Archívum - A Heves Megyei Levéltár közleményei 19. (Eger, 2010)

TANULMÁNYOK, KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Nemes Lajos: Eger város hegyrendészete a kezdetektől 1848-ig • 71

Lajos Nemes: Vine hill patrols in Eger from the beginnings until 1848

After the situation in the 15-16 century, Eger became a town of wine monoculture again in the 18. century. The outskirts of the town (including the flatland) covers a huge area compared to the size of the outskirts of other wine growing towns. The number of vine hills around Eger is very significant. In the territory of Great-Hungary the local residents and the extraneous people (strangers who rented or owned land in Eger but lived elsewhere) disposed of the land together. They made the mles regarding the vine hill and financed its operation together, independently from the settlement that was was part of the area. This system was called "wine community" (hegyközség).

It was the municipality of Eger that was responsible for the regulation of wine growing and for making sure those regulations were observed. The municipality was also in charge of the vine hill patrols whose executive force consisted of "hill judges", vine hill rangers and vine-guards. Vineyard owners, vine-dressers (they were in charge of the operations at the vine hills) and the workhand also contributed to their efforts. Their wages were based on the payments effected by the vine hill owners. The hill judges with the assistance of the vine hill rangers supervised wine-growing, the performance of various work phases, the allocation of day-wages. The vine hill rangers and vine-guards protected the valuables of the owners especially during the period of ripening and harvest. The wine growing in Eger entered a period of decline at the turning of the 18-19 century due to its decreasing significance in the country's economy, the soil erosion, and the disappearance of the Polish market. These events negatively influenced the activity of the vine hill patrols too.

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