National and historical symbols of Hungary

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Zalaszentgyörgy

(County Zala)

The coat-of-arms is a shield bordered or, the top concave, the sides pierced flanche-wise. It bears: gules, the figure of St George the Dragon-killer affronty, tinctured gules and argent. For the crest Turkey oak leaves and ears of wheat in a basket, all or. Mantling: Baroque, or and gules on both sides. The statue of St George represents the past of the Árpádian-age village and its church, whereas the colour red refers to the centuries-long bloody fight for survival. The Turkey oak leaves are the symbols of forestry (in the past and at present), while the wheat symbolises the growing of corn.

The village is situated on three terraced levels cut into the countryside by the Zala River. Here is the edge of the area called Kemeneshát, with steep hillsides sloping down to the Zala valley and cut by brooks running into the river at right angles. Zalaszentgyörgy is bordered by these hillsides. The water of the nearby brook Zél having been swollen, a series of ponds can be found on the western side of the settlement, situated at a few kilometres' distance from road number 76 between Bagod and Zalalövő, on the Zalaegerszeg-Zalalövő railway line. It also has a railway station.

History

The settlement's name derives from the Zala River and St George, patron saint of the village church. The first documented mention of Zalaszentgyörgy goes back to 1326, as the property of the Rezneky family. In addition, the document also relates to a two-wheeled mill on the Zala River.

Further documents refer to the village as Zenthgyurgy (1332) and Zalay-zenthgywrgh (1473). The church is likely to have been built in the 13th century in Romanesque style, with some elements of Gothic. Of the one-time parsons the names of Tamás (1403) and Benedek (1554) are worth mentioning. During the reign of King Sigismund the village changed hands several times; then, from 1523 onwards, it belonged to the castle of Egervár. In the 1550s it was owned by Ferenc Nádasdy and his wife Orsolya Kanizsai, as well as their son Ferenc.

In 1672 the village was still part of the Egervár estate. Its Turkish landowner was Bég (high rank officer) Hadgy of Fehérvár, whereas the Hungarian landlord was György Széchenyi. According to a contemporary register, the church was in good condition, and the mill was still in operation on the Zala River. The villagers were Catholics and Lutherans.

In 1720 the landlord Zsigmond Széchenyi had a document compiled on the agricultural activities pursued on his lands, as well as on the dues to be paid by the people living there.

In 1748 the village was dwelt by Hungarians and Vends; according to their religious denominations, 24 were Lutherans, and the rest were Catholics.

Having been indebted, in 1749 Ignác Széchenyi sold part of his property, including Zalaszentgyörgy, to Count Lajos Batthyány by law of succession. The written contract contains the estate inventories as well as the annual income broken down to items.

The contract provides a list of interesting place names as well, the approximate English equivalents of which may be "Crab Apple Orchard", "Egywed's Land", "Dungy Place", "Crooked Grounds", "Over the Gurgling Well", "By the Tompa Fish Pond", "Large Lawn", etc. There is also a detailed description of the saw-mill and the manor house, then several fish ponds are mentioned. By the evidence of other letters, some members of the Széchenyi family would not like the Szentgyörgy possession to fall into alien hands, so they call upon Ignác to let them know why he has run into debt, whereupon the family might be willing to consider paying the necessary sum. Ignác, on the other hand, would like to conclude the deal as soon as possible, thus avoiding family interference, because he is being dunned by his creditors.

From this time onwards, information relating to the village could be obtained from the letters and documents of the Batthyány family, who at the time held the position of Palatine. In spite of this, it was difficult for them to enforce their legal rights, since they lived a long way away. For example, once there occurred an incident, whereby one night the dwellers of Bőrönd stole all the firewood cut up by the men of Szentgyörgy for their landlord. Although we know a letter in which the owner threatens the thieves with retaliation, there is no evidence as to whether he ever got his firewood back.