The Economy of Szigliget from 1700 to 1914
Before discussing the subject indicated in the title, I would first like to note that my research was based mainly on parish records from the period between 1860 and 1914. These records were kept at the parish of Badacsonytördemic and were kindly made available to me by parish priest Károly Kovács, for which I would like to express my gratitude here. Thanks are also due to József Takács for proofreading and additional information, as well as to Tibor András Szabó, who also assisted in the research work.
What is this study about? Primarily about the farms and economic life of Szigliget during the second half of the nineteenth century and the early 1910s. Since agriculture was the dominant economic sector, and the topic would otherwise be far too broad, this article focuses mainly on employees and workers rather than on the eighty percent of the population directly engaged in farming.
The year 1700 dawned on Szigliget after the devastation of the Ottoman wars, when smoking ruins supposedly stood where the village had once been. This statement appears frequently in literature dealing with the village’s history, although its accuracy may be questioned. It is certain that the wars against the Turks reduced the population of the settlement, yet taxation interests meant that neither side benefited from completely destroying the inhabitants. It is likely that descendants of part of the original population were still living here in the early eighteenth century. Another part of the population may have descended from mercenary soldiers serving in the castle, while settlers from less devastated parts of the country — especially Upper Hungary — probably also arrived here. We know of at least two families that came from those regions.
Wine production had already existed on the eastern slopes of Castle Hill and the hillsides known as the Queen’s Skirt during the sixteenth century, and this tradition continued afterwards as well. The hillside cellar built by Imre Martonfalvay (the predecessor of the Esterházy Cellar), together with the later-built Öreghegy Cellar (today known as the Almás Cellar), indicate the location of the main vineyard areas.
The nationwide census of 1715 lists the following family names among the inhabitants of the village: Csik, Vadász, Orbán, Halápy, Hajnal, Szántó, Kankó, Konkoly, Czip, Vizeli, Vigánti, Kondor, Csoma, Takács, Nagy, Szekeres, Batéki, Kiss, Varga, Szőrő, Szabó, Kurdi, Komoróczy, Rácz and Hegyi. Today, only a few of these surnames can still be found in Szigliget, illustrating how much the composition of the population has changed over time.
During the eighteenth century, the former landowning Lengyel family of Tóti controlled the serfs of Szigliget. More detailed information about the settlement is provided by the Urbarium ordered by Empress Maria Theresa, which attempted to regulate the relationship between landlords and serfs. This document from 1767 describes Szigliget as an oppidum, or market town.
The record states that about thirty years earlier the landlords — the Lengyel family — had attempted to settle feudal obligations with the leaders of the settlement, but the townspeople had refused the arrangement, although they continued to fulfil the legally required services owed to their lords. It is important to note that the inhabitants of a market town enjoyed somewhat different rights from those of an ordinary village and were therefore able to oppose their landlords more boldly.
The document also records that every inhabitant owning cattle was required to provide seven days of labour annually with their animals, while those without cattle had to perform twelve days of labour on foot. In addition, compulsory boat-towing work had to be carried out on Lake Balaton and in the marshlands, which also reflects the water conditions of the time.
A map drawn by József Győry in 1795 still marks the harbour at Réhely, which served as a ferry crossing toward Fonyód, indicating that it was probably still in use at that time and that serfs may have performed towing duties there. Those without cattle were obliged to provide twelve days of manual labour, while postal transport by boat or on foot between Fonyód and Szigliget also fell upon them.
The tavern of Szigliget was operated by the town itself, and ten percent of fishing profits likewise remained with the town. The condition of the arable lands is also described in the document. Wealthier inhabitants possessed fields ranging from four to seven holds in size. Meadows suitable for grazing were largely absent, consisting mostly of marshy and bush-covered land, mainly due to the high water level of Lake Balaton. As a result, grazing possibilities were limited, and apart from cattle used for ploughing, large-scale livestock farming was probably not characteristic of the area at that time.
One particularly important detail recorded in the document states that four oxen were customarily placed at the service of the estate at one time, and these were used in the local manor farm. This refers to the manor buildings standing in the centre of the village, which already existed during this period.
