One hundred years ago, the foundation stone of the Déri Museum was laid, and the centenary was commemorated at a press conference on Monday at the institution.
Mayor László Papp called the museum the flagship of Debrecen’s cultural life. He recalled that the foundation stone laying held on September 23, 1923, became a national event because at that time there were few cultural investments in the country.
Frigyes Déri’s support did not only extend to donating his collection, he also allocated a significant amount to the construction of the museum. Unfortunately, the designation of the location was delayed, and in the meantime the money intended for the construction depreciated, so in the end the city of Debrecen took on the construction of the museum, they recalled at the briefing.
The most modern museum in Hungary at the time finally opened on May 25, 1930. Frigyes Déri missed the inauguration, but his dreams did come true, as his great collection became an integral part of Debrecen’s cultural life. László Papp indicated that there is now national and even international interest in the collection of the Déri museum.
He called Mihály Munkácsy’s Christ trilogy one of the most important values, which can now be seen “forever” in Debrecen, but – as he said – in recent years, those interested have been able to see the scepter of Prince Bocskai, the golden treasures of Romania, and from this summer a new local history exhibition entitled World of Cívisek new experiences for visitors.
On the occasion of the centenary, László Papp handed over correspondence from the legacy of the museum’s former director, János Sőregi, to the current museum director, János Angi.
Regarding the period documents, János Angi recalled that János Sőregi, who was the head of the institution during the Second World War, saved valuable art treasures from the building that had been bombed six times.
Historian-museologist Ádám Novák indicated at the press conference: that the world of Cívisek is a constantly changing exhibition, adding new elements more and more.
In November, for example, a wall of coins showing the money of Debrecen and the Principality of Transylvania will be handed over, a book will be prepared from the museum’s numismatic collection, Cívis goldsmiths will be presented, an exhibition of fairy tale illustrations titled My Story, and the Debrecen Reformed Diocese and the Debrecen-Nyiregyháza an exhibition will be organized from the collection material of the Roman Catholic Diocese – it was announced at the event.
(Debreceni Nap)
