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“Cívis város” (“cívis city”) is the distinctive name of the great market towns of the Great Plain. These towns obtained or approached the “Free Royal Towns” status, but their citizens mainly consisted of peasant farmers.
Debrecen is often used as a synonym for “Cívis város”. The cívis were wealthy citizens of the lowland farming towns of peasant origin, mainly engaged in agriculture. They had a particular way of life, and their conservatism made them a closed community.
In the past, not only the citizens of Debrecen were called Cívis, but for example, also those living in Kecskemét and Hódmezővásárhely. However, because Debrecen stood out from the other cívis settlements in terms of its size, importance and population, the term’ Cívis város’ nowadays only brings Debrecen to mind.
Who are the Cívis People?
Cívis people were so-called peasant citizens, but not only peasants but artisans also belonged to this group. They were engaged in agriculture and crafts but went to the theatre in their spare time and were enthusiastic donors. They did not produce more than was needed for their use, and they only sold their products on the market when money was needed.
Cívis citizens paid attention to the city’s fate, donated, and hosted orphaned children for lunch. They were very family-centric, and it was rare for a father, for example, not to take care of his child. Families intermarried, and the Cívis, who owned land, lived in the town. They were closely related to the Puritan view of life based on the Reformed religion.
The true cívis class disappeared around the 1950s when they were forced into production cooperatives, and their lands were taken away.
For centuries, the word ‘cívis’ has been associated with the image of conservative, martial thinking. The Cívis is a traditionalist class with a particular way of life; for the people of Debrecen, the term means both a sense of continuity (which also implies permanence) and the preservation of values.
Where to learn more about the Cívis City and the Cívis People
Déri Museum hosts a permanent exhibition titled “The World of the Cívis”. The exhibition’s primary goal is to introduce slices of the city’s history and the stories that make the past come alive to people living today.
