Local services
An exhibition entitled “Debrecen, the unshakable rock” was opened in honour of Debrecen City Day at the New City Hall Gallery on the 10th of April 2024.
The exhibition of the MNL Hajdú-Bihar County Archives was created to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Debrecen becoming the capital of the country in 1849, when the government was in office for five months.
Chairman of the Debrecen Treasures Committee Dr. János Mazsu said that Kossuth’s confidence in Debrecen was mainly due to the fact that by the time of the reform era, after centuries of development, Debrecen had become the most important city not only in Tiszántúl, Eastern Hungary, but also in terms of population, in the country.
Deputy Mayor István Puskás emphasised at the opening of the exhibition that through a few anecdotal episodes, we can gain an insight into the everyday life of the city and find out how the city experienced historical times. István Puskás reminded that in connection with the day of the city and the anniversary of the declaration of independence, the events are commemorated throughout the city with a series of programs lasting until Sunday evening.
During the presentation of the exhibition, Director of the MNL Hajdú-Bihar County Archives Dr. Erzsébet Szendiné Orvos said that the exhibition also answers questions about how the citizens of that period experienced the time with the help of archival sources, how they helped the noble struggle for freedom, or what sacrifices they had to make. “The exhibition shows a field table where famous personalities such as Mór Jókai and Sándor Petőfi lived alongside members of the government, how the citizens of Debrecen dressed at that time, and even how they entertained themselves to the music of Károly Boka in “Hátulszíp” restaurant,” she explained.
As she added, the printing house of the city of Debrecen also played a very important role in this period as the Kossuth banknotes were printed here, and even the Declaration of Independence declaring the dethronement of the House of Habsburg, about which many archival documents can be read. In January 1849, on Kossuth’s instructions, the Holy Crown was placed in an iron box in the Secret Archives, which very few people knew about at the time. With the help of an interior designer, the staff of the Hungarian National Archives will present this as well.
The exhibition is open until the 3rd of May, during the opening hours of the New Town Hall.
Source: debrecen.hu
