Dobrossy István: Miskolc írásban és képekben 4. (Miskolc, 1997)

Angol nyelvű ismertető

Summary In 1994 a volume titled „Miskolc in writings and pictures" was published dealing with the buildings, squares, statuary and events of the town. It was written to give the inhabitants and anybody coming to Miskolc easily intelligible information on the town. Besides the descriptions, the publication of period photoes, original documents and archivalia are of great importance. The volume has brought lots and lots of data and information for the students and the research workers interested in the local history, and for the elder generation living in Miskolc and remembering old times. The aim of that book was to show the most beautiful public buildings of the town and owing to the perhaps popular topic, it has had a favourable reception by the public: it was published twice within a short time and every copy has been sold. Accordingly it was felt to be necessary to go on with the work and publish further volumes. The second volume has got a rich historical documentation of the past of the town, too. The choice of subject was formed by the readers' interests and ideas and their family-documents (papers and photoes) donated to the author. Partly there was a need to recall the old names of the streets, since - communism had been closing down - streets were to get their old names back; partly there was a great demand to become acquainted with the old civil life of the town. Especially there was a keen interest in the course of life of outstanding personalities e.g. mayors of the town, so the latter became the main topic of the book. In the time of publication of the volume, an exhibition was made from the documents, portraits of the mayors, and other interesting relics. Similarly it seemed to be important to recollect the memory of the very rich industrial past of Miskolc, the memories of the once busy industrial establishment in Zsolcay kapu. These memories are very significant ones nowadays when industry in Miskolc has lost importance. Unemployment has appeared on the scene and the future, the means of subsistence, the new jobs, the new industrial structure, the new aspect of the town cannot be foreseen. Calling up the memory of the past perhaps can help to have a prophetic dream about the new Miskolc, to build a new, safer life. In the city most of the old buildings (former commercial houses, family houses) are still in existence and reconstruction of them had began and went on for years, but it has to be stopped because of shortage of funds. The third volume of the serial was made in the spirit of the millecentenarium of Hungary which was celebrated in Miskolc as well. That is why this book was dealing with the former and present freemen of the town and their life-work. Miskolc town has conferred this title from 1886. Till 1996 the society of the town has presented 42 freemen by its municipal corporation. There were two other chapters of that third volume dealing with the old and new pharmacies and hospitals in Miskolc.