Ágoston Trefort
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ágoston Trefort was a Hungarian
politician, who served as Minister of Religion and Education from 1872 until his death. He was the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
from 1885.
origin. Trefort was born in Homonna, Hungary (now:Humenné, Slovakia), a small town in the county of Zemplén. His great-grandfather worked as a lawyer in Belgium
, his medical officer grandfather came to Hungary in the 1770s. Ágoston's father was Ignác Trefort (1770–1831), a famous surgeon, and his mother was Tekla Beldovics (died 1829). They married in 1816, when Ignác's first wife died. They had three children: Ágoston, Antal (died in his infancy) and István (born 1825, year of death unknown).
studies in German, in Latin and in Slovak
. Trefort lost his parents during the cholera epidemic of 1831. He found his way under Countess Petronella Csáky's guardianship. He studied on the Lyceum of Eger
, then he started his higher studies on the Faculty of Law of the University of Pest. He learnt in English, in French and in Italian
, thanking for his excellent gift for languages duly. Then he made his juridical practice at the district board on Eperjes
. Trefort finished his studies at the age of eighteen.
He started his first big Western European round trip by favour of the paternal heritage and the Csáky family on April 1836. He returned to Hungary on February 1837. Trefort passed his lawyer's exam with a distinguished result on 22 December 1837. He stood into a state service then, and chamber president Gábor Keglevich
appointed him a free trainee at the Buda
court chamber on 17 April 1838. Trefort became member of the National Casino, where he made lot of friends and connections. Among others he got acquainted with József Eötvös
here.
of 1833/1844 as a delegate of Zólyom. He was selected to a member of a committee, which negotiated about the commercial affairs. He publicated for the Pesti Hírlap about actual political questions (credit bank
, inheritance
, tax, industrialisation
). On 14 March 1847 Trefort married to Ilona Rostly, daughter of vice ispan Albert Rostly, so Trefort became Eötvös' brother-in-law, because Eötvös' wife, Ágnes Rostly was sister of Ilona.
On 16 March 1848 (one day after the revoulition broke out) he was appointed to the Vice-regency council's interim press policing department. He received officer rank in the militia of Pest. In the cabinet of Prime Minister Lajos Batthyány
he served as state secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Trade. After murder of Ferenc Lamberg he emigrated to Vienna
, after that München with his family. They returned to home on September 1850. He lived in Békés County separately, at the end of 1850s he engaged in the county public affairs. Trefort founded the Békés County Economical Association. He appointed the county's first vice ispan on 11 December 1860, but he resigned from this position on 18 March 1861. In this same year he became member of the National Assembly of Hungary again.
Trefort supported the compromise with the Austrians, he was also between the promoters. After death of his wife he moved to Pest. When József Eötvös
, his closely friend died in 1871, the cabinet offered Eötvös' ministerial position to him. He accepted the function with only second occasion, so Trefort became Minister of Religion and Education in 1872. He also served as Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Trade between 21 August 1876 and 5 December 1878.
Eötvös and Trefort's multi-faceted politics yielded the birth of the modern Hungarian higher education. Social political transformation being equal to the capitalist economic development roamed together with this, and the pressure of the economic interests. The society set up his claims opposite the higher education in connection with this. It was the turn of new institutions', departments', laboratories' organization, the change of a curriculum, the increase of the vocational standard as a result of all these.
In 1872 the Polytechnikum became Budapest University of Technology and Economics
, and the country's second university
opened in Kolozsvár
. Furthermore new departments came into existence, the scientific and medical faculty buildings were built, the artistic higher educational institutions organized. He ascribed extraordinary significance to the medical science, the medical training and the public health
. With the increase of new buildings, new departments' foundation, the increase of the number of the laboratories, their equipment raised the modernisation (generally) of the higher education, particularly the standard of the medical training. The Műegyetem Múzeum's boulevard buildings, The University Library, the Faculty of Medical Science were made ready at this time, and along Üllői út
the buildings of the Clinical Quarter. He multiplied the departments' number in the course of his work made on the space of the question of the education.
He created new educational and exam order, a disciplinary regulation, he standardize the universities' organization. Moreover he provided the opportunities of the school founding, professors with outstanding knowledge. With regard to the Faculty's of Arts development important result creating the institution of the seminars and the study time from three raising it to four years.
Trefort reformed the teacher-training system in 1873. He united the training of the grammar school
and secondary school teachers's training. In the interest of the correction of the standard he organized the teacher examining commission, provided the foreign scholarship
s. He ordered the regular keeping of the methodological meetings in the schools in the interest of the improvement of the teaching methods. the Act of 1883 took action on the conditions of the teacher qualification and the general requirements of the examinations. Trefort regulated the transition between the civil schools, high schools and the training colleges in his orders. He regulated the commercial schools' organization. Suggested it the industry student schools and central Industry School's erection.