The peasants of Szigliget did not pay the traditional feudal ninth; instead, they paid vineyard duties and the ecclesiastical tithe. One sentence in the Urbarium notes that “there is not a single deserted plot in the settlement,” indicating that every cultivable agricultural area in Szigliget was already under production at that time.
The document also emphasises that there were no hereditary serfs in the settlement, but rather all inhabitants were considered free tenants, meaning that they were not dependent upon their landlords to the same extent as peasants in many other parts of the country.
At the end of the description, the names of local inhabitants of Szigliget also appear. The document was signed by village judge Márton Zsiborács, as well as István Lukácsa, János Molnár, István Tóth, János Juhász, Mátyás Kovács, Ferenc Bakos, Márton Szabó, István Németh and Imre Hidasi. If we add to these names other surnames appearing in a census from 1780 — such as Fatér, Varga, Kosaras, Mátyás, Jánka, Gadácsi, Szántai, Sipos, Sóstai, Bakonyi and Kötél — they already sound far more familiar to modern ears in Szigliget, even though only sixty-five years had passed since the previous census. Such significant changes had already taken place in the composition of the village population within a relatively short period.
The urbarium survey of 1780 also included several clarifications compared to the document from thirteen years earlier. It states that there was sufficient pastureland and watering places for cattle, and that firewood could be collected freely from the forests. There was also a flour mill within the settlement’s boundaries, located where the present-day distillery stands. The survey praises the quality of the vineyards and wine production, and notes that the inhabitants of Szigliget also worked in the surrounding vineyard hills.
At the same time, complaints were recorded about the poor quality of the arable land, where wheat would not grow successfully, only rye, oats and maize. The lack of hay meadows remained a continuing problem, and the inhabitants also objected to the absence of a local market where they could sell their produce.
This situation changed in the early nineteenth century, when Szigliget obtained the right to hold fairs and markets. By then, the village already had at least three manor farms — Cifra, the Village Manor, and Patacs — indicating that economic life in the settlement must have been quite lively. After 1809, however, all three estates passed out of the hands of the Lengyel family. In 1818, Ciframajor belonged to Ignác Kiss of Taródháza, while Patacs and the Village Manor were owned by the Puteani family.
From the 1850s onward, the number of available historical sources increases considerably, allowing us to continue our analysis in greater detail. According to the Second Military Survey carried out in 1854–55, the area later known as the Kongó Manor, located between the Lesence and Világos streams, was marked as Schäferei, indicating that sheep breeding probably took place there, while the term Gestüt refers to horse breeding. The map also marks Ciframajor and several larger buildings in the village centre, which were the structures of the Village Manor still standing today.
Similar information appears on the boundary map of 1846, but the cadastral map of 1858 is an especially exceptional historical source. It identifies not only the estates of the landowners, but also the peasant plots by name. At that time, the agricultural lands of Szigliget were divided into 1,590 separate parcels, all indicated on the map signed by György Kovács, the village judge of Szigliget.
At that time, the outer lands were divided mainly between the Puteani and Forgách families, while the local population cultivated areas known as Réhely, Iharos, Outer Hill, Inner Hill, the Queen’s Skirt vineyard hill, Csuk and the Füzeskert district.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, we processed parish register data beginning from 1860. From this point onward, I would like to present the individuals who held various positions in Szigliget, since occupations were always recorded in the parish entries. The largest group — peasants, vineyard workers, day labourers and farmhands — will not be discussed here. Naturally, only those individuals who had children or served as godparents appear in this research.
We shall first examine the period between 1860 and 1890. The years shown in parentheses after each name indicate the date of the individual’s first appearance in the parish records. By 1860, there were probably already four manor farms in operation, as the Kongó sheep farm had also developed into an economic centre.
Let us first look at the employees of Kongó Manor. This estate remained the property of the Puteani family until 1910. Horse groom and horse-herdsman positions were held by László Bálint (1860) and later János Zöld (1889). Shepherds included István Szőke (1865), András Takács (1868) and Ferenc Kiss (1887). Lajos Rédei (1865) served as estate guard, Péter Major (1878) as forest ranger, and János Izsó (1889) as field watchman.
Lajos Molnár (1872), and later Lajos Egresi (1880), lived at Kongó Manor and worked as millers in the nearby mill. Mihály Német (1882) served as estate manager, while Lőrinc Bicsérdi (1884), and probably István Bíró (1887) as well, worked as coachmen.
