Esztergom Évlapjai 2000

HETVESNÉ BARÁTOSI Judit: ínség Esztergomban (1866. - 1867.)

A beköszöntő nyárban már az aratásra készültek a földművelő gazdák és a bizottmányban résztvevő földbirtokosok, reménnyel eltelve várták a jó termést ebben az évben, hogy az állam gondoskodásából vagy a Magyar Földhitelintézettől kapott kölcsön visszafizetésére jó esélyük legyen és a kölcsönre betáblázott ingatlanjaik ne kerüljenek dobra. Judit B. HETVES FAMINE IN COUNTY OF ESZTERGOM (1866-1867) The climate of Hungary can be characterized by the damage caused by successive droughts and floods. Records have been taken for centuries, which prove the fact. In 1866 there was such cold weather for two days after the last blackthorn winter, 25th May, the day of St Úrban that 70 to 80% of the green crops damaged. During summer nothing could grow because of drought. As it could be foreseen that huge famine was to be in the whole country, „famine committees" were organised in every county following the order of the governing committee. The district administrators were in charge of listing the damage caused by the frost, the records were summerized nationwilde and the disposable money was shared according to it. The autumn seed-grain was bought of and the leaders of the villages checked the farmers if they has sown it. The help received that way should have been repaid to the state in 3 years. For those who had been living on day's wages communal works were organised, Üke building roads and bridges and repairing the ramparts along the Danube. At Esztergom so called „rumfort thick soup" was cooked every day for the completely poverty stricken and the ill. The women members of charity organisations helped with sharing it. The well-to-do of the town, the churches and the Jewish religious community joined their forces to help the poor and to add their money to the money given by the nation. In the spring of 1867 everybody was hoping for a better crop year to come. To the „Ausgeleich" (compromise) of 1867 and the coronation the remained flour was given out to the poverty stricken in the county. Then an account was prepared for the Minister of the Home Affairs and at a festive meeting they could proudly say that, due to their work, nobody in the county had died of hunger during these hard times. 124