N. Dvorszky Hedvig - F. Mentényi Klára szerk.: Műemlékvédelmi Szemle 1991/1. szám Az Országos Műemléki Felügyelőség tájékoztatója (Budapest, 1991)

Marianne Sallay-Hokky: Introduction

INTRODUCTION An old wish is being fulfilled now that the Review of the National Intendance of Historical Monuments (Országos Műemléki Felügyelőség, OMF) is on the launch, since specialists of the field have been, for some time cherishing the idea of a publication that might give short and quick information on a high professional standard about the latest achievements of monument protection, be it on research, architectural or classical restoration and, next to this, would serve with the most important news that might be of professional interest. Following the year-book of the institute and the Lapidarium Hungaricum the OMF Review is to be the third own series of publications issued by OMF. It is being launched in times when money is being ill provided showing all the more clearly how a good initiative will find realisation when backed up by understanding decision-makers. It is right and necessary to outline the aims and tasks of a new publication. Amidst the present reorganisation of the Hungarian establishment, and in spite of the many positive developments, cultural activities do face difficult days. This applies to monument protection, too. The public does not, or only partly knows the significance of its historical environment and has no idea of its spiritual and actual value. It is our task, therefore, to make the society aware of this and to get it acquainted with the practice of monument protection, which is partly protection, indeed, protection of values that are known, but just as much is it the detection of values yet unknown. Getting closer to eachother in understanding, we ought to join forces in enrichging our cultural heritage. The OMF Review that we plan to publish two to three times a year, is only one step taken in the direction we indicated above. As a first step, however, it will hopefully call attention to the work going on at OMF, the institute that is responsible for the protection of all monuments, the variedity of tasks its specialists are dealing with and above all to the monuments and their irreplaceable value. Marianne Sallay-Hokky