Patacs Manor also belonged to József Puteani and was probably founded by him. Shepherds working there included Vendel Városi (1865) and Péter Altner (1876). It is worth mentioning that other members of the Városi family — János Városi (1865) and Mihály Városi (1867) — also worked as shepherds in Szigliget alongside a third brother, although the records do not specify at which estate they served.
József Tasler (1880) worked as swineherd, while Péter Somogyi (1881) served as cattle herdsman. It is evident that this was not a particularly large agricultural enterprise, though its workforce may have been supplemented by travelling Roma groups who repeatedly stayed in Patacs — something also reflected in the place name Kódisgödör. Children were born there to József László (1866) and Mihály Balogh (1867).
Ciframajor was founded by Ignác Kiss of Taródháza. Although he reportedly lived a rather extravagant lifestyle, he nevertheless laid the foundations of a well-functioning agricultural estate. After Ignác Kiss, the manor passed to the husband of his daughter, Terézia Kiss — Antal Inkey — and after his death it came into the possession of her second husband, István Majthényi. Their daughter, Eszter Majthényi, brought Ciframajor into the holdings of Antal Forgách as part of her dowry. Later, Antal Freystädtler purchased the estate, and together with his son Jenő they developed it to such an extent that by around 1900 it rivalled the Village Manor as one of the strongest agricultural enterprises in Szigliget.
Despite this, the first parish record connected to the manor dates only from 1864, referring to Pál Pintér, who worked there as a shepherd, as did Ferenc Cser (1867), János Csali (1868) and József Nagy (1874). Estate stewards (kasznár) included József Gruber (1868), János Bata (1873), Ferenc Talabér (1876) and Imre Menczeli (1881), while János Fülöp worked as a coachman. The pigs were tended by János Szép (1873), and the cattle by István Nyers (1881). Mária Pintér (1882) appears in the records as a servant maid. Mihály Németh (1884) worked as a farm manager, probably in a supervisory role — he was not identical with the namesake previously mentioned at Kongó Manor. Ciframajor also had its own estate guard: József Csatovics (1888), born in Felsőperesznye, fulfilled this position.
Let us now turn to the workers of the Village Manor. János Szívós (1861) was probably the estate steward of this unit. Terézia Sóstai (1868) worked there as a servant, József Varga (1869) as a wheelwright, Pál Ferenczi (1870) as a coachman, and Flórián Németh (1874) as a swineherd.
For the majority of the individuals listed in the parish records, however, the exact estate where they worked was not specified. Therefore, they can only be listed by name, with their occupation in parentheses, and — if they did not live in the Old Village or in estate housing — their place of residence as well.
1860: Ferenc Jankó (fisherman), György Kovács (fisherman, Szigliget Hill), János Lancz (coachman), Antal Markóf (estate coachman), János Pajor (cattle herdsman, servants’ quarters), Ferenc Pintér (shepherd), György Szabó (gardener), János Szabó (miller), Ferenc Szigeti (weaver), Péter Végh (painter, Hillside Cellar)
1861: András Czili (blacksmith), János Hatyka Varga (farmhand), Ferenc Ihász (fisherman), Julianna Kosaras (servant), Sándor Kosaras (estate guard), Ferenc Kovács (cowherd), Ferenc Kovács (swineherd), István Takács (blacksmith)
1862: Pál Ágoston (bailiff), József Farkas (coachman), Ferenc Flaxmayer (gardener), Mihály Hatos (garden servant), Mihály Horváth (swineherd, shepherd’s house), Ferenc Husz (bailiff), Sándor Menyhárt (fisherman), János Polgárics (miller), Anna Takács (servant), Gergely Varga (estate guard)
1863: János Horváth (miller), István Ihász (fisherman), Ferenc Kiss (gardener), Imre Nagy (estate guard), Antal Németh (weaver), Klára Sóstai (cook), József Takács (swineherd), György Tallián (coachman), Mihály Tóth (estate guard), Miklós Tóth (fisherman, Szigliget Hill), István Tóth Nagy (fisherman, Szigliget Hill), János Zöld (cattle herdsman)
1864: Rozália Horváth (servant), Gábor Jankó (vineyard overseer), István Kalmár (cooper), Mihály Kocsis (farmhand, servants’ quarters), József Krászli (miller), János Pető (blacksmith), Ferenc Pintér (miller), Pál Sipos (farmhand), Mihály Varga (fisherman), Sándor Vastag (fisherman)
