Janka Major: Dr. Aurél Vajkai
(2020, Balatonalmádi Pantheon)
Born in Kolozsvár (currently: Cluj-Napoca), 1903 May 14, died in Budapest 1984 November 27. Ethnographer, guidebook and art book writer, music critic.
As indefatigable polymathic and best known searcher of the Balaton-Bakony Hills region he has carved his name on the golden pages of the Hungarian cultural history with 110 writings, 200 articles, 30K photos and a huge genuine folk art collection. Kosice, Cserszegtomaj and Balatonalmádi all proudly claim him as theirs, together with representatives of many sciences such as medical historians, museologists, ethnographers or librarians. A number of commemorial meetings and exhibitions have been organized as tribute to his work. He has been patron and supporter of the of the Vörösberény Arts’ Colony’s painters. He was wandering the area, the Highlands and Transylvania on feet, by motorcycle and on train and left many everlasting relics and works to the posterity.
Graduated as a medical doctor in 1927. He modified his career then and became and stood an ethnographer until the end of his life. He gained his scientific grades also in ethnography. He worked in Veszprém and Keszthely as ethnographer. He served at the Ethnographic Museum in Budapest, later at the Transylvanian Scientific Institute. Between 1942 and 45 we was teacher at the Hungaristics Institute. From 1946 to 48 he had lectures as visiting professor at the Budapest University of Sciences as well as ordinary professor at the Folk Science Institute. He established the Bakony Museum in Veszprém and served as director until 1955. The Hungarian Society of Ethnography awarded him with the Györffy István Medal on 15th June 1977.
Since 1949 he settled in Balatonalmádi. He traveled to work in Veszprém with the train daily until his retirement in 1965. On commission of the local City Council he wrote a book with the title “Balatonalmádi and its surroundings”. He spent the last few years of his life in Budapest with his family, daughter and grandchildren.
