Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways and this... more Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways and this was despite the heavy damage incurred by the rolling stock and tracks. By utilizing service reports, meeting minutes, and articles from local newspapers, this study attempts to present the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) regional directorate of Pécs’s efforts to reconstruct their railway infrastructure and service. Not only is this research’s focus on the railways’ operation processes—e.g., the eradicating of inefficiency, the reconstruction of rolling stock, and the establishing coal reserves, but also the impact of the political, economic, and social arenas on railways and vice versa. As the most influential company in Hungary, the importance of MÁV’s operation was not only a reflection of its role as an economic tool in the government’s hands, but also that it proved to be the most powerful employer in the country with thousands of families directly depending on it. Keywords: railway...
In the Warsaw Pact member states mandatory military service enlistment of people created a seriou... more In the Warsaw Pact member states mandatory military service enlistment of people created a serious financial burden, while depriving the economy of a large chunk of its labour force. To resolve this dilemma, in 1964 two engineering brigades were set up in the Hungarian People’s Army. Following a brief basic military training, these brigades supplied the labour force for national economy projects, but also created an opportunity to acquire income for the military budget. The 150th Transportation Engineering Brigade was created to support transport projects. Soldiers took part in Hungary’s all key, still operating road and railway developments. Also, thanks to acquiring specialised knowledge, they got a chance to work for transport services following their military discharge
At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Foll... more At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Following the negotiations in Tehran and Yalta, Hungary joined the socialist camp led by Moscow. Therefore, thousands of cases of pillage, rape and murder committed by Soviet soldiers could not be articulated in the official historiography, Russian troops could only be mentioned in a positive context within any publication. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the above-mentioned policy on historiography changed, and several books, articles and reminiscences were published on the Soviet crimes against the population. The aim of this study is present the types of connection between the Russian soldiers and the railwaymen from the beginning of the occupation to the end of the monetary stabilization in 1946. In the first half of the 20th century, the railway was the backbone of Hungary’s economy. Without the railway – due to the lack of roads and automobiles – the economic system would have t...
At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Foll... more At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Following the negotiations in Tehran and Yalta, Hungary joined the socialist camp led by Moscow. Therefore, thousands of cases of pillage, rape and murder committed by Soviet soldiers could not be articulated in the official historiography, Russian troops could only be mentioned in a positive context within any publication. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the above-mentioned policy on historiography changed, and several books, articles and reminiscences were published on the Soviet crimes against the population. The aim of this study is present the types of connection between the Russian soldiers and the railwaymen from the beginning of the occupation to the end of the monetary stabilization in 1946. In the first half of the 20th century, the railway was the backbone of Hungary's economy. Without the railway-due to the lack of roads and automobiles-the economic system would have totally collapsed. The Russians were aware of the importance of the railway, hence as the front moved on, they ordered the citizens and railwaymen to reconstruct the railway tracks as fast as they could. To achieve a complex picture on the connection between soldiers and railwaymen, we need to focus on not only the negative, but the positive cases as well.
This study aims to give an overview of the clauses of the Treaty of Trianon specifically targete... more This study aims to give an overview of the clauses of the Treaty of Trianon specifically targeted at the Hungarian system of transportation, and its overall impact on the country's infrastructure. In the place of well-publicized slogans of "national self-determination," economic and strategic considerations were primarily at play in this issue, with the system of transportation at their intersection. Since railways represented the most important means of transportation at that time, given the fact that train connections were fast, cheap, and had a huge transport capacity, railroads came to the forefront of the postwar border settlement second only to natural or ethnic boundaries that could serve as bulwarks of the new borders. As it is commonly known, new borders created new divisions, cutting through traditional economic units, detaching maaor cities from their hinterlands. It is less well known what the repercussions were of the maimed transportation infrastructure on the national and regional levels.
The history of the suburban railroad of Szentendre until the end of WWI.
Director of the Pest Pu... more The history of the suburban railroad of Szentendre until the end of WWI.
Director of the Pest Public Road Rail Tracks Company, Henrik Jellinek, recognised the interdependence of the colonies near the capital and Budapest, but the economic potential of the capital city and its surroundings could not be utilised. Therefore he built in 1887–1888 the suburban railroad of Dunaharaszti–Ráckeve, Cinkota and Szentendre, so that the agricultural products of the region could easily be transported to the markets, market halls of Budapest, developing into a metropolis, and in the same time to satisfy its labour demand by the commuters. In our study we introduce the history of the subsidiary line of Szentendre, from the construction until the end of WWI. Similarly to the capital, the railroad was also beneficial for Szentendre, new residents moved out from Budapest that was getting more and more expensive; tourists increased the tourism of the small town and spread its name around the country. Because of the railroad – yet, after the discussed period – even heavy industry factories were established in the outskirts of the city, thanks to the safety of logistics the railroad provided. By discussing the dreams, plans and of course the experiences or inconveniences of daily travels connected to the railroad, it is possible to really locate the economical and sociological place of the railroad in the mental map of the residents of Szentendre.