1865: Ferenc Fejér (swineherd), Mária Jankó (servant), Márton Janzsó (coachman), Gábor Klucsek (tailor), Ignác Lákics (shepherd), János Lencz (cattle herdsman, servants’ quarters), István Lőrincz (gardener), János Mohos (shepherd), Mihály Németh (groom), Lajos Resze (blacksmith), Károly Schlingelhof (goldsmith)
1866: Imre Dervanicz (weaver), János Fekete (blacksmith, blacksmith’s house), Ferenc Horváth (coachman, gardener’s house), János Illés (vineyard overseer, Szigliget Hill), Rozália Janzsó (servant), Károly Salkovics (engineer), Antal Varga (field watchman)
1867: József Bognár (coachman), József Bognár (groom, servants’ quarters), Anna Gadácsi (servant), Mihály Káldi (farm servant, servants’ quarters), Anna Ruiber (servant)
1868: György Fercsák (shepherd), Ferenc Horváth (coachman, servants’ quarters), Imre Kovács (fisherman), Zsigmond Kovács (apprentice), Pál László (cattle herdsman), András Lics (shepherd), Mihály Németh (coachman, servants’ quarters), István Pataki (coachman), József Tormási (estate manager), István Tóth (fisherman)
1870: László Bálint (cattle herdsman), Antal Horváth (schoolmaster, teacher’s residence), Rozália Kolosi (servant), István Paulics (blacksmith), Rozália Pupos (servant), Antal Régel (miller)
1871: Mihály Barkóczi (swineherd), József Bognár (coachman), Ferenc Kovács (cowherd), György Kovács (fisherman), István Kovács (fisherman), Ferenc Szőlősi (swineherd, shepherd’s cottage)
1872: Ferenc Golobár (vineyard overseer, Castle Vineyard), Julianna Milánkovics (servant), Terézia Sóstai Czanka (servant)
1873: János Illés (vineyard overseer, Hillside Vineyard), Viktória Király (servant), József Magyar (cooper), Sándor Molnár (wheelwright), János Nétzli (coachman), Sándor Szita (estate steward)
1874: József Cselle (supervisor, steward), Pál Kovács (fisherman), János Nyuszal (miller), József Petz (gardener), Károly Rudecsi (tailor), Gábor Száilinger (coachman), János Sziládi (cowherd), József Tóth (fisherman, Szigliget Hill), Miklós Tóth (fisherman, Szigliget Hill), Lajos Vecsei (steward, husband of Mária Cselle)
1875: István Oszlányi (swineherd)
1876: Ferenc Fercsák (shepherd), Péter Horváth (vineyard overseer, Hillside Vineyard), István Lakat (cowherd), Erzsébet Röst (servant), Mária Röst (servant), István Szabó (coachman)
1877: Mihály Horváth (swineherd), Ferenc Kiss (swineherd), István Kompos (cattle herdsman), Zsigmond Kovács (hunter, Szigliget Hill), Bálint Lukácsa (coachman), Sándor Márkus (estate servant), Erzsébet Németh (chambermaid), János Szép (swineherd), György Szűts (steward)
1878: István Szabó (coachman), Ferenc Triska (gardener)
1879: István Csökli (shoemaker), Julianna Lakat (servant), József Pajor (gardener)
1880: István Horváth (shepherd), Gábor Resze (blacksmith)
1881: Lőrinc Kaposi (blacksmith), Kelemen Marton (bootmaker), Mihály Németh (estate guard), Mária Szabó (servant)
1882: Erzsébet Czanka (servant), István Horváth (miller), Sándor Incze (farmer), Mária Jankó (servant, Szigliget Hill), Mária Kocsis (servant), Erzsébet Lakat (servant), Rózsa Varga (servant)
1883: József Bentsik (swineherd), János Ferenczi (coachman), József Lakat (herdsman), Rozália Mencseli (servant), István Szabó (mason), Mária Szabó (servant)
1884: György Horváth (miller), Márton Kálmán (swineherd), József Mohos (shepherd), Ferenc Nagy (forester)
1886: Ferenc Steinbach (servant)
1887: Miklós Bali (servant), László Bálint (servant), Ferenc Hermann (carpenter), János Horváth (shepherd), János Horváth (estate servant), Rozália Imre (servant), Julianna Körmendi (servant), István Lakat (servant), Péter Szánti (servant), István Varga (coachman)
1888: József Kiss (servant), József Szántói (swineherd)
1889: Károly Farkas (cattle herdsman), József Jánka (blacksmith), Mihály Kovács (servant), István Lakat (cattle herdsman), Pál Markóf (gardener), Ede Nagy (blacksmith), István Pap (cattle herdsman), István Szabó (servant), Mihály Szente (cattle herdsman), István Varga (cattle herdsman)
Before moving further forward in time, it is worth taking a closer look at the village schoolteachers of Szigliget. Historical records preserve the names of several educators, the earliest being József Török, who served as cantor-teacher in 1770. However, due to a lack of interest, no actual school instruction took place that year. It should be remembered that peasant children at that time usually began working from a very young age, leaving little opportunity for formal education.
