Szent-Györgyi Named Honorary Citizen of Szeged – December 1, 1937
In the second half of November 1937, a sense of calm returned to Szent-Györgyi’s daily life, at least temporarily. However, having accepted a pleasant invitation, on November 27, he gave a presentation in Budapest at a popular science event organized by the Society for the Natural Sciences. The title of the presentation was “On the Mechanism of Biological Combustion”. Szent-Györgyi probably considered this talk a dress rehearsal for his Nobel Prize lecture. In fact, the speech delivered here was already brilliantly constructed; and on December 11 in Stockholm, he only deviated from it in a few minor details.
On December 1, Szent-Györgyi once again found himself in the spotlight when, as Szeged’s own Nobel laureate scientist, he was conferred honorary citizenship by the city in a grand ceremony. At the City Hall, the invited guests gathered for the solemn event in the Assembly Hall, where the walls were festively decorated with garlands of red peppers to suit the occasion. The following day, Szent-Györgyi wrote to a former schoolmate, concluding his letter with these lines: “As for me, I’m caught in a flood right now, being far too much in demand. I hardly have time to breathe. It’s tough being famous – I can’t wait to go out of fashion.”
Above: A letter of invitation from György Imecs, County Commissioner of the Royal Free City of Szeged, to the extraordinary session of the Municipal Assembly, held to confer honorary citizenship upon Szent-Györgyi. Two additional documents from this special day have also been preserved at the Klebelsberg Library of the University of Szeged. One is a telegram from Ferenc Herczeg, the most popular Hungarian author of the Horthy era, sent to Mayor József Pálfy, in which Herczeg confirms his intention to attend the celebratory event the following day. (It is worth noting that, in 1930, Herczeg received the Hungarian Corvin Chain, then considered the highest state decoration for outstanding achievements in science, literature, and the arts.) The other document is a letter addressed to the Mayor’s Office, in which Rector József Gelei (1937–1938) provides a list with the names of the ladies attending the event on behalf of the university.
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Dr. Albert Szent-Györgyi’s acceptance speech to the Municipal Assembly of Szeged upon receiving honorary citizenship
“-It is with deep humility that I accept this diploma, a testament to the love and generosity of this city, which have placed me on the highest pedestal to which a citizen of a city can be elevated. This honorary citizenship is a visible sign that I have received the greatest honor a person can achieve in life: the love of their fellow citizens. I used to believe that the most one could hope for was a respectable burial place. But fate has given me far more – a place in the hearts of my fellow citizens, who have embraced me, just as I embraced this city long ago.
-While I am both joyful and deeply moved, I am also filled with doubt, as my name has been added to the list of honorary citizens of Szeged alongside the names of people whose stature I cannot possibly match. However, I take comfort in the thought that this award is not just for me, an ephemeral and insignificant individual, but for the cultural work of which I am merely a foot soldier; that with this honorary citizenship, the Assembly did not seek to mark my place among the citizens of Szeged, but rather to highlight the place of culture and science in the life of the city.
-The high priority this city has placed on cultural work in its life has long been evident in its actions. When the world war stripped it of its land and wealth, surrounded it with suffocating borders, and nearly deprived it of its means to exist, this city, during its greatest trials and tribulations, did not seek life and security behind wire fences but instead opened its doors to impartial seekers of knowledge and of new truths. This city made the greatest sacrifices to give shelter to the university that others had driven away. Heeding the words of [former Minister of Culture and Religion] Klebelsberg, this city sought to secure its place under the sun with the peaceful weapons of culture, asserting its right to exist by cultivating and spreading culture and human knowledge. Today, this city continues to thrive, living on in the blood and veins of two thousand young students. This city is a living testament to my creed, the belief that the only reliable weapon of self-defense is goodwill towards others, and that prosperity comes not from battle cries and destruction, but from work – honest, selfless labor, construction, and unity. It is also my belief that the only forces capable of lifting us from our helplessness and demonstrating to the world at large our right to exist, even in times of destitution, are culture, knowledge, science, and art – domains in which small and great nations have an equal voice. If other nations followed this city’s example, humanity could look forward to a much brighter future.
-If I were the standard-bearer of science, I would lower my flag in honor of what this city has taught us. I have always been proud to be a citizen of Szeged, and I shall embrace my honorary citizenship with double the pride.
-This city has shared with the university not only its land and income but also its heart, creating an environment where scientific work can truly flourish.
-I am pleased if my work has, even in a small way, contributed to repaying the debt of gratitude that science – and the university – owe to this city. I am also glad that fate has deemed it fitting that my humble efforts serve as yet another example of the fact that while science yields laurels, the abstract scientific results of today can aid the farmer tomorrow, making their arduous work easier. It also brings me great satisfaction to know that intellectual labor is as essential a building block in the edifice of a nation as the toil of the farmer, and that true service to one’s country is not achieved through slogans or stirring up controversy, but through the joining of peaceful, honest hands in labor, with the most profound embodiment of patriotism being the simple act of doing one’s duty.
-Those who have so kindly praised my merits have mostly pointed out that this is the first time that the Nobel Prize has been awarded to someone who is truly Hungarian. However, if I were to recount what really happened, I would emphasize that it was the first time, in my memory, that a city and a country had been so united in rejoicing at the success of one of its living sons. For a moment, this joy seemed to unite all Hungarians in a single, culturally unified entity. And this joy was shared wholeheartedly by my fellow citizens of Szeged, which enriched and multiplied my own happiness. This collective joy has turned the bringing home of the Nobel Prize into a family celebration for Szeged, and this honorary citizenship stands as a visible symbol of this community of ours, with a bond that will only grow stronger.
-The only thing I can do in return is to keep working. The only thing I have to offer in exchange is my never-ending gratitude and love. Please accept this in return from me."
(Published in the daily paper Szegedi Napló on December 2, 1937.)
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When Szent-Györgyi concluded his speech, he was once again warmly applauded by the assembly for several minutes. The meeting was then brought to a close with remarks from County Commissioner György Imecs. Finally, the vocal ensemble sang the national anthem of Hungary, and one by one, members of the municipal assembly, city leaders, and guests all offered their heartfelt congratulations to Szeged’s new honorary citizen.