Demeter Zsófia - Gelencsér Ferenc: Örvendezz király város! - Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei. B. sorozat 51. A Fejér Megyei Múzeumegyesült kiadványai 8. (Székesfehérvár, 2002)

A tanulmány forrásai

tic that Arnold Marosi, the director of the museum wrote even in 1931, how much Székesfehérvár needed an accepted, long-term plan for the organisation of the town. The high-standard and unified conception dates from this time, and to a certain extent it still today determines our life-space.

Institutionally and according to plan it was the first time in Hungary, when a “face-lift” was planned for a town including, as well as alterations to buildings and squares, unification of shop signs. Behind the large organisation process were István and Károly Möller, Iván Kotsis, Ferenc Schmidl and Tibor Molnár. Through Bálint Hóman came state development. Besides, for the pre-celebratory year building the town sacrificed 8.5 million pengős. From the point of view of this building construction, primarily the development of public services and the employment it was also significant that creating jobs meant many could make a living who had been previously in need. 36% of the costs of the jubilee year’s construction work was pay to the workers, and local tradesmen were preferred on tenders.

Visitors saw the outward signs of the development with amazement. Both Hungarian and foreigners alike used the fairy-tale motive in their description that during this time the city became Queen Cinderella. The mayor and his excellent group of experts chose and placed statues in the re-arranged and modernised town-centre. In 1937-38 seven statues were made, but not all of them were placed in their permanent positions. In the celebratory year it was decided, with respectful moderation, that the already eventfully full year shouldn’t merely consist of unveiling of statues. On 19th May, the forgotten 250th anniversary of

the liberation from Turkish occupation (19th May 1688) was one of the main parts of the spring events in St. Stephen Year. This time the high-relief well by Ferenc Medgyessy - 1543-1688, dates from the Turkish occupation, but the inscription St. Stephen always stands here on guard refers to the celebratory year.

Together with the event of May 19, others were also commemorated, those whose monuments were dedicated, re-located or completed. Thus names like Prince St. Emeric, György Varkocs, Ferenc Wathay, Domonkos Kálmáncsai and the fallen of the 1st World War were mentioned. On 18th August the unveiling of the St. Stephen statue was officially tied to that of the Garden of Ruins and the Louis the Great statue, too.

The decision to erect of the St. Stephen statue had already been made in 1894 by Parliament, but only the 1938 celebration brought this plan close to realisation. The plans put forward by Bálint Hóman were put to Parliament by Prime Minister Darányi, and won support. Ferenc Sidló was entrusted with the realisation of this in Januaiy 1937. The members of the statue committee were able to see the model of the statue on 11th March, in Budapest. At this time it was decided that the artist could start work on the real statue when the place had been decided on. For the choice of the exact location of the statue they made a life-size replica in the scenery department of the Opera House and this was taken to the Main Square to find the best place for the statue. Another year passed until the decision was made for the permanent, that is today’s place for the statue. The director of the museum, Arnold Marosi’s recommendation was accepted, that the statue should stand in front of the County Hall.

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