Tanulmányunkban a MÁV miskolci üzletvezetősége 1918–1919-es eseményeinek vázlatos bemutatása a cé... more Tanulmányunkban a MÁV miskolci üzletvezetősége 1918–1919-es eseményeinek vázlatos bemutatása a cél. A sorsfordító évek súlyos megpróbáltatások elé állította az országot, így a vasúthálózatot is. A járműparkot és az üzemeltetést támogató infrastruktúrát súlyos károk érték, részben a fegyverszüneti egyezmény, majd a trianoni békeszerződés következtében, elsősorban a megszálló erők zsákmányolása miatt. A személyzet létbiztonságát először a háborús infláció rengette meg, később a forradalmak alatti káosz és a kisantant csapatok betörése veszélyeztette. A megszállók sok esetben üldözték a magyar államot is szimbolizáló Magyar Államvasutak alkalmazottjait, ezért sokuknak kellett elhagynia házát és ingóságait, hogy menekültként, családjával egy teherkocsiban szorongva próbáljon új életet kezdeni a gazdaságilag és társadalmában is megroppant, egykori nagysága elvesztésével szembenézni nem tudó csonka országban.
Pro et Contra. Central European Studies In Humanities, 2018
Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways
and this... more Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways and this was despite the heavy damage incurred by the rolling stock and tracks. By utilizing service reports, meeting minutes, and articles from local newspapers, this study attempts to present the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) regional directorate of Pécs’s efforts to reconstruct their railway infrastructure and service. Not only is this research’s focus on the railways’ operation processes—e.g., the eradicating of inefficiency, the reconstruction of rolling stock, and the establishing coal reserves, but also the impact of the political, economic, and social arenas on railways and vice versa. As the most influential company in Hungary, the importance of MÁV’s operation was not only a reflection of its role as an economic tool in the government’s hands, but also that it proved to be the most powerful employer in the country with thousands of families directly depending on it.
Weekdays of Railroaders after World War II, 1945–1948
As John Lukacs, American-Hungarian histori... more Weekdays of Railroaders after World War II, 1945–1948
As John Lukacs, American-Hungarian historian writes: 1945 is the year zero. It is the end of an era and the beginning of a new period, in the same time. This was the case in Hungary, as well; after World War II an entirely new system appeared, more precisely the Soviet totalitarian system was forced on the countries of East-Central Europe. The two-three years between the two periods brought a particular mixture of this change, beside the old parties of the Horthy era (Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party and Social Democratic Party), new ones were organized (Hungarian Communist Party and National Peasant Party) and they formed – for external pressure – a coalition government. Radical changes took place in the political, economical and social systems of the country, but they were not quick and complete everywhere. A good example for this is the Hungarian State Railways where the management had been replaced by the fall of 1945, but the “old school’s” representatives kept governing one of the most important companies of the country. Naturally, the railway could not avoid the political fights that were present everywhere either. The interparty struggles, present in every level of the railway company – sometimes visibly, other times hidden – not in the slightest helped the railroaders’ living and working conditions, while beside the hard task of rebuilding the railway system, which was the country’s economical circulatory system, they had to face hardships and starvation caused by hyperinflation. The aim of the essay is to present the living and working conditions of the employees of the railway company during the coalition years, and in connection with this characterization of the appearance of political parties among the railway workers who were made apolitical in the preceding decades.
Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways and this... more Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways and this was despite the heavy damage incurred by the rolling stock and tracks. By utilizing service reports, meeting minutes, and articles from local newspapers, this study attempts to present the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) regional directorate of Pécs’s efforts to reconstruct their railway infrastructure and service. Not only is this research’s focus on the railways’ operation processes—e.g., the eradicating of inefficiency, the reconstruction of rolling stock, and the establishing coal reserves, but also the impact of the political, economic, and social arenas on railways and vice versa. As the most influential company in Hungary, the importance of MÁV’s operation was not only a reflection of its role as an economic tool in the government’s hands, but also that it proved to be the most powerful employer in the country with thousands of families directly depending on it. Keywords: railway...
