A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve 2016., Új folyam 3. (Szeged, 2016)
TÖRTÉNETTUDOMÁNY - Felletár Zsolt: Felbontatlan időkapszulák-kérdőjelek és fekete lyukak Szeged malomipari történetének kutatásában
Zsolt Felletár Unopened time capsules - research of the history of Szeged's milling industry Unopened time capsules - questions and black holes in the research of the history of Szeged's milling industry Zsolt Felletár In the last decades of the 19 th century the flagships of Szeged’s manufacturing industry were the milling, timber- and alcohol industries, therefore micro-level research showcasing the formation and development of these local industries has particular significance. Among these, it was probably the milling industry, which affected the local economy of Szeged the most; in spite of this, no basic research has been conducted in the last 20 to 25 years towards a better understanding of this strategically important sector or towards resolving conflicts between studies of various authors. By reinterpreting documents already processed by other authors, and by a deliberate and focused processing of newly found, archived documents and materials from domestic and foreign press, the author of the present study sheds light on various contradictions regarding, and uncovered milestones of the early research of Szeged’s milling industry, while displaying a careful, yet firm self-expression. Apart from dealing with professional literature from the beginning of the 19-20th century and of the 90s’, the study attempts to tackle an even more difficult conundrum right at the start: which one was the first operational, steam-powered mill of Szeged. As opposed to the Jordán-mill - being privileged by existing professional literature - the author gives priority to the short-lived Schwarcz-Weiner steam mill, even though the company operating the "flour factory” went bankrupt by the second year of its operation and probably the whole industrial complex was destroyed by an inferno. With regards to the Jordán-mill, he delimits the concept of founding a mill precisely, which is a prerequisite for creating a proper mill-genealogical order. After changing hands several times, the Jordán- mill came into a possession of Viktória Mill Corporation from Budapest, but the promising image of the future was shattered by an inferno, the mill was obliterated completely. We can familiarize ourselves with the details of this yet unpublished catastrophe, following the hour-by-hour events of the rescue operations. A similarly compelling story is the early history of the steam-powered mill, where new light is being shed on the structure of foreign owners, while the author specifies a different point of time for the startup of the factory from what’s been written in previous descriptions. Several, short writings of tycoon, art-protector, Upper House member Bernát Back of Bégavár have seen the light of day, his pioneer industrial activities however are only known to a lesser degree. At the end of the study we may have a glimpse into the appearance of the Back family at Szeged and into the operation of their enterprises, while getting an accurate picture of the previously incorrectly defined foundation of the Sons of Bernát Back Company. 194
