A couple’s life-work
The Sárközy Museum in Nagybajom
MúzeumCafé 13.
The István Sárközy Local History Museum in Nagybajom is housed in the former Sárközy Mansion, a yellow human-scale construct built in three periods over the 18th and 19th centuries. A kind elderly couple receive us: the museum’s founders József Varga-Deák and his wife Györgyi (Katinka Sárközy’s daughter). István Sárközy was born 250 years ago in Kisasszond. On 20 August this year he received the posthumous title of honorary resident of the village. Who was he? The family was granted nobility from King Wladislaus II in 1510 and settled in Nagybajom after the Turks were driven out of Hungary. Towards the end of his long life István Sárközy became the sub-prefect of County Somogy, although he was rather more interested in arts and literature. The documents which would have provided a guide for a precise biography were lost with the majority of the Sárközy archives during the war. István Sárközy did not have a military disposition, yet in 1783 he asked for admission to the Hungarian guards of noblemen, though without success. According to his diary, during his military service he was in Vienna several times, where he must have met writer and poet György Bessenyei. Sárközy studied at the university of Pécs on the recommendation of Count Ferenc Széchényi. He was nominated for the post of sub-prefect several times but was appointed only in 1824, apparently for being a Protestant. He remained sub-prefect of County Somogy until November 1836. The museum is never busy and the couple do not have much contact with tourist agencies. They do not have a computer either. “What I need is in my head,” says the 81-year-old art collector. Holding hands he and his wife stand in the Sárközy Memorial Room in the building which had been taken away from the family.