In the Warsaw Pact member states mandatory military service enlistment of people created a seriou... more In the Warsaw Pact member states mandatory military service enlistment of people created a serious financial burden, while depriving the economy of a large chunk of its labour force. To resolve this dilemma, in 1964 two engineering brigades were set up in the Hungarian People’s Army. Following a brief basic military training, these brigades supplied the labour force for national economy projects, but also created an opportunity to acquire income for the military budget. The 150th Transportation Engineering Brigade was created to support transport projects. Soldiers took part in Hungary’s all key, still operating road and railway developments. Also, thanks to acquiring specialised knowledge, they got a chance to work for transport services following their military discharge
At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Foll... more At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Following the negotiations in Tehran and Yalta, Hungary joined the socialist camp led by Moscow. Therefore, thousands of cases of pillage, rape and murder committed by Soviet soldiers could not be articulated in the official historiography, Russian troops could only be mentioned in a positive context within any publication. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the above-mentioned policy on historiography changed, and several books, articles and reminiscences were published on the Soviet crimes against the population. The aim of this study is present the types of connection between the Russian soldiers and the railwaymen from the beginning of the occupation to the end of the monetary stabilization in 1946. In the first half of the 20th century, the railway was the backbone of Hungary’s economy. Without the railway – due to the lack of roads and automobiles – the economic system would have t...
At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Foll... more At the end of World War 2, it took more than a half year for the Red Army to occupy Hungary. Following the negotiations in Tehran and Yalta, Hungary joined the socialist camp led by Moscow. Therefore, thousands of cases of pillage, rape and murder committed by Soviet soldiers could not be articulated in the official historiography, Russian troops could only be mentioned in a positive context within any publication. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the above-mentioned policy on historiography changed, and several books, articles and reminiscences were published on the Soviet crimes against the population. The aim of this study is present the types of connection between the Russian soldiers and the railwaymen from the beginning of the occupation to the end of the monetary stabilization in 1946. In the first half of the 20th century, the railway was the backbone of Hungary's economy. Without the railway-due to the lack of roads and automobiles-the economic system would have totally collapsed. The Russians were aware of the importance of the railway, hence as the front moved on, they ordered the citizens and railwaymen to reconstruct the railway tracks as fast as they could. To achieve a complex picture on the connection between soldiers and railwaymen, we need to focus on not only the negative, but the positive cases as well.
This study aims to give an overview of the clauses of the Treaty of Trianon specifically targete... more This study aims to give an overview of the clauses of the Treaty of Trianon specifically targeted at the Hungarian system of transportation, and its overall impact on the country's infrastructure. In the place of well-publicized slogans of "national self-determination," economic and strategic considerations were primarily at play in this issue, with the system of transportation at their intersection. Since railways represented the most important means of transportation at that time, given the fact that train connections were fast, cheap, and had a huge transport capacity, railroads came to the forefront of the postwar border settlement second only to natural or ethnic boundaries that could serve as bulwarks of the new borders. As it is commonly known, new borders created new divisions, cutting through traditional economic units, detaching maaor cities from their hinterlands. It is less well known what the repercussions were of the maimed transportation infrastructure on the national and regional levels.
The history of the suburban railroad of Szentendre until the end of WWI.
Director of the Pest Pu... more The history of the suburban railroad of Szentendre until the end of WWI.
Director of the Pest Public Road Rail Tracks Company, Henrik Jellinek, recognised the interdependence of the colonies near the capital and Budapest, but the economic potential of the capital city and its surroundings could not be utilised. Therefore he built in 1887–1888 the suburban railroad of Dunaharaszti–Ráckeve, Cinkota and Szentendre, so that the agricultural products of the region could easily be transported to the markets, market halls of Budapest, developing into a metropolis, and in the same time to satisfy its labour demand by the commuters. In our study we introduce the history of the subsidiary line of Szentendre, from the construction until the end of WWI. Similarly to the capital, the railroad was also beneficial for Szentendre, new residents moved out from Budapest that was getting more and more expensive; tourists increased the tourism of the small town and spread its name around the country. Because of the railroad – yet, after the discussed period – even heavy industry factories were established in the outskirts of the city, thanks to the safety of logistics the railroad provided. By discussing the dreams, plans and of course the experiences or inconveniences of daily travels connected to the railroad, it is possible to really locate the economical and sociological place of the railroad in the mental map of the residents of Szentendre.