Seven years later, László Pozsgai had become the village teacher, and by then three children were receiving instruction. Nearly a century later, in 1871, György Csákós held the position, followed two years later by János Bona, who appears in the parish records as both schoolmaster and cantor-teacher.
In 1874 the position changed hands again, with István Horváth taking over as cantor-teacher. One source suggests that two teachers were working in the village at the time, so it is likely that Bona also remained active. We know that István Horváth was born in 1849 and taught in Szigliget until his death in 1883.
His successor was József Lakits, originally from Keszthely, who in 1911 taught together with István Jánka, later killed during the First World War. In a parish record from 1913, Jánka is listed as a classroom teacher.
Travelling merchants also passed through Szigliget during this period. One of them was Friedrich Kraincz, probably of German or Austrian origin, who appears together with his wife as godparents in a parish entry from 1871. Another remarkable figure was the Serbian-born Djordje Marinkovic from Bukovik, who travelled the country with his wife as a bear handler. Their child happened to be born in Szigliget in March 1897.
1890 marked a turning point because a census was conducted that year, providing valuable information about the village of Szigliget. The settlement had 146 residential buildings containing 189 dwellings. There were 216 family households: 186 headed by men and 30 by women. Within these households lived 251 male and 446 female family members. In addition, 11 men and 10 women lived in the village outside family households. Altogether, Szigliget had a population of 448 men and 486 women at that time. Of these inhabitants, two men were serving in the military in 1890.
The question of origin is also interesting, and we shall return to it later. According to the census, 294 men and 330 women had been born in Szigliget itself, while among the newcomers, 124 men and 129 women came from Zala County, with the remainder arriving from elsewhere. One man originated from Lower Austria, most probably Ferenc Steinbach.
In 1890 the oldest man in the village was 80 years old, while the oldest woman was 89. The largest male age group consisted of children between 0 and 5 years old (68 individuals). There were 51 men between the ages of 31 and 40, and 56 between 41 and 50 years old. Among women the proportions were similar: 92 were under the age of five, while the second largest age group consisted of those aged between 31 and 40, numbering 76.
In Szigliget, 380 men and 394 women over the age of six were examined for literacy. Among the men, 250 (66%) could both read and write, while among women this figure was only 141 (36%). Six men and twenty-five women could read only. Half of the men over sixty years of age were literate, whereas among women of the same age group this proportion was merely six percent.
The population was overwhelmingly Roman Catholic: 96.8% (903 people). Four inhabitants (0.4%) were Reformed Protestants, and two (0.2%) were Lutherans. The Jewish community numbered twenty-five people, representing 2.6% of the population.
Thus Szigliget was gradually approaching the turn of the century. One of the village’s model agricultural estates was the Ciframajor, where mechanisation was beginning to play an increasingly important role. This is demonstrated by the presence of two engineer-blacksmiths employed there: Ferenc Pillinger (1902), originally from Nyirád, and Lajos Kobza (1904), from Iszkaszentgyörgy, as well as József Vakler (1912), who worked as a machine attendant.