In connection with the national question the Magyarization
political sketching characterize him, which is after his death, getting stronger turned into really reactionary. He had attacks many times from the denominations' and the left wing. Trefort was struggling along equally to espouse and to develop all of the areas of his wallet. His triple password: public health, economy, public education. He saw the context of the development of the culture clearly with the necessity of the solution of the economic and social questions. Even his literary function served his cultural policy aims.
. The Trefort Ágoston Bilingual Secondary School preserves his name in Kispest
. The Trefort Ágoston Award is one of the state acknowledgement which can be donated by the Minister of Education. For those ministerial, municipal and institution employees can be donated, who make work rising through longer time in the interest of the education.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
politician, who served as Minister of Religion and Education from 1872 until his death. He was the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is the most important and prestigious learned society of Hungary. Its seat is at the bank of the Danube in Budapest.-History:...
from 1885.
Family
He was born into a Hungarian Catholic family of WalloonWalloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
origin. Trefort was born in Homonna, Hungary (now:Humenné, Slovakia), a small town in the county of Zemplén. His great-grandfather worked as a lawyer in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, his medical officer grandfather came to Hungary in the 1770s. Ágoston's father was Ignác Trefort (1770–1831), a famous surgeon, and his mother was Tekla Beldovics (died 1829). They married in 1816, when Ignác's first wife died. They had three children: Ágoston, Antal (died in his infancy) and István (born 1825, year of death unknown).
Studies
He already spoke on the time of his grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
studies in German, in Latin and in Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
. Trefort lost his parents during the cholera epidemic of 1831. He found his way under Countess Petronella Csáky's guardianship. He studied on the Lyceum of Eger
Eger
Eger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...
, then he started his higher studies on the Faculty of Law of the University of Pest. He learnt in English, in French and in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, thanking for his excellent gift for languages duly. Then he made his juridical practice at the district board on Eperjes
Eperjes
Eperjes is a village in Csongrád county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 697 people ....
. Trefort finished his studies at the age of eighteen.
He started his first big Western European round trip by favour of the paternal heritage and the Csáky family on April 1836. He returned to Hungary on February 1837. Trefort passed his lawyer's exam with a distinguished result on 22 December 1837. He stood into a state service then, and chamber president Gábor Keglevich
House of Keglević
The House of Keglević is a Croatian noble family originally from Dalmatia, their members were pointed out in public life, also as soldiers...
appointed him a free trainee at the Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
court chamber on 17 April 1838. Trefort became member of the National Casino, where he made lot of friends and connections. Among others he got acquainted with József Eötvös
József Eötvös
József baron Eötvös de Vásárosnamény was a Hungarian writer and statesman, the son of Ignacz baron Eötvös de Vásárosnamény and Anna von Lilien, who stemmed from an Erbsälzer family of Werl in Germany....
here.
Political career
Trefort's interest turned into the direction of the literature in this time. He suggested to foundation of a Művészeti Egylet onto the nursing of the Hungarian fine arts. This was his first appearance before the publicity, and the work society, for which he was the first president, was the result of this. The centralist group formed in these times, notable members were Eötvös, Trefort and historian László Szalay. Trefort became member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences at the age of twenty-four. He participated in the works of the Industry Society and the Hungarian Trading Company. He was member of the National AssemblyNational Assembly
National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...
of 1833/1844 as a delegate of Zólyom. He was selected to a member of a committee, which negotiated about the commercial affairs. He publicated for the Pesti Hírlap about actual political questions (credit bank
Credit (finance)
Credit is the trust which allows one party to provide resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately , but instead arranges either to repay or return those resources at a later date. The resources provided may be financial Credit is the trust...
, inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
, tax, industrialisation
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
). On 14 March 1847 Trefort married to Ilona Rostly, daughter of vice ispan Albert Rostly, so Trefort became Eötvös' brother-in-law, because Eötvös' wife, Ágnes Rostly was sister of Ilona.
On 16 March 1848 (one day after the revoulition broke out) he was appointed to the Vice-regency council's interim press policing department. He received officer rank in the militia of Pest. In the cabinet of Prime Minister Lajos Batthyány
Lajos Batthyány
Count Lajos Batthyány de Németújvár was the first Prime Minister of Hungary. He was born in Pressburg on 10 February 1807, and was executed by firing squad in Pest on 6 October 1849, the same day as the 13 Martyrs of Arad.-Career:His father was Count József Sándor Batthyány , his mother Borbála...
he served as state secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Trade. After murder of Ferenc Lamberg he emigrated to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, after that München with his family. They returned to home on September 1850. He lived in Békés County separately, at the end of 1850s he engaged in the county public affairs. Trefort founded the Békés County Economical Association. He appointed the county's first vice ispan on 11 December 1860, but he resigned from this position on 18 March 1861. In this same year he became member of the National Assembly of Hungary again.
Trefort supported the compromise with the Austrians, he was also between the promoters. After death of his wife he moved to Pest. When József Eötvös
József Eötvös
József baron Eötvös de Vásárosnamény was a Hungarian writer and statesman, the son of Ignacz baron Eötvös de Vásárosnamény and Anna von Lilien, who stemmed from an Erbsälzer family of Werl in Germany....
