Századok – 2014

KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Gángó Gábor: Báró Eötvös József Eperjesen, 1837-1838 III/715

BARON JÓZSEF EÖTVÖS AT EPERJES, 1837-1838

by Gángó Gábor (Abstract)

726 GÁNGÓ GÁBOR

The study examines an early phase of the career of the Hungarian writer and statesman, baron József Eötvös (1813-1871), namely his time in office at Eperjes, in the light of newly found archival documents. The first part adds new details to the view of character of his father, baron Ignác Eötvös junior, ispán-in-chief of Sáros county, and proves that the main driving force of his personality was exactly the social elevation of his family. The second part reconstructs the chronology of the stays of József Eötvös at Eperjes. The third part, on the other hand, aims to demonstrate that Epeijes played a much less important role in the life of József Eötvös than has so far been maintained in the scholarly literature. Neither did he stay there for any longer period of time, nor did he contribute in any way to the intellectual evolution of the town. On the basis of new results, the study reconstructs the section of Eötvös’s life in 1837 and 1838 in a coherent and uncontradictory way.

By way of conclusion, the author states emphatically that in a more profound knowledge of the Epeijes period, the presumed rebellion of the young József Eötvös against his father, a recurrent topos in the scholarly literature, becomes untenable.