In Hungary you do not clink glasses - a surprising custom from 1849
Imagine you are in Hungary, you raise a toast and instinctively want to clink your glass with the host, but he stops the gesture. It is not a lack of courtesy but a deeply rooted Hungarian custom. In Hungary people traditionally do not clink glasses when toasting, especially when drinking beer. This remarkable custom has its source in a dramatic historical event, namely the execution of thirteen Hungarian generals in eighteen forty-nine. As a sign of mourning and defiance, Hungarians are said to have vowed not to clink glasses for one hundred and fifty years. Although this term has formally already passed, and the story itself is sometimes considered a legend, the custom has survived and is still respected. Here is the fascinating story of this Hungarian custom, its historical roots, the vow for one hundred and fifty years, and how to behave at a Hungarian table so as to respect this tradition and not commit an unwitting faux pas.
A surprising rule
The heart of this custom is a rule that surprises most foreigners. While in many countries clinking glasses when toasting is an obvious, even obligatory gesture, in Hungary it is the opposite. There, people traditionally do not clink glasses, especially when raising a toast with beer. Instead, one lifts the vessel, looks into the eyes of the fellow drinkers, speaks the toast and drinks, but without the characteristic clink. For someone accustomed to the sound of clinking glasses, this silence may be surprising. It is not, however, an accident or a lack of manners but a conscious, culturally rooted custom. Hungarians know and observe it perfectly, and a foreigner who instinctively clinks a glass may meet with gentle surprise or an explanation. This rule shows how greatly toasting customs differ between cultures. What in one country is obvious and desired, in another can be a breach of a deeply rooted tradition. Understanding this surprising Hungarian rule is key for anyone who wants to behave properly at a Hungarian table and avoid an unwitting violation of local custom.
The legend of the thirteen of Arad
To understand this custom, one must know its historical source, reaching back to the dramatic events of the nineteenth century. It concerns the execution of thirteen Hungarian generals in the city of Arad, carried out by Austrian troops on the sixth of October eighteen forty-nine. These generals were leaders of the Hungarian uprising against Austrian rule, and their execution after the defeat of the revolution became a symbol of national tragedy and martyrdom. The thirteen of Arad entered Hungarian national memory as heroes who gave their lives for freedom. Their execution is commemorated in Hungary to this day. It is with this event that the custom of not clinking glasses is connected. According to the account, while the execution was being carried out, Austrian soldiers are said to have celebrated the defeat of the Hungarians by drinking beer and clinking their mugs in a gesture of triumph. This image of Austrian celebration over the death of Hungarian heroes became the source of the custom. The thirteen of Arad are one of the most important symbols of the Hungarian struggle for independence, and the associated custom of not clinking glasses is a form of memory and homage to the fallen.
The vow for one hundred and fifty years
A key element of this story is the vow that Hungarians are said to have made in response to the tragedy. According to tradition, shaken by the execution and the sight of Austrian celebration, Hungarians swore not to clink glasses when drinking beer for one hundred and fifty years. This period was meant to be an expression of mourning, respect for the fallen heroes and defiance of the oppressor triumph. One hundred and fifty years is a long, symbolic time, spanning several generations. This vow made not clinking glasses a national custom, passed from generation to generation as a form of memory. Refraining from this gesture was a way not to forget the tragedy and to honor those who gave their lives for freedom. The vow for one hundred and fifty years gave the custom concrete time frames and deep meaning. Thanks to it a simple gesture, or rather its absence, became a carrier of national memory and identity. This shows how customs connected with drinking can be deeply intertwined with the history and feelings of a whole nation, reaching far beyond the mere question of manners at the table.
Is it true
It is worth approaching this story with a certain caution, because its historical truth is sometimes questioned. Although the execution of the thirteen generals at Arad is an undoubted historical fact, the very thread of Austrian soldiers clinking glasses in a gesture of triumph is sometimes considered a legend by historians. There is a lack of hard, written evidence confirming that such celebration really took place. Many researchers regard this part of the story as a later addition that grew around the real, tragic event. It is an important distinction, because it shows that the custom itself is real and respected, but its exact origin may be more legend than documented fact. This does not, however, diminish the significance of the custom or its role in Hungarian culture. Legends often carry a deep emotional truth, even if the details are not historically certain. An honest approach requires acknowledging that the story of the clinking Austrians is probably a legend, though the custom of not clinking glasses itself is real and living. This uncertainty about the origin does not rob the custom of its meaning but calls for treating the details of the story with appropriate distance.
The term passed, the custom stayed
An interesting element of this story is what happened when the symbolic period of one hundred and fifty years passed. Since the vow was to be in force for one hundred and fifty years from the events of eighteen forty-nine, this term formally expired toward the end of the twentieth century, around the year nineteen ninety-nine. One might therefore think that after this time Hungarians began to clink glasses again. Reality, however, turned out otherwise. Although the symbolic term passed, the custom of not clinking glasses survived and is still respected. Many Hungarians still refrain from this gesture, and clinking glasses with beer is still sometimes considered bad manners. The custom, deeply rooted over generations, became a part of culture stable enough not to disappear with the passing of the formal term. This shows how traditions can survive beyond their original frames, becoming part of identity. The term passed, but the custom stayed, because its meaning reached beyond the vow itself. For many Hungarians, not clinking glasses is no longer so much keeping a promise as a natural, rooted element of culture and national memory.
