aid to those who have suffered persecution or discrimination other than the Holocaust, in accordance with the mission of the foundation and as a consequence of our social position, virtually exclusively Holocaust survivors and their descendants ask for our help. No similar institute exists in Hungary. The difference between our clinic and similar institutions in Israel, Western Europe and the USA has to be attributed to the different life story of our patients who - contrary to those who have settled in foreign countries - have been living in the same ambience where they underwent the trauma, or in the case of 2nd and 3rd generation, their parents, grandparents were deported from. This was accompanied in several cases by secondary traumatisation. This was the result of the concealment of Jewish identity or of having been affected by nationalization, forced resettlement, show trials etc. More recently it has been aggravated by the fear induced by the emerging anti-Semitism of a National-Socialist nature. 

Our therapeutical initiative goes back to 1990 when the Holocaust discussion group was established within the frame of the Hungarian Jewish Cultural Society. Since 1994 it has existed within the clinic. A great number of participants are founding members who have attended the meetings since its outset, but new participants join continuously. The regular monthly meetings have a therapeutic impact and thus help members to address the after-effects of the Holocaust and to overcome the fears evoked by the new wave of anti-Semitism. As far as we know there is no similar initiative either in Hungary or in the entire region. 

In addition to the therapeutic practise we attribute substantial importance to the use of practical experience in research activity. Several members of our professional staff present papers at scholarly conferences and publish articles in professional journals. In 1996-97 we published four volumes of studies which evoked a favourable response in professional circles. In the past the activity of the clinic has repeatedly attracted the interest of the printed and electronic media. Several articles and a number of interviews on the radio and on the television reported on our work and results. These accounts have made our activity and services widely known. 

In the past the activity of the clinic has repeatedly attracted the interest of the printed and electronic media. Several articles and a number of interviews on the radio and on the television reported on our work and results. These accounts have made our activity and services widely known. 
Address of the Foundation:
KÚT Alapítvány
H-1133 Budapest, 
Karpat u.60. 
Phone: (36-1)-340-6440.
e-mail: kardvirag@compuserve.com

Address of the clinic:
KÚT Alapítvány
H-1066 Budapest, 
Terez krt. 4. V. 8. 
Phone/Fax: (36-1)-342-5646.
 

Dr. Terez Virag
Director