A name synonymous with criminal investigation. That is Dr. Kelety Géza. This plaque commemorates his life.
Welcome to the story of Dr. Kelety Géza Plaque. It stands as a tribute to a remarkable man. Dr. Kelety Géza was born in 1874 and died in 1952. He dedicated his life to Hungarian law enforcement.
Dr. Kelety Géza served as Deputy Chief of the Royal Hungarian Police. From 1909 he worked as an official. It was at the National Criminal Registry Office. He became its head in 1919. He served until 1934.
Dr. Kelety Géza founded Budapest’s Police Museum. It was originally named the Criminal Museum. He also served as its director.
Dr. Kelety Géza had a long career. He was a civil servant for 35 years. He led the National Criminal Registry Office from 1917. He was deputy head from its establishment in 1909.
Dr. Kelety Géza first recognized the importance of a separate registry. It was for repeat offenders. He introduced this system. He raised the police fingerprint department to a European standard. He taught fingerprinting regularly.
Dr. Kelety Géza created Hungary’s first criminal laboratory. He set up photography and chemistry workshops. With few existing items he created the Criminal Museum in 1908. Dr. Kelety Géza also founded the Metropolitan Royal State Police’s police library in 1915.
Dr. Kelety Géza introduced detective cars in 1927. They were nicknamed mordamobil. He was actively involved in police training.
Dr. Kelety Géza supported the police generously. He donated money and volunteered his time. His initial donations totaled 467 400 pengos. This amount grew later.
Dr. Kelety Géza received numerous awards. These recognized his outstanding work. He was praised for his lecture about the Police Museum in 1916. In 1917 he received the Red Cross Decoration of Military Merit. It was for his service during the war. In 1925 his 25 years of service were celebrated.
The Hungarian Police were praised at the Karlsruhe International Police Exhibition in 1925. He was recognized for donating to the police library. He offered his teaching fee to the library in 1925. He was praised in 1926 for contributing to the International Exhibition.
Dr. Kelety Géza was recognized in 1929. It was for developing and organizing the Police Museum collection. In 1929 he was praised for his outstanding work. It was in developing the police institution. In 1930 he was recognized for his fingerprinting course. In 1934 he was awarded the Bronze Medal.
After World War II the communist regime targeted Dr. Kelety Géza. He was considered an enemy of the state. All his property was confiscated. This included houses on Czuczor and Baross streets. Also the house on Diószegi Road was seized.
Dr. Kelety Géza’s pension was also taken. In 1951 he was deported from Budapest. He was forced to move to Mezöberény. In the 1950s he was imprisoned. The charge was hiding gold.
Dr. Kelety Géza died in Gyula in 1952. The circumstances of his deportation weakened him. He was buried in Tahitótfalu. In 2019 memorial days were held in Dr. Kelety Géza’s honor. Two plaques were unveiled in Budapest. They commemorated Dr. Kelety Géza’s life and work.
Dr. Kelety Géza’s life serves as an example. It shows dedication. It also shows commitment. It highlights service to the community. His work has left a lasting mark. It impacts Hungarian law enforcement. The Dr. Kelety Géza Plaque stands as a reminder. It honors his contributions.