Artisans on the move

When we came across the website of the Hungarian Stonemasons' Association, we discovered the history of Hungarian stonemasons. We share a summary with you.

STONE CULTURE

2/12/20237 min read

Il est 10 h 30, lorsque nous arrivons avec nos vélos chargés dans la ville de Regensburg (Ratisbonne pour les français). Ce matin-là, nous garons nos bolides au pied de la cathédrale. Devant l’atelier des tailleurs de pierre. Au premier regard, il ressemble à une maison champêtre, qui nous amène loin de la ville. Un jardin planté de pierres taillées et de pots de fleurs entourent les murs en moellons qui nous accueillent chaleureusement. Tout comme son Leiter de la Domebauhütte*, Matthias Baumüller.Regard perçant et sincère, fervent passionné de son métier et de “sa” cathédrale. Matthias s’apprête à nous faire vivre l’une des plus belles visites de notre vie. Un voyage dans le voyage. Six heures et trente minutes continues, qui nous mènera à découvrir de multiples recoins de la cathédrale.

While browsing the website of the Hungarian Stonemasons' Association, I came across a page dedicated to the history of the profession. Reading this account, I became aware of the uniqueness of its point of view. It allowed me to discover the history of the country through that of its craftsmen. This is a particular vision that is not often approached during initial training in France. That is why I wanted to share a glimpse of it with you. So that you, in turn, can plunge into the history of the stone trades in Hungary.

The empire fell apart after the First World War. As in many European countries, the craftsmen and workers suffered the full force of the two world wars. After these conflicts, Hungary became communist in 1949. The stone industry was then nationalised. Quarries, stone cutting and sculpture workshops were managed by a single company. In spite of this, an independent craft industry continued to exist. The end of the Hungarian People's Republic in 1989 marked the revival of the activity. The national company was re-divided into several production units close to the quarries. There are currently about two thousand stone-related companies in Hungary. Tombstone manufacturers, stone cutters, merchants, construction stone cutters, stone restorers, building tilers, letter engravers, mosaicists, artificial stone manufacturers, etc.

From this story, I was touched by the influence that the stonemasons had on the culture of the country. The craftsmen in their migrations become vehicles of knowledge, symbols of freedom. This process seems to have no age or borders. A colleague on the site testifies to this when he tells me: "I am a free worker". As the expedition progresses, I wonder where the limit of this exchange of knowledge lies. Will they continue to exist until the shores of the Pacific?

So we leave for the year 1000, heading for the kingdom of Hungary where King St Stephan had stonecutters and sculptors brought in from Italy to build cathedrals. Their knowledge was then mixed with that of local craftsmen. A royal edict also imposed the construction of a church for every ten villages. From the shores of the Adriatic Sea to the hills of Transylvania, it was a prosperous time, as evidenced by the castles and churches still visible today. But the activity of the craftsmen was destabilised by the Ottoman invasion from the 15th century onwards. Hungarian professionals were forced to move. They had to meet the labour needs of their new sovereigns, but also to flee the war that occupied the former kingdom. This period of Turkish occupation left enough of a mark on the country that one can still feel this oriental spirit in today's Magyar culture¹.

It was not until 150 years later that the Hungarian population regained stability. Thanks to the Habsburg rulers, the craft industry developed again from the 17th to the 18th century. They brought in master stonemasons from Bavaria. In their migrations, these craftsmen took with them not only their knowledge but also their professional organisation. The Hungarian Hüttek, the equivalent of the Germanic stonemasons' lodge (Hütte²), came into being. Its particularity is linked to its functioning. Once the apprentice had completed his training, he became a journeyman and had to complete a two to three year journey before becoming a master. This structuring will strengthen the population of craftsmen and will encourage innovation in the country until the 20th century. The stone industry began to industrialise at the same time. The heritage of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is still very present. You only have to visit the cities of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest to see this.