THE AIMS AND THE HISTORY OF THE ÓVÁS! ASSOCIATION

About us

ÓVÁS! Society is a civil society organisation created in 2004 to protect the cultural and architectural values of Budapest, especially the historic buildings of the one time Old Jewish Quarter on the Pest side.

It wishes to achieve its goals in two ways:

- by submitting a protest – a veto – with reference to the legislation and law in force, to the competent authorities in order to protect the endangered cultural and architectural values

- by putting pressure on the decision makers with the help of its many civil supporters

The first campaign of our civil society initiative was an appeal transmitted via e-mail in June 2004: we protested against the demolition of the historic buildings of the former Jewish Quarter of Pest. In two short weeks, hundreds of people joined our appeal, thus giving weight to our petition that we submitted to the competent authorities: Ministry of the National Cultural Heritage, Office for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Budapest Local Government. In our petition, we asked the authorities to declare the area and the endangered buildings protected monuments. At the same time, we used all possible means and occasions to draw the public's attention to the historic, cultural and architectural values of the quarter and to their endangered position. We organised demonstrations, press conferences, exhibitions, film presentations, conferences and guided walks. During our highly successful guided walks, many people got to know the streets, squares and buildings that are the significant venues of the history of Hungarian Jews, and that remind us of both the most beautiful and the saddest eras.

In February 2005, most of the buldings that were supposed to be demolished were declared protected monuments. The current aim of our society is to have the quarter refurbished and revitalised based on a unified concept, preserving the original architectural characteristics of the quarter formed during centuries and all its buildings of historic value.

What happened so far

May 2004

Following Anna Perczel’s lecture in the townhall, István Jávor invited all those to Vista Café in Paulay Ede street who – as he assumed – could have suggestions as to the saving of the buildings of historic value of the former Jewish quarter of Pest that had been endangered for years. Architects, city-planners, sociologists, economists, historians, journalists and university students participated in the discussion, and György Konrád writer was there as well. That is when we first thought of creating a civil society organisation that would coordinate all the efforts to preserve the whole historic quarter – which is an irreplaceable value of both national and universal culture – for posterity.

June 2004

Referring to regulations and law in force, Péter Marinov economist writes a petition that we submit to the competent authorities on behalf of ÓVÁS!. We draw attention to the law-breaching practice of the municipality of the 7th district in issuing authorisations for demolition.

We start collecting supporting signatures for the protection of the buildings to be demolished of the Jewish quarter.

We organise two demonstrations against the demolition of the so-called Silversmith House – Holló street 11. – built in 1910.

On June 15 the Jewish quarter is declared a temporary area of protected monument.

July 2004

We organise a guided tour by bus for the representatives of the press in the Jewish quarter.

August-September 2004

We organise a street photo exhibition by putting up giant photos of the former and current inhabitants of the quarter between the arcades surrounding the synagogue in Dohány utca.

September 2004

ÓVÁS! Film Days in the Szimpla open-air cinema in the framework of the Jewish Summer Festival. Projection of films related to the history of Hungarian Jewry with the participation of the creators. An archive film-étude entitled „The enchanting city” – compiled by István Jávor – is shown before the films, presenting Budapest before the 2nd World War.

We publish an information booklet with pictures about the endangered buildings of the quarter in Hungarian and in English that we distribute at the ÓVÁS! counter of the bookfair.

The quarter is declared a permanent area of protected monuments, and 62 buildings are declared temporary protected monuments.

October 2004

In the framework of the Month of Architecture, we organise an ÓVÁS! conference in Műcsarnok entitled „Alternative Thoughts about the Former Jewish Quarter of Pest” with the participation of lecturers from abroad and from Hungary. Following the welcome speech of David Admon, ambassador of Israel, the conference is opened by György Konrád. The documentary „Existence” – by István Jávor, László Ágoston and Dóri Szegő – is shown on the current problems of the quarter.

February 2005

The head of the Ministry of the National Cultural Heritage, István Hiller signs the regulation on declaring 51 buildings of the quarter permanent protected monuments.

The municipality of the 7th district abolishes the plan of Madách sétány (Madách Esplanade), which would have necessitated the demolition of several old buildings.

ÓVÁS! celebrated its success in Godot Café with Orsi Egri’s handmade cake. The top of the cake represented the plan of the Madách Esplanade and was eaten by the precious guests.

April 2005

ÓVÁS! organises a concert in the Rumbach street synagogue that has been deserted for decades, unduly forgotten and ruined. The program is the generous offer of the Weiner-Szász chamber symphonic orchestra.

The ÓVÁS! conference book is published by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

October 2005

We organize the second international ÓVÁS! conference in Műcsarnok entitled „The Jewish Quarters of Europe. The Future of the Old Jewish Quarter of Pest”. We invite lecturers from Berlin, Trebic, Krakkow, Bilbao and Sophia.

We organize a photo exhibition in the design center VAM in Király street – the main street of the Jewish Quarter – entitled „ The Touching Quarter”. The exhibition is opened by Géza Komoróczy.

March 2006

ÓVÁS! submits a petition against the demolishing of a historic corner building on Király street. (Király Street 40.) We organize heavy demonstrations for two weeks followed with special attention of the media. The demolition works will be stoped by the decision of the Municipal Court.

July 2006

We organize a biker-demonstration in the district to draw the attention to the demolishing of two old buildings and of a small garden opposite to the Fröhlich kosher bakery in Dob street. According of the plans huge 8 storied buildings will arise on the spot.

October 2006

The third international ÓVÁS! conference in Műcsarnok, entitled „How to Continue, Elisabeth Town? Plans and Visions about the District in 2006” Among the lecturers is Béla Nagy, who made the up to date valid urban plans for the Jewish Quarter. These plans are sharply criticized by the experts of ÓVÁS!. Young architects from Berlin, London and Cologne expose their city planning designs concerning the Jewish Quarter admitted to the international competition of EUROPAN.

April 2007

ÓVÁS! writes a letter to the president of the World Heritage Commity of the UNESCO asking for a special mission of experts to review the distressing situation in the Old Jewish Quarter of Budapest.

Anna Perczel, the urban architect in ÓVÁS! gives a lecture in Paris to the audience of the civil organisation Mardis Hongrois de Paris. This NGO collected hundreds of supporters in France to protect the historical buildings in the Jewish Quarter in Budapest.

May 2007

We install a new photo exposition about the endangered old buildings of the 7th district directly neighboring the Old Jewish Quarter. The pictures taken by young members of ÓVÁS are exhibited for one month in the gallery of Budapest’s City Protection Association. (Budapesti Városvédő Egyesület)

ÓVÁS! gets the Árkádia Prize from the Átrium Cityscape Foundation for its persistent struggle to protect the historic buildings and cityscape of the Old Jewish Quarter of Budapest.

Supporters

- institutions, companies

Syma Kft.

Műcsarnok, Budapest

Friedrich Ebert Foundation

Stadsherstel Amsterdam

Weiner-Szász chamber symphonic orchestra

Classic Farm Bakery, Budapest

Godot Café

Quawa Art of Coffee, Budapest

Clemens Studio

Plaxprint printery

National Film Archives

- those who supported the saving of the Jewish quarter with their signature