Bodnár Mónika: A serényiek hatása a gömöri népelméletre - Officina Musei 21. (Miskolc, 2014)

The impact of Serényis' on the people's life in Gömör region (Summary)

THE IMPACT OF SERÉNYIS' ON THE PEOPLE'S LIFE IN GÖMÖR REGION (SUMMARY)

Up to the present the conventional ethnographic research did not consider dealing with aristocracy as its task, but I hope that this book will convince the readers of the fact that they should.

The family Serényi is one of Hungary's famous aristocratic families, one which acquired a major political and economic role not only in Hungary but also in Moravia. The researchers, however, have treated it quite harshly: we can hardly find any historical writings about it. Perhaps the reason why it has received little attention from researchers is that no compact documentation has remained for us. The most complete archives of the family Serényi can be found in the Czech Republic, in the archives of Brno (Moravsky zemsky archív v Brne). Today, a significant part of the former Záblát family archives is preserved in the archives of Budapest (

Magyar Országos Levéltár) under the name "gr. Telekicsalád nagyzabláti levéltára", The other part of these family archives is held in the archives of Bratislava (Slovensky národny archív).

This book is of an ethnographic nature and it analyses the position the family had in the Gömör popular historical memory. But two chapters which describe the family history also form an elemental part of the book. These chapters themself are only brief, because of the ethnographic nature of this book.

A summary of each chapter can be read below:- The book provides a summary of the family’s estates in Hungary, thus they can be surveyed in time as well in space. With this information the role of the Putnok estate within the arborescent estates of the Serényi family can be depicted more clearly.- Due to Bálint Ila’s research, we already know that the Serényi family had a significant role in the resettlement of the area during the 18th century. From 1707 till the middle of the 18th century the settling went on, and so the ethnic composition changed significantly in this region. The dissertation monitors the changes in ethnic relations, as well as the process of assimilation and the development of the ethnic identity of Máié (Serényfalva), which can be characterized as a pure Slovak settlement.- It is proved that the reestablishment of the Catholic Church in Putnok and Máié is most closely associated with the name of Serényis. I deal with the history of the Catholic Church of Putnok, the Reformation, and thereafter the Counter-Reformation, commemorating Father Herkó, who became famous, and then infamous during the Counter-Reformation in the wider region. I deal with the abolition of the Catholic Church of Putnok, thereafter with its reestablish285