The living tradition of the Quarters’ profession in Eger has been inscribed on the Hungarian National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage

February 17, 2015 | Cultural Heritage, annual initation ceremony, Quarters’s masters, Eger, Dr. Csonka-Takács Eszter, Várkonyi György

In this year, the annual initation ceremony of the new Quarters’s masters was held again in the city of Eger. The plaque, which is decorated with the official logo of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Hungary, has been given to the community on the occasion of the quarters’ profession has been inscribed on the Hungarian National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

According to the UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, this kind of heritage provides a sense of identity and continuity while it is transmitted from generation to generation. It is also important for the bearer communities to consciously preserve these cultural treasures.

The quarters’ profession in Eger has hundreds of years of history and the fact that it is a well- functioning system nowadays, makes it a good example of the intangible cultural heritage’s maintenance. During the 15th-19th century in different cities of the Carpathian basin the Corporals or - after the German colonization - the Quarters masters (elected by the different parts of the settlement) were mediators between the quarters and the municipal authorities, maintained order, supervised the moral life and in addition protected the disadvantaged people. The Quarters’ profession in Eger is particular because this office, bequeathed from generation to generation and charged with varying tasks, survived only in this city of Hungary till 1950.

The prestige of the quarters’ master tradition reached its peak in the first half of the 20th century. High-ranking prelates, MBs, county and citiy officials, intellectuals also honored to be a quarter master.
The quarters’ profession was revived in 1996, and it is an essential part of the local people’s identity. The masters maintain the traditions and they are essential parts of the city’s events. They are spokesmen of their own Quarter’s and are important parts in the cultural, social and historical values’ preservation and acquaintance process as well as they are also connected with charitable activities.

Today 236 high-respected persons from Eger can be called a quarter master. They have a monthly meeting (called “whisperer”) in the Franciscan friary. During this occasion, the Mayor is informing the Plenum about the ongoing tasks and processes and the future plans of the city, besides he listen the feedbacks and the expectations of the inhabitants.

The quarters’masters pay attention to problems, which can be hardly noticed by a representative board member.

The initation ceremony which was organized traditionally at the 9th of February, promotes togetherness of the Quarters’ masters profession. In the event, as a recognition of the safeguarding method of the community practise, Dr. Eszter Csonka-Takács, the director of the Hungarian Open Air Museum’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Department, awarded a board with a logo depicting a tree and with a text „Intangible Cultural Heritage in Hungary” to the Headquarter of the community, György Várkonyi.

photo: egerhirek.hu