The extensive agricultural operations relied heavily on coachmen, whose work supported the estate’s transport needs. Besides those previously mentioned, the following are known by name: Miklós Gárdonyi (1891), István Mohos (1900), István Borbás (1902), István Mogyorósi (1905), József Stummer (1907), István Erdélyi (Eördög) (1907), József Nagy (1907), Pál Gadácsi Jr. (1908), Károly Varga (1908), György Czakó (1909), Károly Németh (1911), Ferenc Barka (1912), István Nyírő (1912), and József Szalai (1912).
Naturally, a successful estate also required capable management. After József Csatovics, József Szabó (1893) became both estate guard and farm manager. Later, Hermann Schäffer, an estate steward of Jewish origin born in Subotica, directed the Ciframajor. We learn about him from an 1899 parish entry recording the baptism of his son after conversion to Christianity. By 1903 Antal Reider was managing the estate, followed by József Bálint in 1911 and Lajos István Somogyi in 1913.
The leading branch of production naturally remained livestock farming. Employees connected to this work included the cattle herdsmen László Borbély Ács (1892), Ferenc Gauzberger (1904), György Horváth (1908), and Péter Kocsis (1910); the shepherd István Orovicz (1892); the swineherds Mária Simon (1898), Lajos Marton (1905), István Vas (1907), István Horváth (1908), and Sándor Kecskés (1914); the horse-herdsman István Kerék (1903); and the dairy handler Lőrinc Horváth (1905).
Other employees included Sándor Német (1891) as blacksmith, József Steikszner (1896) as mason, József Nagy (1902), János Sabján (1905), and Lőrinc Horváth (1908) as estate farmers, András Lukács (1907) as forester, Lőrinc Nagy (1910) as field guard, Antal Mihályfi (1913) as wheelwright, and Rozália Falati (1913) as servant.
The next estate examined is the Kongó Major, which had begun to lose its importance and, due to its location, maintained closer ties with Nemesvita than with Szigliget itself. Among its workers we know Ferenc Kiss (1891), employed as a sheep herder; Lőrinc Bicsérdi, who had previously worked as a coachman and by 1896 served as a field guard; and Lajos Molnár, recorded in the same year as a coachman. From 1897 there is also mention of Ferenc Horváth, who worked as a shepherd.
In 1898 the Kongó Major was managed by Pál Makk, an estate steward originating from Nagyvázsony. The final entries in the Szigliget parish registers relating to the estate date from 1913 and the following year: Lajos Keszőcze worked as a mining engineer in the Kongó mine, while István Ványik was employed there as a miner. Very little reliable information about this mine has survived.
There are only two mentions of the Patacs Major during the examined period (1890–1914). One concerns György Fáró (1891), who worked as a forester, most likely on Antal Hill. Since the name Antal Hill has appeared, it is worth mentioning that this geographical designation first occurs in the parish records in 1906 as the residence of Anna Szabó, a vineyard worker.
The other recorded employee of the Patacs Major was József Mecséri (1896), listed as a furfametsző. This occupation remains somewhat mysterious, and I was unable to identify the exact nature of his work. The later history of the estate is poorly documented, but it is quite likely that by the turn of the century it was already in decline.
Finally, we should turn our attention to the Village Major, which later assumed the leading role under Count Pál Esterházy. It is certain that by 1912 he was already the owner, because according to the parish records the coachman Károly Kecskés lived in the “Count’s Major.” Since the Puteani family held only baronial rank, this entry provides conclusive evidence through elimination. The “Count’s Major” also appears as the residence of József Bujtás (1913).
No further direct references to this estate appear in the parish records during the examined period, though this certainly does not mean that it ceased to operate. Those who lived in service housing undoubtedly worked there. These included the coachmen János Bindics and Pál Gadácsi (1893 – servants’ quarters), the guard Zsigmond Tar (1895 – servants’ quarters), the cowherd István Lakat (1895 – village hall), the coachman István Kovács (1895 – servants’ quarters), the coachman Antal Tóth (1897 – servants’ quarters), the swineherd Mihály Horváth (1897 – village hall), the coachman János Tollár (1898 – servants’ quarters), the coachman Károly Lovasi (1900 – servants’ quarters), the wheelwright Károly Kuczagi (1900 – servants’ quarters), the coachman György Csali (1901 – servants’ quarters), the furfametsző József Nagy (1901 – servants’ quarters), the coachman Ferenc Kaposi (1902 – servants’ quarters), and the swineherd János Sági (1904 – servants’ quarters).
