A Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Levéltár évkönyve 25. 1998 (Debrecen, 1998)

Tanulmányok - Tóth Ágnes: A kaszinó szerepe a reformkori Debrecen életében

érintetlen maradt. A liberális eszméknek nem igazán sikerült átformálnia a kor követelményeinek már nem megfelelő cselekvési és gon- dolkozási sémákat. Már ekkor megkezdődött a város társadalma részéről egy olyan befelé fordulás és elzárkózás a környező világtól, amit Balogh István így fogalmazott meg: „...a magyar élet hullámai már el sem érik. A szellemi élet mozgalmaira innen nincs válasz, de még a kor politikai mozgalmai sem okoznak mozgást.”41

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____________________Tóth Ágnes: A kaszinó szerepe a reformkori Debrecenben

The role of the Citizens’ Club in the life of Debrecen in the Reform Era

Ágnes Tóth

The first club in Debrecen was opened on 3rd March 1833, the second one in 1841. From that time on the one established first was called “Gentlemen’s Club”, the newly founded one “Citizens’ Club”. Although their social bases differed (the one opened first was the favourite meeting place of the landowners of the region and the leading circles of the city, the second offered conditions for cultured conversation and entertainment for the citizenry), as to their objectives they were very similar. There were many who were members of both clubs. They were enthusiastic advocates of the union of the two establishments. This unification, however, came about only in 1848 under the influence of the great ideas of the period. From this time on the Club continued its activities with the name “Citizens’ Club”. Both clubs had done a lot for the changes in the outer appearance and inner life of the city. Although they refrained from participating in the actual political life, they served with their activities the economic and cultural objectives of the civic development of the Reform Era. In addition to the cultural programmes the members were able to avail themselves of the opportunities of entertainment which were offered by the Club through its gambling hall, restaurant, dancing parties and concerts. As a society, the Club, by propagating and popularizing progressive ideas, did outstanding services to the cause of national and social progress, to literature and science.

Balogh István I. m. 67.

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