Tanulmányunkban a MÁV miskolci üzletvezetősége 1918–1919-es eseményeinek vázlatos bemutatása a cé... more Tanulmányunkban a MÁV miskolci üzletvezetősége 1918–1919-es eseményeinek vázlatos bemutatása a cél. A sorsfordító évek súlyos megpróbáltatások elé állította az országot, így a vasúthálózatot is. A járműparkot és az üzemeltetést támogató infrastruktúrát súlyos károk érték, részben a fegyverszüneti egyezmény, majd a trianoni békeszerződés következtében, elsősorban a megszálló erők zsákmányolása miatt. A személyzet létbiztonságát először a háborús infláció rengette meg, később a forradalmak alatti káosz és a kisantant csapatok betörése veszélyeztette. A megszállók sok esetben üldözték a magyar államot is szimbolizáló Magyar Államvasutak alkalmazottjait, ezért sokuknak kellett elhagynia házát és ingóságait, hogy menekültként, családjával egy teherkocsiban szorongva próbáljon új életet kezdeni a gazdaságilag és társadalmában is megroppant, egykori nagysága elvesztésével szembenézni nem tudó csonka országban.
Pro et Contra. Central European Studies In Humanities, 2018
Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways
and this... more Immediately after World War II, the only transport available in Hungary was the railways and this was despite the heavy damage incurred by the rolling stock and tracks. By utilizing service reports, meeting minutes, and articles from local newspapers, this study attempts to present the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) regional directorate of Pécs’s efforts to reconstruct their railway infrastructure and service. Not only is this research’s focus on the railways’ operation processes—e.g., the eradicating of inefficiency, the reconstruction of rolling stock, and the establishing coal reserves, but also the impact of the political, economic, and social arenas on railways and vice versa. As the most influential company in Hungary, the importance of MÁV’s operation was not only a reflection of its role as an economic tool in the government’s hands, but also that it proved to be the most powerful employer in the country with thousands of families directly depending on it.
Weekdays of Railroaders after World War II, 1945–1948
As John Lukacs, American-Hungarian histori... more Weekdays of Railroaders after World War II, 1945–1948
As John Lukacs, American-Hungarian historian writes: 1945 is the year zero. It is the end of an era and the beginning of a new period, in the same time. This was the case in Hungary, as well; after World War II an entirely new system appeared, more precisely the Soviet totalitarian system was forced on the countries of East-Central Europe. The two-three years between the two periods brought a particular mixture of this change, beside the old parties of the Horthy era (Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party and Social Democratic Party), new ones were organized (Hungarian Communist Party and National Peasant Party) and they formed – for external pressure – a coalition government. Radical changes took place in the political, economical and social systems of the country, but they were not quick and complete everywhere. A good example for this is the Hungarian State Railways where the management had been replaced by the fall of 1945, but the “old school’s” representatives kept governing one of the most important companies of the country. Naturally, the railway could not avoid the political fights that were present everywhere either. The interparty struggles, present in every level of the railway company – sometimes visibly, other times hidden – not in the slightest helped the railroaders’ living and working conditions, while beside the hard task of rebuilding the railway system, which was the country’s economical circulatory system, they had to face hardships and starvation caused by hyperinflation. The aim of the essay is to present the living and working conditions of the employees of the railway company during the coalition years, and in connection with this characterization of the appearance of political parties among the railway workers who were made apolitical in the preceding decades.
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Director of the Pest Public Road Rail Tracks Company, Henrik Jellinek, recognised the interdependence of the colonies near the capital and Budapest, but the economic potential of the capital city and its surroundings could not be utilised. Therefore he built in 1887–1888 the suburban railroad of Dunaharaszti–Ráckeve, Cinkota and Szentendre, so that the agricultural products of the region could easily be transported to the markets, market halls of Budapest, developing into a metropolis, and in the same time to satisfy its labour demand by the commuters.
In our study we introduce the history of the subsidiary line of Szentendre, from the construction until the end of WWI. Similarly to the capital, the
railroad was also beneficial for Szentendre, new residents moved out from Budapest that was getting more and more expensive; tourists increased the tourism of the small town and spread its name around the country. Because of the railroad – yet, after the discussed period – even heavy industry factories were established in the outskirts of the city, thanks to the safety of logistics the railroad provided.
By discussing the dreams, plans and of course the experiences or inconveniences of daily travels connected to the railroad, it is possible to really locate the economical and sociological place of the railroad in the mental map of the residents of Szentendre.
and this was despite the heavy damage incurred by the rolling stock and tracks. By utilizing
service reports, meeting minutes, and articles from local newspapers, this study attempts
to present the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) regional directorate of Pécs’s efforts to
reconstruct their railway infrastructure and service. Not only is this research’s focus on
the railways’ operation processes—e.g., the eradicating of inefficiency, the reconstruction
of rolling stock, and the establishing coal reserves, but also the impact of the political,
economic, and social arenas on railways and vice versa. As the most influential company
in Hungary, the importance of MÁV’s operation was not only a reflection of its role as an
economic tool in the government’s hands, but also that it proved to be the most powerful
employer in the country with thousands of families directly depending on it.
