Archívum - A Heves Megyei Levéltár közleményei 14. (Eger, 1996)

TANULMÁNYOK • KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Horváth László: Adatok az egri prostitúció újkori történetéhez • 169

László Horváth Data to the Modern History of Prostitution in Eger Prostitution is an ancient institution in Eger, too. It is not a static phenomenon because it is being changed by the transformation of the customs, it is influenced by the modification of jurisdiction or the economic changes. It is a long-term phenomenon, which has survived all the social structures and mentality, still the topic has completely escaped the attention of historical research. In this study, the author has restricted his results of research mainly to the second half of the nineteenth century. The researcher's work in exploring the history of prostitution in Eger was facilitated by the fact that Eger was a prominent church centre. A severe conservative town-atmosphere and a rigorous morál attitűdé can be observed in most of the sources. The basis of the author's data consists of complaining letters and protesting documents. It is the irony of fate that this is why working up the modern history of prostitution in Eger has been easy and become lasting in memory. The first, still remained register of the prostitutes was made in 1855. It is by far the earliest one, nationally, too, and the author compares it in detail with the data of the next register made in 1858. He states that that period reflects a transitional condition between the non-institutional prostitution and the regulated one which was medically checked. The classical brothel system, whose first representative legal regulation, the „Regulations of the Brothels in Eger" was made in 1890, was developed in the 1870-ies. The study surveys the stages of the introduction of the regulation in Eger. Traditional prostitution, whose scenes were the pubs, cafés or the Street, gave its place to the brothels temporarily, because by the end of the century this institution had become more and more expensive both for the guests and the hosts, hostesses than other forms of prostitution in Eger. This process, which was similar nationally, was made more emphatic by one brothel in Eger, kept without rivalry artficially, the institution of priváté prostitutes and the fact that it was impossible to suppress prostitution. The author touches upon alsó the girl-trading connections of Eger in the NorthEastern Hungárián region. It was closely connected first with the prostitutional businesses of Gyöngyös, later with those of Debrecen, Oradea, Miskolc and Luczenec. 190