Debrecen, February 12, 2026 – A large portrait of Ferenc Kölcsey, created in 2000 by the late painter and ethnographer Sándor Makoldi, has been reinstated in the Kölcsey Ferenc Hall at the Debrecen Reformed Hungarian University (DRHE) during a ceremony held on Hungarian Culture Day. The portrait, featuring the inscription “A HAZA MINDEN ELŐTT” (“The Homeland Above All”) from Kölcsey’s epigram Kölcsey Ferenc Emléklapra, was previously displayed in the council hall of the university’s predecessor teacher training college but had not been publicly accessible in its current location until now.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by DRHE Rector Dr. Béla Levente Baráth, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen Dr. István Puskás, and the artist’s granddaughter, Emese Anna Makoldi, a first-year student studying to become a teacher. Literary historian Dr. Ferenc Vitéz delivered a speech highlighting the “national ars poetica” quality of the Hungarian National Anthem and praising Makoldi’s artistic legacy.
The event also included the laying of wreaths at the bronze relief of Kölcsey by E. Lakatos Aranka, followed by a commemorative tribute by Rector Baráth at the Kölcsey relief on the main facade of the Debrecen Reformed College. The ceremony concluded with a wreath-laying at the Kölcsey statue on Péterfia Street, accompanied by reflections on culture and remembrance shared by Deputy Mayor Puskás.
The reinstatement of Makoldi’s portrait not only honors the memory of the celebrated painter but also reinforces the university’s dedication to preserving Hungarian cultural heritage and fostering a connection between students, history, and the arts.
Source: Debrecen Reformed Hungarian University
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