Szabó Miklós szerk.: A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum Közleményei 1962 (Budapest, 1962)

Imre Gyula: Tótszentmárton a fejlődés útján

TÓTSZENTMÁRTON ON THE WAY OF DEVELOPMENT GYULA IMRE In the past Tótszentmárton in Zala Country was one of Hungary's poorest villages. There existed a settlement as early as under the Roman Empire. The Turkish conquest has destroyed the village and exterminated the majority of its population. At the beginning of the 18

tn century the village came into possession of the Croatian family Bedekovich. The new landowner brought Croats from the province of Szerémség to replace the extinct Hungarian population. In 1912 the Bedekovich successors sold their estate in Tótszentmárton. 800 cadastral yokes with the manor and the outhouses were purchased by the former leaseholder and 400 cadastral yokes by the landless local poulation. For several years the latter portion of land has been cultivated in common by the new owners. Towards the end of World War II the 800 yokes purchased by the leaseholder were parcelled out by the Letenye Savings Bank Ltd. However, latifundia bordering the village prevented the peasantry from acquiring more land. It needed the socialist reorganization of agriculture to bring about a favourable change in the life of villagers at Tótszentmárton. The "Liberation" Farmer's Co-operative established at Tótszentmárton is of the cattle and swine breeding type, as determined by local conditions. In addition to these the co-operative is successfully engaged in rearing chick for trade. In 1961 the co-operative derived 41 per cent of its revenue from agriculture proper and 59 per cent, from animal husbandry. The change in the agricultural system has deeply influenced social and cultural life in this hitherto backward village. No less than 80 of the dwelling-houses totalling 254 have been built in the course of the last 4 years. In the managerial building of the co-operative — the former Bedekovich manor — a clubhouse with a capacity of 400 has been established for motion picture shows and other art programmes. All these achievements have to be taken as proofs of expanding new life. Having overcome the difficulties of the start the people of Tótszentmárton have found in the establishment of large-scale farming the road which leads towards a higher standard of life.