The remaining workers living in the village who appear in the parish registers are listed below by year:
1890: Gábor Kis (servant), Mihály Németh (coachman), Gábor Bokor (coachman), György Ihász (coachman), Gyula Szánti (blacksmith), Ferenc Kosaras (fisherman), István Kovács (fisherman), István Varga (coachman)
1891: Kelemen Marton (shoemaker), Gábor Lakosi (landowner), István Szabó (coachman), József Csillag (married cotter), Boldizsár Nagy (coachman), János Tancsics (cattle herdsman), Mihály Kovács (cowherd)
1892: Ferenc Papp (cattle herdsman), István Varga (buffalo keeper), István Csönge (gardener), Mária Talabér (servant)
1893: Matild Németh (maid, Szigliget Hill), György Uj (wheelwright), Gábor Bokor (servant), Károly Uj (wheelwright), János Pap (coachman)
1894: János Rózsa (fisherman), Vilmos Dorner (cellar master), István Sipos (groom), István Horváth (estate servant), Anna Molnár (maid), Sándor Viola (wheelwright), István Kapronczai (coachman, Szigliget Mill)
1895: Ferenc Árvai (blacksmith), Pál Sóstai (swineherd), Ferenc Goszton (servant)
1896: Mihály Horváth (swineherd), János Kóbor (miller), János Fuksz (blacksmith), Rozália Talabér (chambermaid), Mária Szabó (chambermaid)
1897: Terézia Ferenczi (servant, Szigliget Hill), Tamás Németh (coachman), Antal Szabó (cattle herdsman), István Kóbor (gardener), Julianna Körmendi (housekeeper), Ferenc Czibor (groom, coachman), István Fischer (coachman)
1898: Matild Eszter Németh (cook and servant, Szigliget Hill), György Udvardi (blacksmith), János Bognár (swineherd), György Pap (servant), János Ferenczi (apprentice), Ede Nagy (blacksmith)
1899: Sándor Szegi (coachman), Imre Horváth (field herdsman), István Tóka Kovács (coachman)
1900: György Pákó (coachman), Mihály Kocsis (coachman), János Horváth (coachman), Ádám Hári (blacksmith)
1901: István Tomor (cattle herdsman), István Bíró (shepherd), Mihály Kertész (coachman)
1902: György Kovács (coachman), Mária Sóstai (servant), János Szabó (mason)
1904: József Vitai (servant), István Somogyi (cowherd), János Szennyai (coachman), András Takács (cattle herdsman), Pál Pintér (cattle herdsman), Mihály Tánczos (groom)
1905: Terézia Varga (chambermaid, Szigliget Hill)
1906: Péter Somogyi (cowherd), Miklós Kecskés (servant), József Tóth (coachman), Elek Hatvani (field guard)
1907: György Biczó (field guard)
1908: István Ács (swineherd), Lajos Nagy (estate servant), Sándor Lukács (coachman)
1909: György Pap (assistant gardener), Károly Bándi (estate steward, private citizen), István Tölli (stonemason), Lajos István Somogyi (coachman), István Farkas (coachman)
1910: Bálint Lámpli (shoemaker), János Horváth (swineherd), Dezső Kocsis (coachman), István Spándli (machinist), József Tóth (coachman)
1911: Klára Szabó (servant), József Bálint (horse herdsman), József Tallián (coachman, Szigliget Hill), Ferenc Szöllősi (field guard), Miklós Bakos (coachman), Ferenc Takács (cattle herdsman), István Horváth (shepherd)
1912: József Molnár (gardener), Erzsébet Hőbör (servant)
1913: Mátyás Horváth (mine worker), István Ilia (gardener), János Szántai (coachman, Szigliget Mill), Ferenc Katona (cattle herdsman), Antal Kudela (machinist), István Zöld (coachman), Imre Szájer (landowner)
1914: Alajos Kis (apprentice), Ferenc Hőbör (coachman), Vendel Protár (cattle herdsman), János Roszony (cutler).
