Budapest, 1945. (1. évfolyam)

1. szám - BÁNRÉVY GYÖRGY: A Népszínház alapítása

CHARLES MARX'S LETTERS TO BERTALAN SZEMERE In the MS.-Collection of the~Budapest University Library 9 letters — in English — of Ch. Marx's have recently been found. They are dated from London, from the years 1859—60, where Marx lived and worked after being ex pelled from France. In that time B. Szemere, the late prime minister of the independent hungarian government (1849) lived in Paris in exile. So far it was known only that they met and had some connection with each other but these letters throw light now on the character of their friendship. Though only two of them are signed by Marx's name, the rest being signed »Wilhams« there is no doubt about the person of their author. The two signed »Marx« date from the time when Szemere stayed in London trying to market his wine there (1859) and the rest were sent to him to Paris. Szemere mentions in his diary having met the »famous German author and emigrant« and makes there a short note of their discussion. The main subject was Kossuth whom Szemere blamed for his recent behaviour. Kossuth had dealings with everybody in whom he saw a possible ally for fighting out Hungary's freedom and independence. Marx, several articles of whom were published in the New York Tribune, was all for revolution, spoke about Kossuth as of a hero of Europe but, he expressed his disappointment when he learned that Kossuth got in touch with french reaction. In this both Marx and Szemere agreed and planned a »Mutual Action«. Szemere gave him material for the campain launched in the press. In 1860 (4th

letter) he asked Szemere to inform him about the »true conditions in Hungary« in general and particularly about Kossuth and Klapka's supposed friendly relations. This he needed for the attack delivered against Vogt, the Swiss professor. Vogt believed that the german and italian interests were the same, therefore, if Napoleon could liberate Italy, the Germans should not try to prevent him in this but at the same time, they should get hold of Schleswig-Holstein on the North for themselves. As Marx and Engels were fighting against both tzarism and bonapartism, they were against the alliance of the two ideologies and Marx, therefore, published a vehementhy written book against »Herr Vogt« (London, 1860). Szemere tried to dissuade him from dealing with Vogt's imimportant writings. Several items of the additions — in relation with events in Hungary — in Marx's »Herr Vogt« seem to originate from Szemere. One of the reasons why Marx attacked Vogt was that the Swiss professor tried to help the forming of a tremendous panslavistic empire including Bohemia, Hungary, the roumanian principalities, and even Austria which empire as Marx put it — would mean the end of the Hungarian people. He explained his standpoint in the question of tzarism in his 7No letter (2tt

