Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)

War Years (1914–1919)

WAR YEARS (1914-1919)

1919

12 April

- Peoples commissar of public education György

Lukács

issues

a certification (No. 407/1919) of exemption from requisitioning the 4 room flat at 28 Teréz

Street,

Rákoskeresztúr.

21 April (Easter Monday) - In Budapest the Scala bureau of concert organisers arranges a composers evening. Ilona Durigo sings the 5 Ady Songs accompanied by Bartok, the Waldbauer

Quartet

play String Quartet No. 2, and Bartok plays Elegy No. 1, Suite Op. 14, and Three Etudes Op. 18.

23 April

- Bartok gives a certificate to Mrs Géza

Aczél attesting

that she is his pupil of piano.

25 April

- The Peoples Commissariat of Public Education exempts him from requisitioning under No. 2706. This same day even two trade union passes get issued for him, identically phrased but with different numbering (780. and 1543.).

29 April

- The National Hungarian Musicians’ Union issues a membership certificate with the same number as one of the trade union passes (1543).

1 May

- Bartok spends this day at his home in Rákoskeresztúr.

In the meantime an exceedingly noisy family of Slovakian farm hands is settled into the outbuilding, regardless of the exemption of the flat. The economical situation is steadily deteriorating, and there are more and more alarming rumours.

So beginning with 3 May the Bartoks carry their belongings deemed of value, like their books, Bartoks cylinders and clothing to Budapest.

14 May

- They are present at the propaganda afternoon of Lajos Kassák

’s periodical Ma (Today) in Budapest. A noisy demonstration ensues, but Kassák

shows

the door to the troublemakers. - Mrs Bartok writes to Pozsony:

“Béla has

almost completed the pantomime”.

15 May

- Bartok has to go for conscription again, this time to the Red Army, to the 367th enrolling committee in Rákoskeresztúr.

He

is found unsuitable again.

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