Matthias Bel
Matej Bel z Očovej (Slovak), Bél Mátyás (Hungarian) (German: Matthias Bél, latinized form: Matthias Belius) (March 22 1684, Očová (older spelling and Hungarian name Ocsova) – August 29 1749) was a Lutheran pastor and polymath, one of the greatest scholars of the eighteenth century in the Kingdom of Hungary. He was dubbed Magnum decus Hungariae - the Great Ornament of Hungary.
His father was Matej Bel, butcher, his mother was Cseszneki Erzsébet (Hungarian)/Alžbeta Česneková (Slovak) from Veszprém. Later he married a German woman, Zsuzsanna Hermann and they had eight children. He spoke Hungarian, Slovak and German, he published his works mostly in Latin. He considered himself an ethnic Slovak, besides many nationalist passages in his works (especialyl in the Notitia Hungariae novae historico geographica in many places) this can be seen e.g. in the introduction he wrote in Doležal's Grammar of the Czech-Slavic language: „...I both love and know the Czech-Slavic language ..only our language can compete with and exceed the beauty of all European languages" (Doležal, Pavel: Grammatica Slavico-Bohemica, 1746).
He attended schools in Lučenec, Kalinovo and Dolná Strehová, followed by grammar schools in Banská Bystrica, Bratislava and briefly Veszprém and in the Calvinist collage of Pápa. In the years 1704 - 1706 he studied theology, philosophy and medicine at the University in Halle. An appointment as rector of the school at Klosterbergen near Magdeburg was followed by periods as pro-rector and subsequently rector of the Lutheran grammar school in Banská Bystrica, where he was simultaneously pastor. As a Rákóczi-sympathisant, he was almost executed by general Sigbert Heister. Between 1714 and 1719 he was rector of the Lutheran grammar school and - from the latter year - also pastor of the German Lutheran church in Bratislava, the city in which he was buried.
He was an outstanding scholar of his age. He was active in the fields of pedagogy philosophy, philology, history, theoretical theology; he was the founder of the Hungarian geographic science and pioneer of descriptive ethnography and economy. A leading figure in pietism, Bel wrote sacred works in Lutheran liturgical language.
As a teacher he wrote books, introduced natural science lessons, emphasized the importance of using visual aid and experimental education. His methods spread and had a modernizing effect on the education system of whole Hungary.
As a philologist, he was the first to study the Hungarian runes and also contributed to the evolution of the Hungarian literary language. He revised and republished Gáspár Károli's Bible-translation. He wrote Hungarian, Latin and German grammars - in the latter he also reviewed the German communities and dialects in Hungary. His work as translator and editor in the field of religious work is also copious.
A pioneer of collaborative research in the history of the Kingdom of Hungary, he undertook a comprehensive historical and geographic examination of the territory in his well-known Notitia Hungariae Novae Historico Geographiaca. His work about the counties of Hungary was aided by many - while others accused him of spionage. Finally, József Batthyány, the archbishop of Kalocsa patronized him, and even arranged that the authorities helped him in his work. The chancery entrusted Sámuel Mikoviny to supplement his work with detailed maps. Four volumes were published, the rest of his work remained in manuscript. He was also the author of a unique manuscript account of agriculture in the Hungarian Kingdom.
In 1735 Bel drew up a proposal for the creation of a scientific Academy, to be based in Bratislava. Bel's works met with recognition and respect beyond the Kingdom: he was a member of a number of learned societies abroad (e.g. Prussian Royal Academy (Berlin), London, Jena, Olmütz, Saint Petersburg). He was elevated to noble rank by Charles VI of Austria, and recieved a golden medalion with his (Bel's) own portrait from Pope Clement XII.
He died on 29 August 1749. He was buried in Bratislava, but by know the whole cemetery disappeared.
Matej Bel University (Univerzita Mateja Bela) in Banská Bystrica is named after him.
Works
- Notitia Hungariae Novae Historico Geographiaca ... (1735-1742)
- Die erste Beschreibung der Liptauer Tátra (Edited by Posewitz Theodor) (1900)
- Matej Bel o Liptovských Tatrách (Edited by Houdek Ivan) (1959)
- Matej Bel, slovenský geograf (Edited by Houdek Ivan) (1984)
- Moson vármegye leírása (1985)
- Gömör vármegye leírása (1992)
- Békés vármegye leírása (1993)
- De vetere litteratura Hunno-Scythica exertitatio
- Magyar grammatika vagy-is a' hazai nyelvnek gyökeres megtanulására való intézet...
Source
- (Hungarian) BME Irányítástechnika és Informatika Tanszék
- (Hungarian) Jó szerencsét!
- (Hungarian) Magyar Protestáns Panteon