Budapest Régiségei 37. (2003)

Magyar Károly: Hollné Gyürky Katalin – Kata néni (1925-2002) 7-8

BUDAPEST RÉGISÉGEI XXXVII. 2003. KATALIN H. GYÜRKY - 'AUNTIE KATA" (1925-2002) Four years have hardly passed since I had the privilege to congratulate - though belatedly because of the slowness of publishing - our 'Auntie Kata" on her 70

th birthday when I wished her a further long life and succesful work. Unfortunately none of my wishes could be fulfilled, and it became my precious duty to write a memorial instead. As this is a professional journal it would be expected of me to give here a detailed professional praise displaying her research dealing mainly with monuments, beginning with St George Chapel in Veszprém, through the Monastery of Pannonhalma, the peak being the Dominican Friary in Buda or the Abbey of Kana. However, I will not do this because I find it more important to tell all about her what she "professional-personally" meant for me. Beginning my carreer at the Budapest Historical Museum it was a nice experience how the older generation of archaeologists accepted me without any professional jealousy. I could learn a lot from them, espesially from 'Auntie Kata". It is true even if- unfortunately we never worked together. Her studies written in a clear, logical style had already attracted my attention towards her person when I had to deal with them as part of the assignments during my university years. (It is interesting and typical that even an "outsider", a specialist in pre-historic archaeology, referred to her as to someone to whom it is worth becoming a famulus. This - unfortunately - never happened.) Later on, when I got to know her through conversations, I had the opportunity to see and understand how she works. Even tiny details did not escape her attention, and she was able to build up a whole image leading towards larger systems. It is one of my favourite memories as she was sitting drinking her coffee with some drawing records on her lap and enthusiastically she was explaining us the relations of the stratigraphy of the Dominican Friary or the Abbey of Kana. It was nice to go about Kana and its neighbourhood on a hot day, when keeping steps with us, the younger ones she was searching for the site of the mediaeval village. At another time she used to show some piece of glass telling us about its characteristics, what it could be like, when and where it could have been made. She was able to make the fragment into a whole - in drawing. Apart from her talent she was supported in this field by her arts studies. She received her degrees in archaeology and in art history, but it is not very well known that originally she was a specialist of the Roman period. The change of the direction of her professional interest became a valuable gift of Hungarian mediaeval archaeology She loved her profession, she was keen on sharing her knowledge and results with others. A young colleague has once said that he learned more in two weeks working closely with her than for two years before. Profession and colleagues liked her. (Unfortunately this could not have been expressed in a "materialized" way. I find it a personal defeat that despite several suggestions she has never been given any official rewards in archaeology. It is not that she had ever missed it!) It was enjoyable to listen to her arguments, especially because her objective professionalism was always accompanied by human brightness. Brightness and optimism never left her despite the difficult events of her life - that usually embittered others - the translocation and forced labour. Her good spirit was about her when we last met her, not long before her death. As her sight could have been improved she was very optimistic about her future possibilities, and helping the colleagues in their needs. Unfortunately Fate brought about another resolution. Though, though - and I can only repeat myself, we would have and could have learned a lot from Her. God bless You, 'Auntie Kata"! 8