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Published: April 26th 2006
April 24, 2006
This is going to be another great day… I’ve decided to bring the computer so that I can write as we go—there is just so much going on today! Right now we are in a car following Janos and his wife as they drive us from village to village to view the country estates of Nagy’s family’s friends. Each village seems to be built around the estate—just like Mana, and I imagine that 150 years ago, that was the case. People built their homes here to support the estate and its family. It is wonderful to see these homes being bought and restored… Some of the towns have thermal springs and therefore a tourist industry—so foreigners have taken an interest in restoring the manors to their former splendor. All the towns are swept clean and each home has a sweet garden with tulips, daffodils, red poppies, and more cherry blossoms. One of the homes, in a town called Tajna, belonged to Nagy’s boyfriend Count Imre Ravay. She told us that he used to ride his horse over to Mana and sit under her window in the early morning hours. He obviously really liked her since the ride
was approximately 20 km.
We just spent the last hour inside the church where 4 strong men lifted the stone hatch to the crypt and we went below to see the graves. There were many empty tombs and two that were sealed. Written in the cement were two names: Baron Malconyai and Felbontiatot. Also on the walls people had written their names. There were also dates: 1946, 1976, and I decided to write Nagy’s name too-Catherine Foldvary 2006 born 1927.
Then Peter lead us to City Hall where there were many photographs and an album that the city developed of the house inside and out over the years. Peter says that the house was used for various things before it became a home. It was at one time used as a school for sewing, then for educational activities, then as an agriculture school, eventually it became flats for teachers, and in 1975 it became a home for mentally challenged girls.
We were introduced to the Mayor of Mana, he has given us postcards with pictures of the home and seems very pleased that we are here…The priest says that the city now has a website and he
is going to put all the pictures that we have seen online. (www.velkamana.saletini.sk)
Now we are viewing the village chronicle that goes as far back as 1859 called Pamatna Kniha—which means in Slovakian “Commemorative Book”… Here we can see the names of Nagy’s grandmother and father. Peter was able to translate a story from 1918, when the house was burned and looted. All the animals were stolen—he says that it was a sad time after WWI and the poor people needed food.
These chronicles are meticulously written in a graceful cursive.
Now we are going to go to the home to finish our tour.
It is 4:30 and we have returned to the home to give out our humble presents and finish our video documentation. One girl Helen gave us a crochet that is identical to the one that she personally presented to the Pope. As we gave out the gifts, everyone seemed so grateful and it fills my heart with joy to experience this. I hope that we can do more in the future to improve the lives of these delightful and creative women.
Peter has also located a Chronicle for the history of
The "Strong Men"
We couldn't have done this job without these guys.the home; it was renovated in 1988. The official name of the home is the U.S.S. Mana - it loosely stands for “Home for Social Care in Mana.” Apparently our family has contributed to this book in the past. Elizabeth James-Duffield, in 1991, and William James, in 1993; Nagy and Sulu contributed in 1995; Ha! Even Will and I wrote in 1999 and 2000, all about visiting the home. We decided to call it a day after this: Nagy is tired and we already have so much information. Tomorrow we will continue…
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tinak
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Good morning, my name is Pavol Tinák (pavoltinak@hefravrable.sk) and I live in Ve>ká MaHa. I visited your website and some pictures, which were taken in MaHa, they are interesting for me. By the way, one of the four men, which helped you, is my father. I write some articles about MaHa, which are published on internet /www.zitava.sk/ I would like to ask you for an agreement of using the pictures for my article about baron Malonyay, who is also buried in a church crypt. Thank you and i wish you strong health. Kind regards, Pavol Tinák