Sárospataki Füzetek 14. (2010)
2010 / 4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - Bartha Ákos: Magyarország első Nemzeti Munkatábora - a sárospataki diákok útépítése
MAGYARORSZÁG ELSŐ NEMZETI MUNKATÁBORA between the common use relating to genocide and the efforts of the students and other associations (political, ideological etc). The most important difference was obviously the free will, as in Hungary working in these camps was neither obligatory nor considered as a penalty for social, religious or gentilitial groups. The next chapter describes the character of the road construction by the students of Patak College in Bodnárvölgye (close to Sátoraljaújhely). This labour camp could hardly come to life in 1935 without the two prominent senior masters Kálmán Újszászy and Zoltán Szabó. Our work analyses the roles of these two prominents, as well as the roots of labour camps such as scout camps and “village seminars” in Sárospatak lead by Szabó and Újszászy. Involving archival sources from the College with nationwide (and external) newspapers stands out a notable reaction’s of the camp in Bodnárvölgye. In relation with the significant response, this essay tries to find the reason of the success and the way, how the camp could organize his life with minimal material expense. In addition, the focus of this lecture is also on the foundation, the founctionig, the daily round and the (ideological) place of the camp, not leaving out the consideration of political references in Hungary as well as in Europe. The gravity of the event pictures the guests in Bodnárvölgye: lord lieutenants, mayors, delegates and famous writers (like Miklós Móricz or Géza Féja) who all paid duty to the camp by delivering a speech. This part of the camp — the program that boys had after work — was highly rated by the organizers. It was called Intellectual Labour Camp, and indeed that makes this experiment unique in the country. The source and the character of the labour camp can be found in the slightly paradox, but still determined duality of the Calvinistic tradition. It can be found both in the affection to regular organizational forms, and also in the receptiveness for social issues (and in the openness towards new intellectual influences). The final result of the camp was a 200-metre long new road in the hillside, but nobody emphasized the material nature of this achievements. The students’ work meant a symbolic road in the descriptions - a “hopeful road” in the era of the slump of Hungary in the 1930s. “The meaning of the event was ratherpedagogic — said Újszászy — in contrast the European examples, where the national politic (Germany) and sodal (Bulgaria) factors are more important.” The lecture also tries to illustrate the clues about the continuation — the next camps organized by the Patak College — for a question that unfortunately we have not too much information yet. 2010/4 SÁROSPATAKI FÜZETEK 79
