Béla Mudrák, the “honey legend” of the Hungarian Highlands

* 1930, Bátorkeszi - † 2007, Esztergom / intarsia maker, beekeeper, master carpenter ; ; The former master carpenter, intarsia maker, beekeeper was born in Bátorkeszi in 1930. After the war, he became an apprentice to a skilled carpenter. Later, he also learned to make musical instruments, and both the violin and the guitar were out of his hands. He finished school in Párkány in 1948. In the same year, he and his family were deported to Bácská. Since there were no job opportunities there, he came to Esztergom, where his godparents took him in. After the military service, he got a job at the Esztergom Woodworking Cooperative. Then he graduated from a foreman's school in Budapest, where he learned to make intarsia furniture and pictures. On the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Esztergom's existence, he created several pictures, which were also exhibited in Esztergom and Vác. In 2006, he became a member of the Szikra Art Studio and began to create intarsia paintings with great enthusiasm. His works were exhibited in a joint exhibition, and Bátorkeszi had his own exhibition in November 2006 and April 2007, thus realizing his old dream. "Woodcarving has always been a male activity, that of peasants, shepherds, artisans, and craftsmen. Ä Works made with carved and scratched decorations, inlays, and marquetry are complemented by pickling and smoking, which, in addition to preserving, also serves as coloring. The flowering of Hungarian woodcarving left behind an exceptionally rich, diverse, and unmistakable memory, from which those living today can boldly draw. ; Master carpenter Béla Mudrák's creed: wood accompanies his life from the cradle to the coffin. ; His completed works testify that he found this path, thanks to which we could admire the many beauties he carved into wood at exhibitions. ; ; His other hobby was beekeeping, which he pursued intensively especially after his retirement. For him, beekeeping meant being close to nature. Of course, there were physically tiring parts of it, but he enjoyed doing these too. Many times the only thing that turned him off was being outside in the fresh air, stopping by a beehive and watching these little creatures do their job with great diligence. ; The Esztergom Szentgyörgymezői Reading Circle organizes the annual Honey Day under the subtitle “In memoriam Béla Mudrák”, who passed away in 2007. ; In 2016, a memorial plaque was unveiled at the birthplace of the Esztergom beekeeper, Béla Mudrák, on which Esztergom, the then mayor of Etelka Romanek, and Bátorkeszi, the mayor of Roland Labancz, also honored the event. ; Etelka Romanek, Mayor of Esztergom, said: “We came from the 1000-year-old city of Saint Stephen with great love to remember Uncle Béla Mudrák. Today, the most important value in Hungary is unity, strengthening national consciousness, nurturing traditions, and respecting ancestors. We owe our gratitude to Bátorkeszi, as the Mudrák family lived here until the 1950s, and we owe the beekeeping traditions to this family. A bridge has been built between Bátorkeszi and Esztergom, thanks to the family of Béla Mudrák.” ; Roland Labancz, Mayor of Bátorkeszi, emphasized in his speech: “My first feeling is above all recognition and pride, mixed with a little regret. Regret that this extraordinary person did not fulfill his life in Bátorkeszi. He did not become the driving force and role model of the community here. Today's commemorative plaque inauguration and the short but fruitful cooperation between Esztergom-Szentgyörgymező and Bátorkeszi and the future possibilities inherent in this clearly demonstrate that the life, work and memory of a community-forming personality can connect Hungarians across political decisions and national borders.” ; The “honey legend” from the Upper Hungary was a soft-spoken, helpful man who did his work diligently and devotedly throughout his life. His work, which was also his hobby. ; The strength and authority of the community are determined by those who sacrifice for it: they give up their own benefits for the benefit of others, while creating value and tradition. Bátorkeszi also has a rich heritage in this regard. The population of the settlement has changed and transformed in recent decades. For today's Bátorkeszi residents, the names preserved on a memorial plaque do not mean much. They do not know the bearer, few remember him. However, the goal of every community is to keep famous personalities and their legacy in the memory of the living, and for the growing generation to learn who their famous predecessors were in the 20th century. ; Béla Mudrák's life's work deserves the respect and recognition of descendants. The memorial plaque inaugurated in his honor was the first step on the path of historical remembrance, which many others will follow, and as a result, we can be worthy successors of those who gave name and rank to the settlement.