Standing before this building at 83 J\u00f3zsef Boulevard one cannot help but wonder about the life it once housed. Here, a young Ferenc Neumann grew into Ferenc Moln\u00e1r. He became a celebrated writer. Today a plaque commemorates Ferenc Moln\u00e1r. It honors the author of The Paul Street Boys. It also celebrates the storyteller who captured Budapest’s growth. He became a world-famous master of Hungarian comedy.
Ferenc Moln\u00e1r’s story begins in J\u00f3zsefv\u00e1ros. In 1889 the Neumann family moved into this very building. Ferenc was eleven years old. His father M\u00f3r Neumann commissioned Alfr\u00e9d Wellisch to design their three-story Neo-Renaissance home. Wellisch was a prominent architect. He designed around two hundred residential buildings in Budapest.
M\u00f3r Neumann was not only Ferenc’s father but also a well-respected doctor. He improved public health conditions in Budapest. He co-founded the General Workers’ Patient Care and Disability Fund. As a surgeon he cared for workers in J\u00f3zsefv\u00e1ros and Ferencv\u00e1ros. He treated workers from larger factories. For 25 years he served as the factory doctor of the Ganz Factory. During the construction of the Margit Bridge he looked after the health of the workers. During a cholera outbreak he tirelessly cared for patients. His dedication allowed him to build this house at the age of 41.
Before moving here the Neumann family lived in rented spaces. This house symbolized M\u00f3r’s success. Ferenc took the name Moln\u00e1r in 1895. He was a student with diverse interests. Botany painting and literature captivated him. He bred silkworms drew cartoons and even edited his own newspaper. He also had collections of minerals plants and stamps. The new house provided ample space for his many hobbies.
The building’s design reflected the family’s values. Its Neo-Renaissance style was refined. The brickwork the window details and the roof cornice showcased Wellisch’s skill. The inner courtyard with its circular corridor exuded restraint.
The family’s apartment was on the first floor. It overlooked the Outer Ring Road. The balcony offered views of J\u00f3zsef and Ferenc Boulevards. It also had a view of the barracks at the intersection of \u00dcll\u0151i Road. The apartment had five living rooms a bathroom a kitchen a dining room and a hall. One room served as M\u00f3r Neumann’s doctor’s office. Jozefa Wallfisch Ferenc’s mother created a large library. She collected works of Hungarian literature. Ferenc credited his mother’s love of literature for his interest in writing.
The apartment was a true family nest. Ferenc’s sister Erzs\u00e9bet never moved away. Even after multiple marriages she preferred living within those familiar walls. His brother always returned to the family home. M\u00f3r even furnished an apartment on the third floor. He did this so that his son could live independently but nearby.
M\u00f3r Neumann died in 1907. Ferenc Moln\u00e1r achieved world fame. He left his childhood home. He occasionally spent a night there. His marriages and travels often took him elsewhere. Yet the house and apartment remained etched in his memory. They occasionally appeared in his novels and dramas.
Moln\u00e1r described a similar setting in his work The Cocoon. A finely furnished apartment. Signs of affluence. The smell of medicine in the air. A child’s illness. The chaos of a medical emergency. This vivid scene reflects his childhood home.
This plaque honors Ferenc Moln\u00e1r’s early years. This is where the seeds of his literary genius were sown. His family his home and Budapest itself shaped his imagination. As you pass this building remember the boy who became a world-renowned writer. He told stories that continue to resonate today.