Tanulmányok Budapest Múltjából 29. (2001)

A BUDAI KIRÁLYI VÁR ÉS A VÁRNEGYED MINT POLITIKAI, GAZDASÁGI ÉS KORMÁNYZATI KÖZPONT - Ujváry Gábor: A budai királyi palota a "neobarokk társadalomban" : a palota és a nagypolitika a két világháború között 105-124

"National" and "Christian" were the leitmotifs of most happenings held in the Palace all of which sought to glamorise and glorify Horthy and his self styled regency. The Palace assumed an important role in these "image-building" efforts, and the neo-baroque genius loci of the place had an essential legitimising role. Unflaggingly reminding people of the glorious past that radiated from every nook and cranny, the Establishment made the Royal Palace an excellent vehicle for its political workings. Which explains why it became the actual centre of politics and public administration, and the symbol of the Horthy era. Although legislation took place in Parliament, the main trends of domestic and foreign politics were agreed on in the Royal Palace and in the neighbouring Alexander Palace. The regent had a considerable share in executive power. Horthy was in the Palace during King Charles IV's abortive attempt to return to power, which posed a great threat to the counter-revolutionary system. It was in the Palace that Horthy appointed his prime ministers to form their governments and develop their programme. It was in the Palace that new governments Were sworn in and first met the press. Frequently, cabinet meetings were held in the Palace; Privy Council meetings always. Destined to be one of the arch-supporters of the system, the Vitéz (Valiant) Order, too, was founded in the Palace. Also, it was in the Palace that Horthy received in audience his ministers and other leading politicians, church dignitaries, various delegations, and —because representing Hungary abroad fell within his jurisdiction— envoys and important foreign statesmen, and scientists and artists, too. The first foreign head of state to visit Hungary after World War I was Miklas, federal governor of Austria, in 1937. His visit was followed, in the same year, by the Italian king and emperor Victor Emmanuel's. For these occasions the Palace was revamped: the royal suites in the wing, built under Maria Theresa (where previously Francis Joseph had lived), were redecorated and modernised. Otherwise practically nothing was done to the Palace during Admiral Miklós Horthy's regency. The Horthy family moved in, and only the library was converted to some extent. Only the furnishings of István Horthy's apartment altered the interior of the Krisztinaváros wing. István Horthy moved in after he was wedded to the legendary beauty, Countess Ilona Edelsheim-Gyulai. Their four-room apartment was relatively simple. The idyllic peace of the Palace was shattered as a result of the Nazi Arrow Cross party's takeover of power, led by Ferenc Szálasi on 15 October 1944, and the siege of Buda Castle in World War II. Although many of its (private, not yet public) treasures were stolen during this time, most of the valuable furniture, paintings, and other works of art remained intact until the siege. The last Palace event of Szálasi 's fascist government was the "nation-leader's" oath on the Holy Crown on 4 November 1944. The Palace itself during the siege was sealed off from the rest of Buda Castle, and fell under special military command-given that it served as the headquarters of the so-called "Budapest Fortress." A military hospital was set up in the basement in as early as January, and the retreating German-Hungarian armies occupied more and more of its rooms. From early February fires sprung up sporadically, most of which could not extinguished due to the lack of water. Parts of the Palace were completely destroyed as a result, and due to daily air raids; however, most paintings, sculptures, porcelain, and Gobelin tapestries survived the siege. We can only guess what happened to these survived works of art... However, there is only one thing for certain: symbolically, buried underneath the ruins was Horthy's political system, too. By demolishing the damaged (otherwise repairable) parts of the complex, and by completely altering the interior spaces in the Fifties and Sixties, the very last traces of the Neobaroque royal-cum — regency palace were gone forever. The rebuilt and converted Palace was to become a symbol of the new regime — with a different meaning.