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Hungary

Lena Secker and her brother Alex were both born in Hungary.  The family emigrated to South Dakota when they were young.  The two siblings went in the work in 1920 and 1926, respectively.  Lena went to Hungary in 1930 to preach the gospel. Reportedly, she was the first worker to go preach in Hungary. She had a companion and a number of people professed. With the onset of WW2, the companion had to leave since she was not Hungarian. However, Lena renewed her citizenship and stayed with the friends there until she died in 1957.

Possibly, Alex went to Hungary in the interwar years also.  The 1936-37 Workers list showing workers in Hungary has Jim Jardine as the only brother, with Lena Secker and Wilma Müller, from Germany.  

James Jardine moved from Germany to pioneer in other countries, especially Hungary.

After WW2, Alex Secker spent a number of years in Europe, mostly in Germany, but visited Hungary as often as possible, and also held brief missions in Yugoslavia.  At some point, he had worked among Hungarian communities in Ohio and had converts there.  One of those Ohio converts ended up moving to Arizona. When Alex was quite elderly and no longer able for activity in the work, he went to live with her and her husband, where he died in 1983.  

Until communism fell, workers were not constantly in Hungary. Several made visits for several months at a time. The number of friends diminished, and there were hardly any added to the church after the WW2. However, most of those who made a start in those early years kept true till the end of their course. In 1989, Hungary stepped out from under communist rule, and since then there has been religious freedom in the country and the workers are able to hold public gospel meetings and advertise freely.

The last few years, there are two pairs of workers in Hungary, but no convention and no native Hungarian workers.  Peter Zürcher from Switzerland is Overseer of Austria, Czech and Hungary.

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When did the workers first arrive?  1930

Who were the first brother workers?  Jim Jardine moved from Germany to pioneer Hungary. Possibly Alex Secker preached there in the interwar years.

Who were the first sister workers? Lena Secker (born in Hungary) in 1930 and she stayed there until she died in 1957.

Who was the first to profess? 

Who was the first native to go in the work?

When & Where was the first meeting? 

When & Where was the first baptism?

When & Where was the first convention? 

Where have subsequent conventions been held?

Where is the convention currently held?  There is no convention held in Hungary.

Who have the Overseers been? Peter Zürcher from Switzerland is overseer over Czech, Austria & Hungary, which work as one group.  

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TTT Editor's Note: In the absence of a written account, the above information has been compiled by the TTT Editor from various sources. Corrections or additions are most welcome; as well as other historical accounts for this country Email TTT