“Who was Lenz Hedvig?” a passerby once asked. Here, affixed to this wall, is the Lenz Hedvig Plaque. It commemorates the life of a remarkable woman. Let me tell you her story. Lenz Hedvig Jozefa Borbála was born in Budapest on February 5, 1893. She passed away in Debrecen on August 6, 1953. She was a Hungarian actress of German descent. She was also the mother of Bakó Márta.
Lenz Hedvig’s life began in the Víziváros district of Budapest. Her parents were Lenz Ferenc a merchant and Galata Julianna. She grew up in a German-speaking household as their third child. At fifteen, she learned Hungarian at a finishing school in Kassa.
In 1913, Lenz Hedvig began her studies at the Academy of Drama. In 1915, she appeared in Sándor Korda’s silent film “Tutyu and Totyó”. She played Veron, the maid. She received her diploma in 1916. After that she briefly performed at the Magyar Színház.
While still a student, Lenz Hedvig met László Bakó. He was a celebrated actor at the National Theatre. They fell in love and married on July 27, 1917. The wedding occurred in Regeteruszka near Kassa. Their daughter, Márta Bakó, was born in Budapest in the spring of 1920.
Lenz Hedvig’s promising career was tragically cut short. The Spanish flu pandemic struck in 1920. That autumn, she gradually became paralyzed. For a year and a half, she was completely helpless. After two years of recovery she regained her health. However Lenz Hedvig could not return to the stage.
Her husband’s early death presented a difficult situation. To supplement her widow’s pension she took a job as an usher. She worked at the National Theatre. After the German occupation, she found refuge in Csorna. She stayed at the Premonstratensian Abbey. Lenz Hedvig only returned to Budapest after the siege.
In the summer of 1951, Lenz Hedvig faced further hardship. Citing her stepson’s imprisonment she and her daughter were deported. Bakó Barnabás, her husband’s son from his first marriage, had been imprisoned since 1948. They were forced to move to Hajdúdorog. In her final years, Lenz Hedvig suffered several strokes. These left her unable to move. After her last stroke, she was taken to a clinic in Debrecen. She died there six days later on August 6, 1953. Lenz Hedvig was buried in the Nagyerdei Cemetery in Debrecen.
The Lenz Hedvig Plaque reminds us of a talented actress. Her life faced unexpected challenges and concluded with resilience. It’s a story of talent, love, loss and perseverance. It is also a testament to the strength of the human spirit.