Marczali (Morgenstern) Henrik pápai évei (1867–1870)

Abstract

Henrik Morgenstern, son of the rabbi of Marcali, was the founder of the Hungarian scientific historiography. In his late memories he ranked the Reformed College of Pápa amongst the most outstanding schools of his life. Like his father, he studied at the Reformed school where he completed grades 6–8. Based on memories, contemporary school documents, records, and yearbooks, our study presents the town with a population of 14,000 with liberal ideas and its school. After leaving the Benedictine grammar school in Győr, Morgenstern continued his studies in Pápa where he booked a room with the Jewish family of merchants called Markfeld. He attended classes at the so-called New College (today Theological Academy). He immediately got used to the order of the Reformed school, his grades were excellent, his teachers highly appreciated him, helped him and he received a scholarship. His classmates were at least four years older than him, and many of them defended the physically weak boy who gained a reputation by teaching them mathematics. The school, run by the Transdanubian Reformed Church, had 8–12 well-qualified teachers, each of whom taught more than one subject and took on the task of writing textbooks. His most influential teachers were József Szilágyi, who taught him Greek and Latin in grade 6, Gábor Szép, a professor of mathematics, and three other teachers in grades 7 and 8 (at the academic faculty), namely the Hegelian István Bocsor, who taught history, Lajos Tarczy, who taught physics and mathematics, and Ferenc Váli, who taught chemistry. In his free time, Morgenstern often attended classes at the School Debating Society, visited its library and read national and international newspapers and journals. He became a regular newspaper reader in Pápa, an addict of English culture and history, and formed intimate friendships. He graduated with excellent grades in 1870 and soon began his university studies at the University of Budapest.