Hungarian Memories of Fiume

It is all about a man and a town. The man’s life does not relate to the town, he was not born there, his work, life and activity have nothing to do with it, and he does not even get there until his old age. But for some mysterious reason, the town is there, from his childhood, in the depths of his soul, as a real dream: he heard its name from his parents, as they had stopped in the town on their honeymoon journey to Venice. There must be many who have seen Fiume, young, old, parents and children, just married and students on the run. But none of them has searched and researched it, trying to find and keep its treasures, and brought them to life in the sea of oblivion of Hungarian memory as Csaba Skultéty did.

He went collecting Fiume-related objects, documents, papers and books, postcards, engravings, maps, leaflets and other small prints, in memory of his parents and one-time Hungary. Finally, the collection grew into a considerable one, and was placed in National Széchényi Library. A catalogue and six exhibitions from 8 May 2009 to 12 July 2009 turned the child’s dream real. One of these exhibitions was held in Fiume, where museum expert colleagues were surprised to see certain objects and documents they had not heard of. From Nagykapos to Fiume – a fulfilled life in a thorn-apart world, allowed to somebody who really deserved and appreciated it.

The basis of this summary was the obituary of Csaba Skultéty written by the careful curator of the exhibition and editor of the book, Andrea Benkő.