Hungarian Personalities Honored with Street Names in Romanian Town
Baia Mare, a town in Romania known for its significant Hungarian community, will soon see some of its streets named after Hungarian personalities. This decision comes after the local government representatives of Maramureș County approved a draft resolution initiated by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ).
The two streets to be named after Hungarian figures are located in places of importance to the Hungarian community. One street will be named after the renowned writer Mór Jókai, situated below Jókai Hill above the town park. The other street will honor the actor Márton Lendvay, near the theater.
In addition to the Hungarian personalities, streets will also be named after Elek Pokol, a Romanian-born mine owner and politician, and Walter Friedrich, a German-born expressionist painter. These names reflect the town’s history of gold mining and art colony.
Furthermore, the municipal council decided to confer the title of honorary citizen on local historian Béla Balogh. This decision was made on a proposal put forth by the RMDSZ.
Zsolt Pintér, president of the Maramureș County branch of RMDSZ, expressed that the Hungarian community in Baia Mare has long wished for streets named after Hungarian personalities. The RMDSZ faction’s goal was to adopt at least two Hungarian street names in the local government cycle, which was achieved after extensive political negotiations.
The RMDSZ also plans to name streets after other founders of the Nagybánya Artists’ Colony, such as Béla Iványi Grünwald, István Réti, and János Thorma. A tribute will also be paid to the work of writer László Németh, who was born in the town.
Despite the Hungarian community accounting for just over 10 percent of the population in Baia Mare, efforts are being made to recognize and celebrate their cultural heritage. This initiative to name streets after Hungarian personalities aims to acknowledge their contributions and legacy in the town.
In a recent census in Romania, 8,713 people in Nagybánya identified as Hungarian nationals out of a population of 108,000. The town has also installed trilingual local name signs at the entrances, reflecting the Romanian, Hungarian, and German languages spoken in the area.
As the town continues to embrace its cultural diversity, the naming of streets after Hungarian personalities serves as a symbol of unity and appreciation for the rich heritage of Baia Mare.
