Record Demand: Erzsebet Camps at Full Capacity Again This Year

At the beginning of summer, a rumor—amplified by left-wing media—spread like wildfire claiming that the government had shut down the Erzsebet Camps. So Magyar Nemzet decided to head to Zanka to see first hand the actual situation of the iconic campgrounds near Lake Balaton. What we found on-site was a vibrant camp buzzing with activity and lots of children. During our visit, campers were holding a ship christening ceremony, and we also learned that plenty of new ideas are still in store for the future.

Photo: Balazs Ladoczki

We last visited the fully refurbished Erzsebet camp in Zanka, near Lake Balaton, four years ago. Just as back then, we were welcomed this time by Tibor Hornyak, president of the Erzsebet Foundation, who showed us around the camp facilities. Four years ago, he told us the infrastructure improvements were complete, but, for example, they still had to wait for the grass seed they had sown to sprout. Now we came to see how things have progressed — and, of course, to confirm whether the government had indeed shut down the Erzsebet Camps. (The Erzsebet Camps are named after Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (Szent Erzsebet), a 13th-century Hungarian princess known for her charitable works, especially helping the poor and sick. The government-backed Erzsebet Program was launched in 2012 to give disadvantaged or special-needs children a chance to attend summer camps for a symbolic fee.)

 The Erzsebet Camp runs at full capacity all summer (Photo: Balazs Ladoczki)

The first thing I asked him was whether everything had been finished. “If you asked my colleagues, they’d surely say it’s not done yet, because we’re always coming up with new ideas. Just the other day, we christened the Saint Elzabeth boat, with Interior Deputy Minister Bence Retvari here with us, and in his speech he said we invent something new every year. I’m glad my team and I are like that. In the past ten years, the face of the Zanka camp has changed a lot, and everyone can see that,” the president explained.

In the huge 150-hectare Zanka camp, there is always something to do, but according to Tibor Hornyak, what matters even more is the content that fills the campers’ programs. "We have a great team now, excellent directors, committed colleagues. Looking back over ten years, I feel the team as a community has really come together. I hardly need to deal with day-to-day camp operations anymore. I’ve found people who do this work wholeheartedly. Everyone is in the right place, there’s team spirit, and the cooperation is exemplary,” Tibor Hornyak said.

Ten years of Erzsebet Camps under the Erzsebet Foundation

The Erzsebet Camps started more than a decade ago, in 2012, and in 2026 it will be ten years since the church-backed Erzsebet Foundation took over running them. Tibor Hornyak says that by then, he wants to have a system in place with every process written down for operating such large-capacity camps. “I'll give you a simple example. When a 14-car train arrives at the camp’s railway station and 800 children need to get off, we record every step of the process so anyone can follow it from the description without prior experience. We’ve made a handbook for the operational staff who assist camp life (TESO), we’re preparing detailed program descriptions, and with these we’ll compile the Erzsebet Camps guidebook. This material will also be part of our training program in the future," explained the president of the Erzsebet Foundation.

Tibor Hornyak: “Everyone knows their role!” (Photo: Balazs Ladoczki)

Comparing the current conditions to four years ago, Tibor Hornyak points out that they’ve added new camp locations since then. “We had to refurbish the camp in Zalaszabar, but now we’re not thinking about major new projects. We want to finish what we started, and plan and schedule maintenance work and smaller developments year by year,” he said.

The camp facilities also generate income, though children can still spend a week there for a symbolic fee of 1,000 forints (2,5 euros). When there are no children’s camps organized, the Zanka complex, for instance, hosts other events.

“These include large events attended by thousands of people, which are not organized by the foundation. The site is now suitable for setting up a big stage, and this year it hosted the Csillagpont Festival. These events can’t be held in the camp’s main square, because the loading and unloading would disturb the campers,” Tibor Hornyak explained. A large hall is also being built where the Rapid Response Police will provide exhibits such as a helicopter and police car, and they have signed an agreement with the Defense Ministry to upgrade the military technology park. "These will be new attractions in the near future," he said.