As John Lukacs, American-Hungarian historian writes: 1945 is the year zero. It is the end of an era and the beginning of a new period, in the same time. This was the case in Hungary, as well; after World War II an entirely new system appeared, more precisely the Soviet totalitarian system was forced on the countries of East-Central Europe.
The two-three years between the two periods brought a particular mixture of this change, beside the old parties of the Horthy era (Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party and Social Democratic Party), new ones were organized (Hungarian Communist Party and National Peasant Party) and they formed – for external pressure – a coalition government. Radical changes took place in the political, economical and social systems of the country, but they were not quick and complete everywhere. A good example for this is the Hungarian State Railways where the management had been replaced
by the fall of 1945, but the “old school’s” representatives kept governing one of the most important companies of the country. Naturally, the railway could not avoid the political fights that were present everywhere either. The interparty struggles, present in every level of the railway
company – sometimes visibly, other times hidden – not in the slightest helped the railroaders’ living and working conditions, while beside the
hard task of rebuilding the railway system, which was the country’s economical circulatory system, they had to face hardships and starvation caused by hyperinflation. The aim of the essay is to present the living and working conditions of the employees of the railway company during the coalition years, and in connection with this characterization of the appearance of political parties among the railway workers who were made apolitical in the preceding decades.
Director of the Pest Public Road Rail Tracks Company, Henrik Jellinek, recognised the interdependence of the colonies near the capital and Budapest, but the economic potential of the capital city and its surroundings could not be utilised. Therefore he built in 1887–1888 the suburban railroad of Dunaharaszti–Ráckeve, Cinkota and Szentendre, so that the agricultural products of the region could easily be transported to the markets, market halls of Budapest, developing into a metropolis, and in the same time to satisfy its labour demand by the commuters.
In our study we introduce the history of the subsidiary line of Szentendre, from the construction until the end of WWI. Similarly to the capital, the
railroad was also beneficial for Szentendre, new residents moved out from Budapest that was getting more and more expensive; tourists increased the tourism of the small town and spread its name around the country. Because of the railroad – yet, after the discussed period – even heavy industry factories were established in the outskirts of the city, thanks to the safety of logistics the railroad provided.
By discussing the dreams, plans and of course the experiences or inconveniences of daily travels connected to the railroad, it is possible to really locate the economical and sociological place of the railroad in the mental map of the residents of Szentendre.
and this was despite the heavy damage incurred by the rolling stock and tracks. By utilizing
service reports, meeting minutes, and articles from local newspapers, this study attempts
to present the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) regional directorate of Pécs’s efforts to
reconstruct their railway infrastructure and service. Not only is this research’s focus on
the railways’ operation processes—e.g., the eradicating of inefficiency, the reconstruction
of rolling stock, and the establishing coal reserves, but also the impact of the political,
economic, and social arenas on railways and vice versa. As the most influential company
in Hungary, the importance of MÁV’s operation was not only a reflection of its role as an
economic tool in the government’s hands, but also that it proved to be the most powerful
employer in the country with thousands of families directly depending on it.
As John Lukacs, American-Hungarian historian writes: 1945 is the year zero. It is the end of an era and the beginning of a new period, in the same time. This was the case in Hungary, as well; after World War II an entirely new system appeared, more precisely the Soviet totalitarian system was forced on the countries of East-Central Europe.
The two-three years between the two periods brought a particular mixture of this change, beside the old parties of the Horthy era (Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party and Social Democratic Party), new ones were organized (Hungarian Communist Party and National Peasant Party) and they formed – for external pressure – a coalition government. Radical changes took place in the political, economical and social systems of the country, but they were not quick and complete everywhere. A good example for this is the Hungarian State Railways where the management had been replaced
by the fall of 1945, but the “old school’s” representatives kept governing one of the most important companies of the country. Naturally, the railway could not avoid the political fights that were present everywhere either. The interparty struggles, present in every level of the railway
company – sometimes visibly, other times hidden – not in the slightest helped the railroaders’ living and working conditions, while beside the
hard task of rebuilding the railway system, which was the country’s economical circulatory system, they had to face hardships and starvation caused by hyperinflation. The aim of the essay is to present the living and working conditions of the employees of the railway company during the coalition years, and in connection with this characterization of the appearance of political parties among the railway workers who were made apolitical in the preceding decades.