Klemmné Németh Zsuzsa szerk.: Maróti Géza és Zebegény (1875–1941) (Pest Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága, 2003)

THE ZEBEGENY NATIONAL COLOUR AND HEROIC MEMORIAL ON THE CALVARY HILL It was in 1932 that Géza Maróti returned to Hungary alter a longer stay in the United States. The artist, who had had several commissions earlier, almost became isolated; he had no jobs at all. The neglect made him disappointed so he retired to his house in Zebegény. In these years, the public of Zebegénv decided to erect the National Colour. A civil association, the Choral Society of Zebegény started a fund to erect the National Colour, and got up a national subscription. First Miklós Huber, an architect of Budapest - a Zebegény holidaymaker for a long time - was commissioned to design the memorial. However, the jury may not have preferred his ideas because it was Géza Maróti, who finally got the job. The artist, who had long lived retired without any work, was enthusiastic about the task though he had to face a lot of difficulty. The jury's decision was to erect not only the National Colour but also a memorial to the soldiers of Zebegény, who died in the World War I so it was a monument of large dimensions, with complex symbolism to be designed. The chosen site was a north-south direction, long plateau, earlier called Kopaszhegy (Bald Hill), at the southern end of which stood a small Classicist white chapel built from donation in 1853. Maróti placed the National Colour at the northern point of the plateau, which ends in a steep headwall. When forming the bottom he applied the old form-structure of central space organisation preferred from the early medieval period. On an octagonal platform framed with a wall the post of the national flag is surrounded with four large stone columns. Maróti would like to have placed huge double crosses on top of the columns, which - when illuminated at night - could have been seen from kilometres. However, dreams rarely come true. A technical supervisor arbitrarily had the building of the four columns stopped so their final height was 80 centimetres lower than the original version. Even the huge double crosses did not get to their place, either. In spite of all 8 On the southern wall of the chapel there is a marble tablet saying: „Borbála Zoller, Mrs Jószef Fischer - 1788-1859 - had this chapel built in honour of our Lord anno Domini 1853. - 1936 Eastern" (Jenő Scharnbeck, one of the great-granddaughter's husband had the tablet placed.) A zebegényi Országzászló építkezés közben. Archív fotó, MNG/A Its?,.: 19699/1976/762 Az emlékművet építő mesterek és segédek csoportképe 1935 k. Fehö sor balról jobbra: Stum József, Krebsz Antal, Frank József, Cservenák Mihály, Frank Antal, Willem József, Hazafy Lajos, Középső sor balról jobbra: Himmer József (Szógyi), Nóvák József, Krebsz János, Kemenczik Antal, Varsányi Ádám, Gregor József, Krebsz György, Alsó sor balról jobbra: Kriechembaum Pál, Kocsis András, Himmer József, Fieszl Ferenc (Saki) Az eredeti fotó Fieszl Ferencné tulajdona, Paulisineczné Willem Vera gyűjteményében Ünnepség a Kálvária-hegyen 1938 k. Felismerhető személyek az előtérben: Koperniczky Sarolta, Koperniczky László és felesége, Németh Ferenc. Az eredeti fotó Szendródy Arnold tulajdona, Paulisineczné Willem Vera gyűjteményében