Not necessarily entirely overlooked. But I guess Hungary’s very much at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. (Though the same can be said of Turkey and Russia too.) The Mongols even went there and left with a persistent idiom: long hair, short intellect or something to the lines of that. And that Hungarians have 4% Mongol DNA. They were even part of the Ottoman Empire (I think) though the same can be said of Albania, Greece and perhaps Bulgaria.
(I might be wrong about the last.)
Also for a substantial time, Hungary used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Admittedly I don’t know the full extent of that influence. But I’m under the impression that it’s going to be there to some extent. (Some parts of Italy were also under Austrian influence and thus speak German. Especially in Bolzano and if you will, Montefalcone’s singer Modo.)
As for famous Hungarians, though not always the case Hungary does have a vampiric reputation. Romania could only claim Vlad Tepes (who, in reality, was a little like Donald Trump in terms of disdain for outsiders and being nationalistic), Hungary claims Elizabeth Bathory and the actor Bela Lugosi. The former was rumoured to be a witch and werewolf in her life, the latter played a vampire onscreen.
(He also moved to the US.)
But that’s all I know about it.
fynm 