J. Pótó, M. Tolnai, P. Zilahy (eds.): Understanding the Hungarian Academy of Sciences : a guide

Sándor Kónya: A Brief History Of The Hungarian Academy Of Sciences (1825-2002)

SÁNDOR KÓNYA: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (1825-2002) Sections began to hold separate meetings only from the 1840s on. New members were elected by the assembly by secret ballot on the written recommendation of honorary and full members. Organizing the Society's library enriched the Society and helped improve the conditions of scholarly work. Its foundations were laid by the Teleki family's 30,000 volume library and enriched by further donations and the foreign exchange of books. It also acquired important manuscript bequests. János Arany described the first decade of the Academy as follows: "When our Society was founded, in six sections at first according to the six main sciences, the sections were not separated according to the needs of independent work. The Academy always holds joint meetings; and, generally, true to the aim formulated in the bylaws, namely, 'the study and propagation of the sciences in Hungarian,' it tends to regard itself a 'language cultivating' association in accord with the old wish of the patriots, rather than a scholarly society working according to fields of study. At this time, the minutes show an intimate, almost familiar picture of the sessions. A few honorary, 8 or 10 full members, the anointed representatives of literature, and sometimes one or two corresponding members gather weekly. They confer and criticize articles in the journal; sometimes the subject is some field of study, the bee-like busy collection of dialectal words and technical terms; the screening and re-coining of the latter; preparatory work in wording and lexicography, the encouragement of belles letters, the standardization of literary language, making the achieved aesthetic revival permanent, and further developing it; in short, aspirations to improve and expand the Hungarian language, to propagate science in Hungarian. This effort is made not only at the center: the corresponding members are under obligation to send in strictly taken periodical reports and they are assigned with supervision of provincial printing houses, etc. The machinery is simple, but, in view of the results, the years of self-sacrificing work that the most eminent among us have put into things, sometimes not meant for geniuses, deserves all our gratitude." During the first decade of the Learned Society's existence, its organizational framework operational system were established. At the same time, the partly organizational shortcomings, which became an obstacle to work, also came to the surface. The emergent reform aspirations in the country also exerted their influence in the Society, as a result of which proposals and demands for increased professionalism, as well as certain organizational changes, were formulated. A debate started on the aims of the Society over whether the Academy was a scholarly or a linguistic institute. Proposals were made to reorganize the six sections into four or three sections and concurrently establish their autonomy in their respective fields of study. There were criticisms of the power wielded by the Governing Board and the learned body's dependent position. It was noted that the natural sciences needed greater scope and greater financial assistance. These aspirations led to certain internal changes, but any modification of the bylaws was resisted by the Court. The Learned Society, or the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (as it came to be called after 1845), worked successfully up to 1848 in developing the Hungarian language and literature and the national theater. It espoused the collection of Hungarian folk poetry, posted competitions for the solution of questions of national interest, and commissioned the writing and translation of plays. It laid the foundations for scientific book and journal publishing in Hungary. It regularly awarded prizes for outstanding scientific and literary achievements. The prelude to and outbreak of the 1848 revolution, again brought the unsolved questions to the surface. On March 20, 1848, preparations for reforming the bylaws began. Some of the proposals for reform put forth that officers be elected by the members and not by the Governing Board, that the state extend financial assistance to the Academy, and that the lectures be made public. Others said that the measure of Academy members should be talent and knowledge, not birth or privileges. However, military actions pursuant to the outbreak of the revolution prevented the convening of the assembly to modify the bylaws as planned for the fall. The reform had to wait for better times. But they did not come. The country's occupation after the defeat of the revolution and the war for independence greatly restrained the work of the Academy. It resumed partial activity only in spring 1850 with the imperial commissioner's permission. It was allowed to hold the weekly meetings but not the assembly for electing members. The new vice-president, Count György Andrássy, instead of the sickly president, directed the Academy's limited work. The Academy — on imperial order — requested a license to operate, the granting of which was condition11