The chronicle of Eger Tobacco Factory
The cigar factory
imádkozunk érted... It was during the time of the First World War that the tobacco factory day nursery was set up - a pioneering departure in the country As we learn from the Eger Catholic newspaper, it was established by the Archbishop of Eger, Dr. Lajos Szmrecsányi with a view to “lightening the sufferings of war”. The nursery found its home in quarters partitioned off from the factory refectory area. It consisted of three separate rooms: a main room which contained twenty cots, a baby changing and dressing room and a sick room/dispensary. The nursery was officially opened on July 5th 1916, with factory director Lajos Mertz receiving the distinguished guests invited to the opening. Once the official opening ceremony was over, the Archbishop went out into the courtyard and addressed a speech to the factory women. “It is natural that we should strive to soften the blows dealt to those who toil industriously here for the good of their country and for their families called up to the front. Thus it was that when I learned of the high rate of infant mortality here in Eger, I meditated how best I could help to solve this sad problem. Out of love for my congregation, I hastened to the Royal Hungarian Excise Office to seek out the management thereof. The current head of the directorate there willingly granted us this space for the purposes of establishing a day nursery. I myself have defrayed all the expenses incurred in fitting up and maintaining the nursery. I trust that this institution will care for those tender babes who, as a result of their mothers’ devotion to duty and to their country, have up until now been left to fend for themselves at home. Our nursery is a model of its kind. Warm beds await the children here. Let them rest. For what they lose in the presence of an earthly mother they gain in the ministrations of divine grace, which watches over them with a mother’s tender care. And one more thing. Let those husbands and fathers who now struggle on the battlefield rest assured that their nearest and dearest are not abandoned, for we have turned our watchful eye on them here at home.” a Egyre-egyre Rád gondolunk Nélküled oly Bús a sorunk.