It is also worth highlighting the situation of the millers of Szigliget. Four mills operated within the administrative territory of the village. One stood on the Eger Stream, on the site of today’s Distillery, two on the Lesence Stream — known as the Lower-Berki and Upper-Berki Mills — and one, the New-Berki Mill, on the Világos Stream.
We do not know exactly who worked in these mills, since after 1890 the church registers recorded only “Szigliget Mill” as a place of residence. However, we do know the names of several millers who worked there: Pál Cságoly (1892), József Katona (1900), János Vörös (1905), István Turbék (1909), and assistant miller János Vince Szabó (1913).
It is also worthwhile to examine the places of origin of Szigliget’s employees. More precise information can be obtained from church registers after 1890, since the parents’ places of origin were also recorded.
Let us compare three different years. In 1893, eight new names appeared among those who did not work as farmers, day laborers or farmhands. Of these, Matild Németh, Pál Gadácsi and János Pap were natives of Szigliget, while János Bindics came from Torna, József Szabó from Kisapáti, György Új and his brother Károly from Zalaapáti, and Gábor Bokor from Kapolcs.
In 1900, eight individuals again matched the above criteria. Among them, only Mihály Kocsis and János Horváth were born in Szigliget. Károly Lovasi came from Gyepükaján, István Mohos and György Pákó from Lesencetomaj, József Katona from Diszel, Károly Kuczagi from Zalaegerszeg, and Ádám Hári had previously lived in Tótkeresztúr.
In 1905, seven people met the criteria. Terézia Varga and Lajos Marton were natives of the village, while György Szűcs came from Lesencetomaj, János Vörös from Lesenceistvánd, Lőrinc Horváth from Miske, János Sabján from Pötréte, and István Mogyorósi from Nyirád.
The three selected years serve only as examples, but a similar tendency can be observed throughout the other years as well. Generally, two-thirds of the employees and workers who were not farmers, day laborers or farmhands were not natives of Szigliget. The reason for this tendency is unknown, though it suggests that the estates of Szigliget required such a large workforce that the local population alone could not sufficiently supply it.
As mentioned above, by 1912 Count Pál Esterházy already owned part of Szigliget. The modernization of the Village Manor was largely the achievement of him and his nephew, János Esterházy, and the people of Szigliget still retained vivid memories of this period.
Several interesting details connected to this era also survived in the records of the Zala County General Assembly. In 1861, Baron József Puteani requested permission to build a mill on the waters of the Világos Stream, on the border between Raposka and Szigliget. This later became the New-Berki Mill.
In 1862, the discharge of Ferenc Jánka, a soldier from Szigliget, from military service was discussed. In 1870, Szigliget petitioned for exemption from public labor obligations imposed by the county in February, and then in May requested that the public labor — presumably after the rejection of the earlier petition — instead be directed toward the construction of the church in Szigliget.
In 1888, a comprehensive investigation was launched in the county assembly concerning annual accounts, and from this we know the names of the village judges of Szigliget. István Németh held the office from 1883 to 1885, Gáspár Varga from 1886 to 1888, and certainly István Szabó between 1889 and 1891. By 1898, István Kovács was the village judge.
In 1894, Szigliget wished to join the district notaryship of Nemesvita instead of Nemestördemic, though this move likely failed. In 1897, the idea arose to establish a new municipal doctor’s position in Badacsonytomaj, and in connection with this, Szigliget and Tördemic jointly petitioned that, should the plan be realized, they too be included in the service area.
In 1899, Szigliget issued bonds and financed the purchase of a property from their sale, although we do not know exactly which property this may have been.
Though not directly connected to the period discussed here, an archival note records the name of miner Lajos Varga in the death register of the parish of Bodajk. He died on November 5, 1956, from a gunshot wound to the head sustained during combat. This may be of interest to us because, according to the entry, he was born in Szigliget-Szőllőslak (more likely the Vineyard Hill area) on March 23, 1935, as the son of Sándor Varga and Terézia Páhi. He may therefore have been Szigliget’s victim of the 1956 Revolution.
The aim of this work was not only to present a fragment of two centuries of history, but also to awaken interest in ancestors whom we may have known only by name — or perhaps not at all. We do not know their faces, but the traces of their labor remain visible in the Szigliget where we live today.
Dániel Balassa