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June, 1860.) »I have read your book with much pleasure and profit. I concur in the main views you take of the conditions necessary for the restoration of Hungary, but I dissent for the apology passed on Bonaparte and Palmerston. The latter has in 1848—9, betrayed Hungary, as well, as Italy. He had before acted in the same way in regard to Poland: he, afterwards treated in the same way Circassia. He is still, what he was since 1829 — a Russian agent, bound to the Petersburg cabinet by ties it is not in his power to cut through. Russia, of course, wants the destruction of the Austrian Empire, but what she not wants is the formation of the constituent elements of that empire into independent and selfsustaining states. A true reconstruction of Hungary would even more stand in the way of Russian Eastern diplomacy than tottering, vacillating and frightened Austria.« All these'letters show that Ch. Marx felt a deep sympathy toward the cause of hungarian freedom and that he esteemed B. Szemere. He even kindly helped him in finding an English publisher and, also, to market his wine in London. Marx wrote very little about himself though it is known that he lived on modest funds. When, in 1860, Szemere was in London again, they could not meet but he made the acquaintance of Engels through him. At this point we have no further details of their relations. We only hope that a duly extended research could revail many unknown items of this most. interesting connection of the two great men. Domokos Kosáry 2000 YEARS OLD BUDAPEST The roar of cannons barely died away over the »Queen of the Danube«, in the town, suffering the results of german vandalism, life barely started, individuals like public administration had to overcome superhuman difficulties to free the metropolis from the deadly clasp of famine when the first book about Budapest appeared in English and Russian under the title : 2000 years old Budapest. The part dealing with antiquity and Middle Ages is written by S. G. Zakariás, the rest by S. Lestyán. They both solved the problem masterly, the problem that used to lead to stereotyp and constructional faults in works of this Kind. In the history of ancient times the few and — many a times unimportant — details must be wrought into consistent history while in the part dealing with later events, the author must carefully select the most characteristic items of a too rich choice of facts. The authors did a considerably good work on their fields so that the reader enjoys, in the history of Budapest, a wellbalanced, sensibly proportioned lecture without the usual jolts when led from one age to the next. Not one essencial data of the history of the town has been neglected still, there is no page where the reader would not find some refreshment in the colourful touch of international connections or in the charming, chatty way how they mention a fact of culture-historic nature. The notable authors were led not only by their wast knowledge but also by love. By their love for the City. László Mátrai ABOUT THE TASK OF BUILDING NEW FLATS IN BUDAPEST The conscription finished on the 25th March, 1945, resulted in showing that from the 295.000 lodgings in Budapest, there were left after the siege undamaged ». 215.635 — 73.0% partly usable 47.322 — 16.0% unfit for use but restorable 18.775— 6.4% absolutely destroyed 13.588— 4.6% total 295.320— 100 % It looks to be very satisfactory at first sight that more than % of the flats escaped destruction though we must note that glass- or other minor damages (on the walls e. g.) are overlooked and flats with such defects are considered undamaged. When we see that there are 47 thousand flats to be repaired and 13.500 new ones must be built to have the pre-siege quantity of dwellings we cannot deny the greatness of the work to be done. W hen judging the figures, attention must be paid to the lessened number of the population (832.800) though this unusually low figure — so we hope — is only of transitory validity. The number of rooms, ПОЛУ unusable but restorable (not counting the offices) is 88.000 and there must be new ones built for 25.000 absolutely destroyed. L. Bene BUDAPEST REVUE HISTORIQUE ET SOCIALE ILLUSTRÉE PUB LIÉE PAR LA VILLE DE BUDAPEST LA PLUS ANCIENNE IMAGE DE BUDA PAR ETIENNE GENTHON De toutes les images, jusqu'ici connues, de la capitale hongroise, la premiere en date est l'omement de la Chronique de Schedel. Hartmann Schede!, humaniste de Nuremberg est l'auteur d'un ouvrage de peu de valeur scientifique, paru en 1493 sous le titre de Liber Chronicarum, qui inaugure, du point de vue de Buda, la série vertigineuse de t ant d'oeuvres diverses illustrées des vues de notre antique cité. Sur le maítre-autel de la cathédrale de , Casovie (Kassa), achevé entre 1474 et 1477, on peut voir au fond, du cóté gauche de la composition représentant la Résurrection, un fier chäteau-fort entouré de murs, dans un chaos sympathique et selon le goüt médiéval de toits, de tours, de portails et de bastions. И n'est pas difficile de découvrir dans le bloc de constructions le plus en relief, ä savoir dans la puissante tour aux assises solides, le noyau le plus ancien, daté encore de l'époque des Anjou, du chäteau royal de Buda, en d'autres termes la tour dite »Etienne«. Cette vue montre Bude du cóté de la campagne de Tabán et la place exacte donnée ä cette tour caractéristique de mérne que l'accent affectueux mis sur ses ornements gothiques rendent l'hypothese absolument plausible selon laquelle nous avons affaire ä une représentation de Bude plus ancienne que la gravure sur bois de la chronique schédelienne. 9 LETTRES DE CHARLES MARX A BERTALAN DE SZEMERE Dans sa collection de manuscrits, la Bibliotheque Universitaire de Budapest garde 9 lettres en langue anglaise de Charles Marx, parmi les papiers de Bertalan de Szemere. Ces lettres sont de 1859—60, époque ou Marx séjournait ä Londres, tandis que Bertalan de Szemere, ci-devant président du conseil hongrois, vivait en mérne temps dans Immigration ä Paris. Nous savions depuis longtemps, gráce ä certaines allusions dans les oeuvres 40