The history of Adony

The settlement of Adony, located at the East edge of Fejér county on the bank of the Danube River, has always been the scene of the peaceful co-existence or sometimes warlike meeting of various nations and cultures. Adony has been an inhabited settlement since the bronze age and then had been a military fortification, called Salina, of the Roman Empire as part of its Eastern "limes", i.e. the defensive line along its border; and later mentioned in the Middle Ages under the name of Odon as a royal estate and oppidum (borough) in charter records. This is the place from where the Hungarian king sent his last desperate call for assistance to the nobility of the country ... on the way to Mohacs where the Hungarian army of 40 thousand was destroyed by the 200 thousand army of the Turkish Empire in 1526. During the nearly one and half century of Turkish occupation the original Hungarian inhabitants of the settlement, serving as a Turkish fortification named Jancourteran at that time, partly escaped and partly perished.
After the Turks were driven out at the end of the XVIIth century, in parallel with the starting slow re-settlement of the original population German and Slovakian populations appeared in significant numbers as new "conquerors" due to spontaneous settlement and intentional settling organized by the Austrian emperors along with the native Hungarian inhabitants and the almost native Serbs (living there for several decades). Among this mixed population the Germans became the dominant force both in numbers and their communal-cultural homogeneity. This was evidenced by building a church of their faith already within a few decades of their settlement (in 1723) and Adony being mentioned in XVIII-XIXth century records as a German-speaking borough. They brought with themselves the still alive Urban cult: the holiday of the patron saint of grape and wine; and numerous cultural elements of husbandry and everyday life and created and perpetuated a still alive cultural tradition of music and dancing. Accelerated civic evolution in the XIXth century was well represented by the high number of self-organized communal associations and the establishment of a local press organ publishing reports about popular feasts, amateur and charity performances and exhibitions and numerous other manifestations of citizens' lifestyle at Adony, chief town of the district at that time.
Many customs and traditions have manifested themselves during the centuries in connection with viniculture, viticulture, fishery and water-miller trade and numerous other "Industries" as special elements of local economic culture. Several local legends, fables and songs retain and perpetuate even today the mentality and sentiments, view of life and world of the late ancestors. Suffering through the storms of history, Adony people sacrificed lives for the liberty of the country in 1848-49 and men from Adony were among the victims of both World Wars regardless of their national identity. And however rejoicing was the fact that origin and nationality had never poisoned the life of the community and never played a significant role in coexistence, this spontaneous and continuous assimilation was just as painful since values had disappeared as its result.
Reading of mass in German had ceased already in last third of the XIXth century and, as a consequence, the use of the German language in everyday life and communication had been slowly lost. In the first half of the XXth century Adony, occupying an important central position in the region as district seat, continued to develop without interruption in the civic way of life. And, although its borough title was lost already at the end of the previous century, a really serious stagnation period was caused by losing its central role gradually due to socialist industrialization building a steel industry center at Dunaújváros (called Stalingrad at that time).
After a short period of apathy, however, the development of the settlement gathered momentum again: an urban infrastructure was established during the past decades. The local community started to reorganize itself slowly from the mid-seventies, first in the framework of amateur arts movement primarily. This was the time when the "Gyöngyvirág" (Lily-of-the-Valley)Ladies' Choir, the Folk Dance Ensemble and the Folk-Song Circle were formed in addition to the Brass Band functioning since 1927. Then, as the fruit of the last decade, numerous new societies, foundations, clubs, circles and associations: formal or informal social organizations have made the civil community of Adony more complete. The reviving local press is embodied in the parochial public newsletter Duna-Adony. In addition to the edition of numerous cultural and local history publications, the organization of exhibitions and presentations the program series of the Urban Festival and other initiatives started with the aim of preserving or introducing traditions have gained gradually overall acceptance and recognition. Ever since the introduction of democratic Municipal elections the local body of representatives has worked successfully for the further development of Adony and for preserving and enriching its values. In 1995 the settlement has formed official partnership relations with the township of Oberweser-Oedelsheim in the province of Hessen, Germany. In 1998 the German Minority formed its Autonomous Community in Adony.
Adony at the end of the second millennium represents a dynamically developing community respecting and enriching its values, working to this end with joint efforts; with all Adony citizens professing themselves proudly as belonging to it with good reason. Visitors may admire the natural beauty of the Castle Park, Grapery Hill, fishery ponds and River Danube or the Great Island; the Urban Chapel, the baroque church and the public statues in Memory Park. Choice Adony wines may be tasted in one of the numerous cellars, recreation may be enjoyed through fishing, resting and other entertainment at Adony: almost urban in respect of infrastructure but still providing a rural environment in restfulness and personal nature.

Éblné Németh Margit