Beer or every glass
It is worth specifying what exactly this custom concerns, because it is sometimes a source of misunderstanding. The tradition of not clinking glasses is connected above all with beer, because it was beer that the Austrian soldiers are said to have drunk during the execution. That is why the custom most strictly refers to situations when a toast is raised with beer. In practice, however, many Hungarians extend this rule also to other drinks, refraining from clinking glasses regardless of what they drink. The degree of observing the custom varies depending on the person, region and situation. Some keep to it rigorously only with beer, others avoid clinking always. For a foreigner it is safer to assume that the custom may concern any drink and to refrain from clinking, unless the host signals otherwise. It is worth observing the behavior of the locals and adjusting to it. This flexibility shows that the custom, though rooted in the history of beer, over time broadened its meaning. The key is a feel for context and respect for local sensitivity. When you are not sure, it is better not to clink a glass, because refraining from this gesture will offend no one, while a clink may be perceived as bad manners.
How to behave at a Hungarian table
Let us summarize how to behave at a Hungarian table so as to respect this custom and not commit a faux pas. Above all, when raising a toast, do not clink your glass with others, especially when drinking beer. Instead, lift the vessel, look your fellow drinkers in the eye, speak the toast and drink, without the characteristic clink. A Hungarian toast is, for example, the word Egeszsegedre, meaning to your health, though it can be hard for foreigners to pronounce. It is worth observing the host and other guests, adjusting to their behavior. If you are not sure of the rule, simply refrain from clinking, because it is the safe choice. You can also ask, if the situation allows, showing interest and respect for the local custom. Respecting this tradition testifies to good manners and cultural sensitivity. Hungarians will appreciate it when a foreigner knows and respects their custom, because it shows respect for their history and memory. Behaving properly at a Hungarian table is not difficult, it is enough to remember not to clink glasses and to approach it with respect. This simple knowledge lets you avoid a faux pas and take part in a Hungarian feast with dignity.
Toasting customs around the world
The Hungarian custom of not clinking glasses shows well how greatly toasting customs differ between cultures. In many countries, like Germany or Austria, clinking glasses while looking into the eyes is downright obligatory, and its absence is considered bad manners. In Hungary it is exactly the opposite, at least as far as clinking is concerned. It is a fascinating contrast that shows there is no single universal way of raising a toast. What in one country is an expression of warmth, in another can be a breach of tradition. There are more such differences around the world, from rules about eye contact, through the order of raising toasts, to the words and gestures. For the traveler, knowing these differences is valuable, because it lets one behave properly in different cultures and avoid unwitting faux pas. The Hungarian custom is especially telling, because it shows how history can shape drinking customs. Understanding that toasting customs are culturally variable teaches humility and openness. Instead of assuming that our way is the only right one, it is worth observing and adjusting to local traditions, which is the essence of real etiquette in travel and in contact with other cultures.
Memory and identity
The Hungarian custom of not clinking glasses is more than a rule of etiquette, because it is a carrier of national memory and identity. Refraining from this simple gesture is a form of homage to the heroes who gave their lives for freedom and a way not to forget the tragedy of years ago. This shows how customs connected with drinking can be deeply intertwined with the history and feelings of a nation. This custom recalls the events that shaped Hungarian identity and keeps the memory of them alive through generations. It is remarkable that such a small gesture, or rather its absence, can carry such deep meaning. For Hungarians, not clinking glasses is an element of culture in which history, memory and identity intertwine with the everyday ritual of drinking. This example teaches that customs at the table are not always merely a matter of manners but are sometimes a record of the history and values of a whole nation. Respecting this custom is respecting Hungarian memory. It shows how rich and full of meaning traditions connected with drinking can be, reaching far beyond the mere pleasure of the drink and becoming part of a living cultural heritage.
Key takeaways
In Hungary people traditionally do not clink glasses when toasting, especially when drinking beer, in memory of the execution of thirteen Hungarian generals at Arad in eighteen forty-nine. According to the account, Austrian soldiers are said to have celebrated the defeat of the Hungarians by clinking glasses, so Hungarians vowed not to do so for one hundred and fifty years. It is worth knowing that the thread of the clinking Austrians is sometimes considered a legend, though the execution and the custom themselves are real. The formal term passed around the year nineteen ninety-nine, but the custom survived and is still respected. The custom concerns above all beer, though many extend it to other drinks. At a Hungarian table do not clink your glass, but lift it, look into the eyes and drink. If you enjoy such details and want to get to know drinks thoughtfully, GustoNote will help you keep your own journal.