Angi János – Lakner Lajos (szerk.): A Debreceni Déri Múzeum Évkönyve 2015 (Debrecen, 2015)

Földrajztudomány - Kecskés Tibor: Debrecen városfejlődése az I. világháború éveiben (A város háborús földrajza)

DEBRECEN VÁROSFEJLŐDÉSE AZ I. VILÁGHÁBORÚ ÉVEIBEN

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Tibor Kecskés

THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF DEBRECEN DURING WORLD WAR I (THE WAR-TIME GEOGRAPHY OF THE TOWN)

Even though World War I spared Debrecen, the everyday life of the town was influenced by the fight on the fronts. In Debrecen, just as in other towns of Hungary, everything was subordinated to the war victory. Due to the war, production and work organisation had to be altered and rationalised. During the investigated period, most businesses struggled to survive due to economic difficulties, yet some managed to overcome the crisis because of the demands of war industry. Alongside the poor, war widows, and war orphans of the town, families in need who had fled from the war also needed to be cared for. Despite the unfavourable economic environment, the town leadership tried to launch and continue

as many planned and ongoing projects as possible. The most important of the war-time projects was the start and continuation of the construction of the buildings of the university. The infrastructural development of certain quarters was also slowed down by the war. The war had a most severe impact on the operation of cultural and educational institutions. Nevertheless, it was still possible to found and develop some institutions. During World War I, the health infrastructure of the town played an increasingly important role. It was urgent to improve the situation in the health system in order to attend to wounded soldiers and to contain the epidemics which also threatened the civil population. During the investigated period, the population of the town slightly increased, as many moved to Debrecen from its environs, and there were several refugees there as well.