Technikatörténeti szemle 22. (1996)

Papers from the Second International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Eger, Hungary, 16–19 August, 1995) - Vámos, Éva Katalin: Contributions to the History of the Association of Hungarian Chemical Industrials

In issue No. 15

26 of the same volume we can find a long obituary of Vince Wartha written by Ignác Pfeifer. Then, on p. 245

27 we can read a report under the title "The war" on the attack of June 28 (in Saraiewo, Bosnia, upon the lives of the crown-prince and his wife) and on the declaration of war on Serbia of July 28. The end of the report reads as follows: "The Association of Hungarian Chemical Industrials will not cease to exist, in certain matters its activity is even going to increase." Further on it is announced that the size of the gazette will be reduced (p. 248).

28 The further issues and volumes are much branded with the impress of war. E.g., on pages 257-262 of issue 16-17 of Volume 1914 we can read a paper about "The war and Hungarian chemical industry."

29 In the column "Economy" of the same issue the following news can be found: "Validity of foreign trade agreements during the war" (p. 268). From this we can learn that the validity of the agreements concluded with "countries at war with us" (Serbia, Montenegro, Russia, France, Great Britain and Japan) was discontinued and rates of autonomous customs tariffs would be imposed on the goods imported from there.

30 The article on "The war and the German chemical industry" (pp. 268/269) writes about the bringing into being of a commission in Germany, which would organize the maintenance of production as well as manpower.

31 Another paper headed "Foreign trade in Germany during the war" (p. 269) reports on the facts that an export embargo was laid on a great number of goods, while imports were made easier (some foods and petroleum products became duty-free).

32 In the same issue we learn about the discontinuance of production at the petroleum factory of Orsova (as it was located opposite the Serbian bank and hit by cannon-shots) as well as about the fact that the artificial silk factory in Sárvár had been requisitioned by the military government for the purpose of manufacturing gun-cotton. We are informed about the cancellation of domestic and foreign as well as international scientific conferences and about deaths of chemists in action. In issue 18-19 of the same volume a paper can be read about "Requirements of the branches of the chemical industry before the National Committee of War Aid" (p. 273), in which the Association wants to intervene against unemployment.

33 In the same issue we are informed that Germany has eased export bans towards Austria-Hungary and that the governments of Austria and Hungary have formulated their own export bans in uniform decrees. In this issue a series of articles written by Dr. Mihály Vajda was started under the heading "The Hungarian chemical industry before the war". Switching over to war economy was indicated by the publication "Utilization of alcohol instead of petrol for running automobiles" (p. 277).

34 We can learn that students of enemy countries have been banished from German universities and that citiz-