A Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Levéltár évkönyve 14. 1987 (Debrecen, 1987)

Tanulmányok - Béres András: A debreceni szűrszabók és gubacsapók pere a XIX. században

The Lawsuit between Woolen Felt-Cloak Makers and “Guba" Fullers in Debrecen

András Béres

One of the prominent handicrafts in the Hungarian Plains region was the manufacturing of woolen products. It was the wool-weavers, fullers, fleece-felt makers and woolen felt-cloak makers who laid the basis for the fact that a chartered guild of fullers came into existence in Debrecen as early as 1398. Until 1740 only fullers and felt cloak makers, known collectively as wool craftsmen, had been active in Debrecen. The fullers contributed to the preparation of the thick and compact cloth, while the cloak-makers sewed, hemmed, and embroidered the cloak.

The wearing of the “guba” (a long, sleeveless overcoat made from coarsely woven frieze) became widespread in Debrecen after 1740. At that time the craftsmen of the two orders got on well with each other. In 1745, a felt-cloak maker by the name of András Szombati, having seen that the purchasing of frieze—made popular in the area by the Transcarpathian Ukrainian serfs of Prince Rákóczi—from the area around Munkács and Ungvár by the Debrecen Trade Society had turned out to be profitable, had two Ruthenian women kenw the trade of spinning and weaving frieze. Anók Hiri and one by the name of Ersók, brought from Nagyszőllős, Ung County, Anna Hiri later got married to György Matolcsi, a Debrecen fuller, and she stayed here until her death, while the other woman returned to her homeland. As much is certain that these two women introduced the weaving and preparation of “guba” in Debrecen, and it was from them that the fullers of felt learned the trade. In 1800 there were 179 fullers of frieze in Debrecen, which figure by 1801 rose to 184.

What gave rise to the lawsuit was an ordinance of 1761 which provided that all the operations in manufacturing woolen products were to be the prerogatives of the guild of felt-cloak fullers, which also meant that “guba”-making was allowed for neither the felt-cloak makers nor amateur bunglers.

We have more than ample proof of the fact that the best “gubás” were made in Debrecen. It has also been proved that the making and use of these became increasingly more widespread at the expense of the felt cloaks.

And in order that the “guba” should be instantly available to the local customer, and so that it would not have to be obtained vicariously, “the two Ruski women” were brought in, who then taught the ocal craftsmen the tricks of the trade. Thereby the role of “guba”-jobbers as middlemen was eliminated.

The last guba-maker in Debrecen was Imre Harsányi. With his death the craft was discontinued, for his sons did not carry on the trade. Today a “guba” and the tools of its preparation can only be seen in museums, and the lawsuit, which lasted for two centuries, has become just a memory to be preserved.

Судебное дело между дебреценскими закройщиками армяков и вальщиками шерсти Андраш Береш

Одним из выдающихся ремесел степного края была обработка шерсти. Прядильщики, вальщики, обработчики шерсти, изготовители армяков «сюр» создали основание для того, что в Дебрецене уже в 1398 году начал работу патентный цех вальщиков. В Дебрецене до 1740 года процветало только ремесло вальщиков сукна и закройщиков сукна, как обработчиков шерсти. Вальщики пряли и ткали, закройщики шили, кантовали и вышивали сукно.

Валяные шубы стали распространяться в Дебрецене после 1740 года. В это время эти два ремесла еще были в хороших отношениях друг с другом. Однако в 1745 году мастер- закройщик сукна Андраш Сомбати после того, как увидел, что какую большую прибыль приносит дебреценскому обществу Кальмар закупка валяного сукна из окрестностей Мука- чево-Ужгород, производство которого было освоено там крепостными русинами во время княжения Ракоци, то и он привез в Дебрецен из местечка Надьсёллёш Ужгородской области двух женщин: Хири Аноку и Эршё, которые распространили здесь ремесло пряжи и ткания шубного сукна. Мастерица сермяков Хири Анна вышла замуж в Дебрецене за вальщика сукна Дьёрдья Матолци и проживала в городе до самой смерти. Другая женщина возвратилась на родину.

Очевидно одно, что именно они распространили в Дебрецене мастерство изготовления шубного материала и шитья валяных шуб и именно от них научились этому мастерству мастера сукна. В 1800 году количество вальщиков шерсти было 179, а в 1801 году их насчитывалось уже 184 человека.

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