Héjjas Pál - Horváth M. Ferenc: Régi képeslapok - Old postcards - Alte Ansichtskarten, 1896 - 1950 - Váci Történelmi Tár 2. (Vác, 2001)

Város a Duna partján - történeti áttekintés

In the spirit of counter-reformation, to spread and strengthen Catholicism the Bishop took the necessary measures. They renewed the diocesan organization, the chancellery, the household, reorganized the estate, established two parish churches and settled monastic orders: the Dominicans in 1699, the Piarists in 1714 and the Franciscans in 1719. Outside the hierarchy countless secular religious organizations came into being - e.g. the St Joseph society -, which apart from their main targets caring for the sick and funeral arrangements, they served religious life and moral education as well. The Reformed people could take a minister into service or build their church only after Joseph IPs edict of tolerance. The Greek Orthodox people of Serbian, Macedonian and Albanian origin had their significant community and church in the town. Some of them left Vác later others were Magyarized by the end of the century. The livelihood of the town's inhabitants rested on several foundations, as before. The tight boundaries - only a small part of the serfdom had full plots by the end of the century - and the hilly region made viticulture possible and the wine of Vác reputable. Farmlands were less significant and animal husbandry even less so. The end of the 1600's reorganized part of the guild, their number reaching 25 by the end of the 18 century. The relatively large number of tradesmen represented 35-40 professions. The town along important commercial roads - with a decreasing trade towards the end of the century - effectuated long distance commerce. Its four national fairs and the market holding right received from Maria Theresa in 1761 made it an outstanding market district in the region. Clergy reorganized elementary schools, Bishop Migazzi reformed their operation based on his conceptions, which were well ahead of his time. The Piarist Secondary School founded in 1714 obtained national reputation and extended its attraction towards several northern counties. The Theological Seminary reorganized after the Turks' expulsion belonged to the category of secondary educational institutions. It was founded by Maria Theresa in 1762, being the short lived College of Young Noblemen, then the Theresianum from 1767, and finally a Secondary School from 1793, which expanded the secondary school curriculum, founded theological studies on philosophy, and offered legal studies too. The end of the 18 century commenced with battles and military occupation. Local people could get acquainted with the ideas of the Enlightenment from French war prisoners, some Piarist teachers and the first Hungarian literary magazine, Urania, printed in Vác. The beginning of the 19 century brought no easier period into the life of the town. Europe was preparing against Napoleon, recruiting was habitual, Muscovite troops marched through the town twice, therefore it reached a "state deserving compassion". To all these contributed a Treasury Inspector, Anchely's tyranny, who in time of vacancy of the Episcopal See supervised Episcopal properties including Vác. In 1809 our town experienced again the consequences of the war. Monasteries, schools, the Deaf and Mute Institute inaugurated 5 years before were converted into war hospitals to treat thousands of soldiers wounded in the battle of Győr. Then they were transported by towboats to Pest-Buda. The town with its growing population within its tight confines could only support its inhabitants with difficulty and they were contesting the current bishop for more favourable conditions, for bigger grazing lands, for inn-keeping right, for wine selling permission, for reappraisal of the confines. Only Prebendal-Vác could grasp the opportunity of the law relating to vassals issued in 1832/ 36, as in 1841 they could buy off part of their compensation. Material improvement brought together with it the strengthening of civic consciousness. In the reform era the town extricated itself from more and more feudal burdens. After a trial in 1840, Episcopal-Vác strengthened its town status led by a regular council, versus its landowner, in 1805 the township of Vác accepted the decree of the county regarding official use of the Hungarian language, introduced the teaching of housekeeping skills for girls, opened the post-graduate Sunday schools, and the first nursery. In the spirit of the reform age they adopted a view of "the cultivation of the human mind". They urged the kind of teaching which would educate children not only "to fear God", but also to acquire practical knowledge to achieve the earthly goods. The inhabitants of the city took up civil habits: they organized "public entertainment" in the Shooting League, went for walks to the Seven Chapels, and went to newly organized reading circles. At the same time with the propagation of spiritual light, in 1839 they lit the first 4 streetlights as well. In 1846 they opened the first railway between Pest and Vác, which "with the speed of lighting" carried the gentlemen, Sándor Petőfi the "fire-spirited" poet, the market-holders, and pickpockets between the two towns. The news of the Revolution of March 15

th 1848, reached the town on that very day. They organized 4 companies of national guards. After the beginning of the freedom fight they offered the church bells and established field hospitals. The town got into the middle of the war events. Not only the transit camp but also the bivouac troops, the hospitalised soldiers and certainly those in requisition laid a big burden upon the town. Two fate-deciding battles were fought in the town. One of them was the battle of 10. April 1849, when the Hungarian troops led by Damjanich and Klapka, won a victory against the Austrians led by Christian Götz. After the battle of Vác in 1517 July, Hungarian troops escaped pursuit, but the Russians called to help by the Austrians, caused considerable damage in secular and ecclesiastical goods. After the repression of the freedom fight they hoisted the Austrian flags and the dark shadows of reprisal and absolutism closed in on the country. However, during the almost 2 decades of absolutism numerous measures were born serving civil progress. From the middle of the '60's a few institutions were established: the Savings Bank of Vác, the Casino and the Young Men's Club. In 1848 the landowner's authority and jurisdiction over the twin-town ceased although they could assert their local government right only after the compromise of 1867. After several unsuccessful attempts the two towns united in 1859.