Might this unassuming plaque hold the key to understanding a celebrated Hungarian writer? This is the Tersánszky Józsi Jenő Plaque. It commemorates the life and work of a significant literary figure. He lived in this very house from 1938 until his death in 1969.
Tersánszky Józsi Jenő was born in Nagybánya in 1888. Today, it is known as Baia Mare in Romania. He died in Budapest in 1969. He left behind a rich legacy of novels and stories.
He flirted with a bohemian lifestyle from his teenage years. He prepared to be a painter, influenced by the local art colony. But following his parents’ wishes, he became a notary intern in Szapáryfalva. A year later, he was a legal trainee in Nagybánya. He then tried law at the academies of Eperjes and Budapest but he never finished his studies.
His early life was filled with artistic pursuits and legal studies. But literature eventually became his true calling. Tersánszky’s writing captured the spirit of his time. He explored human nature through his works.
His first short story was published in 1910. His first collection of short stories was published in 1911. Between 1914 and 1918, he was a soldier. From September 1918, he was a prisoner of war. He returned home in August 1919. He gained recognition as a writer mainly due to his novel “See you again, dear…”
Struggling with poverty, he attempted suicide in 1921. Luckily he survived. Sári Molnár, an aspiring writer, started writing to him after reading about his rescue. They married in September 1921. In the same year, his major work, the first volume of Kakuk Marci, was published. From the summer of 1922, he was a full-time employee of Nyugat. In 1923, he made his debut as a playwright. In 1927, he was sentenced to two months in prison for his novel “The Bribe and the Virgin”.
The Tersánszky Józsi Jenő Plaque marks the home of a man who lived a full life. He was a soldier. He was a husband. He was a celebrated writer. He captured the hearts of readers with his stories.
Tersánszky’s unique style made him a master of Hungarian literature. His stories often featured animal characters. He used these characters to critique human society. He received the Kossuth Prize in 1949. This further cemented his place in literary history.
Next time you pass this Tersánszky Józsi Jenő Plaque take a moment to remember the writer. Think of his stories. Think of his characters. Think of the legacy he left behind. It is a legacy etched in words and stone.