Balogh Zoltán – Fodor Miklós Zoltán (szerk.): Neograd 2013 - A Dornyay Béla Múzeum Évkönyve 37. (Salgótarján, 2014)
Történelemtudomány - Bódi Zsuzsa: A salgótarjáni kisiparosok az 1920-as években
THE CRAFTMEN OF SALGÓTARJÁN IN THE 1920-IES ZSUZSA BÓDI In Salgótarján, in the 1920-ies the economical difficulties were present together with the progress. Moreover, the growing population of the village then the town needed the service sector, the handicraft for its everyday life. As a result, during the second half of the 19th century, many craftsmen came to Salgótarján from all over the country. They built their houses and workshops on the lots purchased from the peasants. In the examied era the production of the factories was continuously growing, but the handicraft with its 25% in the national production was an important factor as well. The economical crisis following the war made a big pressure on the craftmen: because of the border changes they have lost the mayor part of their constumers, and the middle class has impoverished as well. That is why in the examinated era, the struggle for the survival defined the large part of their life. In the 1920-ies, the most part of the craftmen was working in the catering trade, the food and apparel industry with only one or without an assistant. The reason of that was the modesty of their financial possibilities and their lack of capital. Their circulating capital was in the best case as well only 100-150 Pengő. That is why they were forced to ask deposit from their customers. The craftmen - despite of their mostly modest financial possibilities, income and way of life - were representing important values in the society of Salgótarján, which fact was recognized and honored by the other citizens and the gentlemanly middle class. Their entrepreneurial spirit, their independence, as well as their self-sufficiency were estimated. All that came from the evidence that the craftman could only get by if they were reliable, truthful, honest, competent, living a consolident, thrifty life. The appreciation, the reputation were signed by the fact that many craftmen were the member of the city council and they were participating in the community and social life of the town as well.
