Reincarnations of a Kappenabzeichen

Badge makers have at times used the ideas and tools of their successful previous pieces to make other badges as well. This is why we can talk about the reincarnation of badges: instead of the previous badge, which may no longer be available, a new version with a different inscription will appear. This is what happened with this badge. The original event, the Mollináry Mayday, was held on May 27, 1917.

A year later, on April 28, 1918, in connection with the organization of another event, the company’s gingerbread heart-shaped badge was again used. The April Evening in Vigado was this event organized by the “Tomorrow Literary Society”. It was easy to get information about Tomorrow. It was founded in Nagyvárad under the leadership of Endre Ady, an important Hungarian poet in 1908, with the participation of the poet’s followers. The Society published anthologies, organized performance evenings and exhibitions of works by contemporary painters. It was not a long-lived organization, it had already disbanded in 1911. Two questions remained open: if the company disbanded, who organized this 1918 event? The other: does the badge mention Pest, Buda or Nagyvárad Vigado? Unfortunately, I did not receive answers to these questions.

Not only the inscription on the badge has changed, but so have the figures on it. The pair of dancers depicted in folk costumes and military uniform on the original badge have disappeared, and a muse plucking a lute has appeared symbolizing literature.

Another year passed, world-shattering events took place. The Monarchy and its old social order disintegrated and fell with it. There have also been major changes in politics. Taking advantage of the anger of the frustrated masses disillusioned with the lost war, left-wing politicians following the Russian Communists came to power. The Commune was formed. Our clever badge factory tried to keep up with the times, and using the monarchical badge bases that had become unsaleable, they made pieces that the new power liked. The symbol of the new age, a red star, was soldered to the old badges. Berger has redesigned many of its badges in this way. In our case, the previous version, the literary society badge, came to this line. Copies with the inscription Mollináry may have run out by this time.

Of the three versions, I definitely like the first one, the original the best.