Archives preserve the memory of Hungarian families, and through them the memory of the whole nation, said President Katalin Novák on Tuesday at the Hungarian National Archives in Budapest, which is celebrating the 300th anniversary of its foundation. The president stressed that we can get closer to knowing and understanding Hungarian history by learning about the stories of Hungarian families.
Katalin Novák pointed out that if Hungarian families learn about their own history, they can also learn about Hungary’s past and present. “Only in this way, by knowing our own past and present, will we be equipped to prevail against the challenges of the future, and the key to the future is to know the past and the present,” she stressed.
She mentioned that in addition to the archives of the capital, serious work is being carried out in all the archives of the counties. She said that perhaps we will understand the work of archivists when we reach a certain age. When we have listened to the past with understanding, there are no people in the family to talk about it. But with the help of the documents that can be searched in the archives, we can come closer to understanding our own origins and locate ourselves in Hungary, she pointed out.
President Novák, who is the main patron of the anniversary celebrations of the Hungarian National Archives, said that
in today’s world we leave mostly digital footprints, and the challenge will be how the archival profession can preserve them and make them part of history.
She also spoke about the 500-item Batthyány collection, which is now available for research. These treasures have been preserved thanks to the Batthyány family, she pointed out.
Photo: MTI/Bruzák Noémi
Csaba Szabó, Director General of the Hungarian National Archives, said that several anniversaries will be celebrated in the coming years. This year marks the 300th anniversary of the law establishing the nation’s archives, and the 100th anniversary of the National Archives building in Buda Castle. Next year will mark the 150th anniversary of the formulation of the new mission of the National Archives, and in 2026, the 270th anniversary of the actual establishment of the Archives in 1756, thanks to the work of Count Lajos Batthyány.
Featured photo via MTI/Bruzák Noémi