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

Family, Infancy (1855–1889)

FAMILY, INFANCY (1 855-1 889)

1881-1889

“Dear Mummy!

On the morn of your name-day What could I do for you, say? Putting together my two hands My good Lord I face, Asking to keep you And those to you dear In health, in prosperity, In his eternal grace.

Your loving son, Béla”

16 June 1889 - He gets variola revaccination in Nagyszentmiklós.

He performs finely at the final exam of elementary school year 4. His mother cannot attend the exam because she is still in search of a job, this time in Nagyszombat

(Pozsony county),

but this trip is also unsuccessful.

9 September 1889 - A school report straight outstanding is issued for Bartok. He registers into elementary year 5 at the same time, but he will not attend because around 16 September they move to Nagyszöllős

(Ugocsa county), into house No. 106.

The move is very complicated. Between 16 September and 1 October it is raining continually; the furniture is transported on a donkey cart, even the piano; the small flat hasn’t yet got a door or windows, there is no stove inside, and they manage to place hardly half of the furniture. Bartoks mother gets a monthly fee of 27 forints for teaching 84 children in the focal elementary school.

Bartok is not yet 9 years old, his mother doesn’t want to overexert him, so he gets enrolled again into elementary 4.

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