The Institute of History at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Debrecen regularly provides opportunities for historians to present the latest results of their research at invitation-only conferences organized with international participants. This year’s session of the annual conference series drew participants not only from Hungarian institutions (Budapest, Debrecen, and Eger) but also from Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Romania, and Slovakia.
The professional conference examined issues related to the city and its history during the 16th–18th centuries from various perspectives—education, science, culture, the economy, and social life.
- This period was a time of significant change throughout Europe. Through the conference presentations, we explored where and how various challenges—and in some cases, crises—arose in the countries and cities of the broader Central European region, what responses were developed to them, and whether these responses lived up to the hopes placed in them in later years. Are there any lessons to be drawn that remain valid and applicable today, in the 21st century? “Historia est magistra vitae”—that is, history is the teacher of life—this ancient adage remains true to this day, as we can learn from the solutions devised by our ancestors and need not necessarily repeat the same mistakes in today’s world, which is full of challenges- said László Pósán, a professor at the Institute of History at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Debrecen and the conference’s main organizer.
The opening lecture of the two-day event was delivered by Roman Czaja, an honorary doctorate recipient from the university and a professor at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, on the economic development of Prussian cities during the transitional period specifically in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Professor Andreas Weigl (Austria) examined demographic and population issues in early modern cities through the lens of cemetery data, while the speaker from Poland addressed the topic of academic exchange among Polish cities as reflected in educational institutions and various publications—books and newspapers.
Several foreign speakers chose topics for their presentations that were closely linked not only to the history of their own countries but also to that of Hungary. One such presentation—among others—focused on the role of the Bratislava City Theater in the 18th century, its function in society, and its significance; this naturally touched on Hungarian history as well, since Bratislava served as the seat of the Hungarian Diet until the Compromise of 1867.
There was also a presentation on the school system of the Austrian provinces, which likewise had ties to our country, since the *Ratio Educationis*, issued by Maria Theresa in 1777, was the first comprehensive educational decree to regulate public education in the Kingdom of Hungary at the state level.
Professor László Pósán of the University of Debrecen introduced the audience to the economic structure of the city of Debrecen in the 17th and 18th centuries. As he explained, Debrecen was the most populous and wealthiest city in Hungary at the time, with a population that surpassed even that of Buda and Pest. Thanks to its Calvinist heritage, the Reformed College, the printing press operating there, and its internationally renowned handicrafts, the city’s reputation spread far beyond Europe.
Attila Tózsa-Rigó delivered a lecture on the role of cities in northwestern Hungary in Europe’s economic life; Réka Bozzay presented Debrecen’s early modern network of international relations as a “school city”; and Annamária Jeney-Tóth gave a presentation on religious life in Kolozsvár.
The conference proceedings will soon be published by the organizers both online and in print.
The academic conference was made possible with support from the Humaniora program, which promotes the internationalization of the humanities.
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