É. Apor , I. Ormos (ed.): Goldziher Memorial Conference, June 21–22, 2000, Budapest.

ORMOS, István: The Correspondence of Ignaz Goldziher and Max Herz

ISTVÁN ORMOS establish a special section in the congress for the history of Islamic art, so that coordinated activities might replace independent research, the results of which specialists in different countries might only become acquainted with by mere chance. In Herz's view no better body could be thought of for this purpose than the International Congress of Orientalists. He asked Goldziher's opinion about this idea adding that in case of a negative response to this proposal he was ready to submit a paper on a certain period of Islamic art in Egypt instead. "I don't know whether my project will prove a failure because I should like to talk about the importance that the preservation of artistic monuments has for the study of archeology in order to conclude it with the proposal. The congress might assign qualified specialists to study the proposal whether it would be suitable to create a special section for Oriental archaeology within the congress. What is your opinion. Honoured Friend? I perceive the main ideas to be as follows: The preservation of monuments of architecture cannot be limited to simple technical work. This work itself brings to light this and that covered by the dust of centuries. Under the coarse layer of modern 'preservers' lie hidden so many valuable inscriptions which come to light again along with other precious data. The excavations again yield a rich harvest. (I enumerate some of the most important finds that have occurred in my practice.) It is well known that France is doing a great deal for the monuments of Muhammadan architecture on her territory, as is Egypt for her own. Russia is now beginning to turn her long withheld attention to the monuments of Mongolian architecture. But everybody is working for himself. The scholarly world comes to know of these works and finds and derives profit from them at least partially only by means of sporadic publications. How different it would be if an exchange of relevant ideas could be arranged. Would it be possible to find a better venue for this aim than the congresses of orientalists? (I am concluding with my proposal.) From the execution of this proposal I expect considerable beneficial effects but I really do not know whether 1 am making a proposal of something that already exists or something that has already been proposed and rejected earlier. 1 have neither participated in such a congress nor have I seen the proceedings of any of them. 1 want to deliver my lecture in French and possibly connect it to your report, in which of course you are going to talk about the 'Encyclopaedia', which will include everything pertaining to Orientalia. In case you should approve of the matter of the lecture, would you permit tne to send its text to you for inspection? Should 1 risk a fiasco with my project then I had better drop it and talk about one of the epochs of Arab architecture in Egypt if I find the data at my disposal sufficient because as may be easily understood I have left all my rich store of notes in Cairo. (Ich weiß nicht, ob ich mit meinem Entwurf keinen fiasco mache, denn ich möchte gerne über die Wichtigkeit der Arbeiten, die die Erhaltung der Baudenkmale für das Studium der Archaeologie hat, sprechen, um mit dem Antrag zu schließen: Der Congreß möchte geeigneten Faktoren zum Studium zuweisen, ob es nicht geeignet wäre, in der Zukunft eine spezielle Abteilung 194