Szirácsik Éva (szerk.): Neograd 2009 - A Nógrád Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 33. (Salgótarján, 2010)

Cs. Sebestyén Kálmán: „...és múzeum.” (Múzeumalapítási kísérletek Salgótarjánban)

NEOGRAD 2009 NOGRAD MEG

ÁRMÚZEUMOK ÉVKÖNYVE XXXIII.

As an initiator the National Convention of Hungarian Towns in 1926 was needed, which invited towns without their own town history, to have it written and collect objects, pictures relating to town life so as to provide a base for a town museum. The call was sent by Dr Kálmán Förster, the mayor of Salgótarján to Dr Béla Dornyay, teacher of geography and natural studies at the local secondary school, who was at the same time asked to work out plans for implementation. For Dornyay the task was not a new one, as he had helped with founding several museums before.

Twofold work started: besides having objects, the written sources on Salgótarján had to be explored also for writing the monography. In this Dornyay relied on large number of acquaintances. The first summary of the research work published in 1929, under the title ’A Detailed Guide to Salgótarján and the Karancs-Medves Region’ contained many data which had not been known before about the past of the settlement. From time to time in the weekly ’Munka’ (’Labour’) Béla Dornyay published several dozens of articles for the general public about the historical and natural treasures of Salgótarján and its surroundings and about the importance of exploring the past and collecting objects.

The reactions to the museum opening efforts were different: critical, ironic, from those thinking ’they were men of letters’, but not seeing the importance of the cause, from many offering support but only for the established museum. However, there was an obstacle in realization, which was a delaying factor for almost a decade: the lack of showrooms. When the problem seemed to be solved, Béla Dornyay left Salgótarján, and attention and resources focused on World War 2. The greatest achievement attributed to Dornyay and some of his ex-students, is that the exploring of sources and publishing them on the history of Salgótarján were started.

After the end of the war the idea was raised again. But the Town Council only in the 1954 town development policy plans included opening a town history museum, without allocating financial resources. The real step was taken in April 1956 with a shift in thoughts: while earlier a traditional town history museum was in focus, the new concepts extended it with a thematic and ideologically-politically more influential labour movement character. But again implementation was delayed because of problems of location. Finally, when opened in 1959, the museum had to share its building with ’joint tenants’.

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