Hungary’s culture is a mix of its unique Hungarian peasant culture and the cosmopolitan culture of its German and Jewish urban population. Roma music and coffeehouses have also had an impact.
From the early 19th century national culture became essential for nation-building, making cultural life very political. Theater, opera, and literature played significant roles in developing national consciousness, with writers often becoming national heroes.
After centuries of independent statehood, Hungary was part of the Habsburg and Ottoman empires. Grappling with the loss of territory after World War I has remained part of the collective psyche. Traditional folk arts have largely disappeared or become commercialized.