 A variety of programs at the Erzsebet Camp (Photo: Balazs Ladoczki)

Organization, Safety, Many Applicants

“In Transylvania and at our Hungarian camp locations, 370 people work with us year-round,” said Tibor Hornyak. “On top of that, we bring in seasonal staff during the summer, which doubles the workforce. Altogether we have to coordinate the work of about 750 people. Effective task delegation and clear operating procedures are essential. By now, everyone knows their role. The staff who assist camp life, called TESO leaders, apply in January, we recruit them based on their specializations and provide training for them," said Tibor Hornyak in response to the question of how many people they employ. By now, interest is high in every area. Around 700 applicants vie for TESO positions each summer, but only about half are accepted. This allows for careful selection of mostly university students.

Order is at the heart of it all: on board the ship, they check that everyone who has signed up for the program has boarded. (Photo: Balazs Ladoczki)

Each summer, roughly 300–350 TESO staff work in shifts rather than staying for the entire season. "It’s an extremely demanding, exhausting job, and it comes with real responsibility. They’re our ‘front office,’ since campers meet them first. It’s also great practical experience for them, which is why I proposed that Erzsebet Camps be recognized as internship placements so university students can earn academic credit," Tibor Hornyak explained. The camp has been running for 10 years, and Hornyak revealed that 

one permanent employee first came here as a child, later returned as a TESO summer worker, and now works full-time.

"Someone who’s been here and knows the atmosphere and spirit is also a a guarantee of quality. Many treat the campers as their own children for the week they’re here, and even refer to them as ‘our kids.’ I think that’s something special.”

Thanks to the Teachers

“Everyone who comes here does so because they want to,” Tibor Hornyak stressed. “Teachers who agree to accompany students to camp, even in the middle of summer, deserve the highest respect. It’s easiest for them to organize camps in June, but naturally not every group can fit into those first two weeks. Those who bring children here in mid-August are making a sacrifice. Teachers receive a weekly pay of thirty thousand forints. To maintain good relations, we host a three-day open house for teachers every March. This year, 400 teachers from 300 schools visited the camp in Zanka to tour the site and see conditions firsthand," said Tibor Hornyak when asked how teachers fit into the structure.

"Registration is only possible for groups, through a teacher. It’s an administrative process: data has to be uploaded, there must be one accompanying adult for every 10 children, and now a clean criminal record certificate is required. Teachers complete all the necessary steps," he explained.  

Another important aspect is to ensure that there are always newcomers. "We have introduced that practice of giving priority to groups who haven't been here before. Seventy percent of our campers each year are first-timers. We guarantee a safe environment, full board, and a variety of programs. We keep the children engaged and active, so the teachers don’t have to carry that burden, said Tibor Hornyak.

Rumors of Closure

At the start of the summer, the fake news that the government had shut down the Erzsebet Camps went viral in left-wing media. The false claim originated with automotive journalist Istvan Valyi, but spread widely. “Anyone arriving in Zanka can see for themselves we’re operating at full capacity,” Tibor Hornyak responded, highlighting: "The Erzsebet Camps have not been shut down. We’ve restructured the system to maximize the use of our overnight camp facilities, which offer a much greater experience, higher quality, and maximum safety for children.”

There are many programs to choose from at the Erzsabet Camp in Zanka (Photo: Balazs Ladoczki)

This year, camps are running at four main sites—Zanka, Fonyodliget, Zalaszabar, and Transylvania—plus a partner location in Agota-falva. "Each week, the five sites are hosting about 4,500 children, with a record-breaking total of 110,000 children and chaperones for the season. However, our capacities allow for even larger numbers," he emphasized.

"This system is unique in Europe. Our job is to ensure that the camps are running and we have the necessary funding. Additional sites, such as Csilleberc and Galyateto, require complete renovation, while Zalaszabar needs expansion

to bring even more children to the Erzsebet camps, said Tibor Hornyak.

Launched in 2012 by the Fidesz government, the Erzsebet Camps have faced political attacks before.  “We’ve heard a lot of unfounded criticism. A recent video claimed we don’t have the 9.5 billion forints needed for the Erzsebet camps, when in fact we receive more than that for this purpose,” noted the president of the Erzsebet Foundation. The organization does not plan to respond directly to false reports. "We just do our work. Instead of getting into arguments, we show the facts on our social media channels," Tibor Hornyak concluded.