, his closely friend died in 1871, the cabinet offered Eötvös' ministerial position to him. He accepted the function with only second occasion, so Trefort became Minister of Religion and Education in 1872. He also served as Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Trade between 21 August 1876 and 5 December 1878.
Minister of Religion and Education
He continued the development of the civil educational system. A ready program was not at his disposal, but he emphasized the importance of the educating the people. He created the ministry's ninth department, which dealt with the building cases. The commercial and industrial educational forms came into the foreground because of the development of the capitalism. The ministry preferred those types of school, which ones not onto human orbits, but foster onto industry, agriculture, trade. Trefort harmonized the public education with the social needs during second half of his ministerial term.Eötvös and Trefort's multi-faceted politics yielded the birth of the modern Hungarian higher education. Social political transformation being equal to the capitalist economic development roamed together with this, and the pressure of the economic interests. The society set up his claims opposite the higher education in connection with this. It was the turn of new institutions', departments', laboratories' organization, the change of a curriculum, the increase of the vocational standard as a result of all these.
In 1872 the Polytechnikum became Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Budapest University of Technology and Economics
The Budapest University of Technology and Economics , in hungarian abbreviated as BME, English official abbreviation BUTE, is the most significant University of Technology in Hungary and is also one of the oldest Institutes of Technology in the world, having been founded in 1782.-History:BME is...
, and the country's second university
Babes-Bolyai University
The Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca is an university in Romania. With almost 50,000 students, the university offers 105 specialisations, of which there are 105 in Romanian, 67 in Hungarian, 17 in German, and 5 in English...
opened in Kolozsvár
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
. Furthermore new departments came into existence, the scientific and medical faculty buildings were built, the artistic higher educational institutions organized. He ascribed extraordinary significance to the medical science, the medical training and the public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
. With the increase of new buildings, new departments' foundation, the increase of the number of the laboratories, their equipment raised the modernisation (generally) of the higher education, particularly the standard of the medical training. The Műegyetem Múzeum's boulevard buildings, The University Library, the Faculty of Medical Science were made ready at this time, and along Üllői út
Ülloi út
Üllői út is a major transport artery in Budapest, Hungary. Üllői út is the longest avenue in Budapest, it's 15.6 km long and absolutely straight....
the buildings of the Clinical Quarter. He multiplied the departments' number in the course of his work made on the space of the question of the education.
He created new educational and exam order, a disciplinary regulation, he standardize the universities' organization. Moreover he provided the opportunities of the school founding, professors with outstanding knowledge. With regard to the Faculty's of Arts development important result creating the institution of the seminars and the study time from three raising it to four years.
Trefort reformed the teacher-training system in 1873. He united the training of the grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
and secondary school teachers's training. In the interest of the correction of the standard he organized the teacher examining commission, provided the foreign scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s. He ordered the regular keeping of the methodological meetings in the schools in the interest of the improvement of the teaching methods. the Act of 1883 took action on the conditions of the teacher qualification and the general requirements of the examinations. Trefort regulated the transition between the civil schools, high schools and the training colleges in his orders. He regulated the commercial schools' organization. Suggested it the industry student schools and central Industry School's erection.
In connection with the national question the Magyarization
Magyarization
Magyarization is a kind of assimilation or acculturation, a process by which non-Magyar elements came to adopt Magyar culture and language due to social pressure .Defiance or appeals to the Nationalities Law, met...
political sketching characterize him, which is after his death, getting stronger turned into really reactionary. He had attacks many times from the denominations' and the left wing. Trefort was struggling along equally to espouse and to develop all of the areas of his wallet. His triple password: public health, economy, public education. He saw the context of the development of the culture clearly with the necessity of the solution of the economic and social questions. Even his literary function served his cultural policy aims.
Academic career
In 1841 he became corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Later, in 1867 he was promoted full member. He was appointed President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1885, followed Menyhért Lónyay in this position. His ministerial occupation limited his academic activity strongly.Legacy
A sculpture cherishes his memory at the Eötvös Loránd University. There is a street's name after him in JózsefvárosJózsefváros
Józsefváros is the 8th district of Budapest, Hungary. It is the part of the city centre in the wider sense as one of the 18-19th century older suburbs, close to Belváros.-Location:...
. The Trefort Ágoston Bilingual Secondary School preserves his name in Kispest
Kispest
Kispest is the 19th district of Budapest, Hungary. It lies to the south-southeast of the historical Pest city. It was founded in 1871 on rural land as a small village beside the city limits of Budapest, so it was named Kispest . From 1880 to 1990 Kispest's population increased from 1820 to...
. The Trefort Ágoston Award is one of the state acknowledgement which can be donated by the Minister of Education. For those ministerial, municipal and institution employees can be donated, who make work rising through longer time in the interest of the education.