Two priceless relics from Ferenc Kölcsey, one of the most important Hungarian poets of the reform era, were added to the collection of the Déri Museum on the Day of Hungarian Culture. The Biedermeier-style secretary desk and the penholder were used by the poet in his study in Szatmárcseke when he wrote Himnusz, the national anthem of Hungary.
Ferenc Kölcsey was born on 8 August 1790 and died on 24 August 1838. His strong moral sense and deep devotion to his country are reflected in his poems, his often severe but masterly literary criticism, and his funeral orations and parliamentary speeches. His poem Himnusz (1823), evoking the glory of Hungary’s past, became the national anthem of Hungary.
Very few objects from Kölcsey have survived. It is almost miraculous that the two objects, the secretary desk and the penholder still exist today.
The two relics are on display to the public from 23 January to 18 February 2024 in the dome of the Déri Museum.
