A book about Győr bus transportation history in preparation
The foundation of Győr’s bus transportation system dates back to 1926, when István Csillag established the Star garage, and later a bus company with a partner. Ágoston Winkler, an Associate Professor at the Department of Transportation at Széchenyi István University, researches the history of bus transportation in Győr over the last hundred years. We spoke to him about his forthcoming book on the subject.
Ágoston, what was your motivation for undertaking this research?
My interest in public transportation dates back to my childhood. Following my university graduation, I commenced my professional journey at Kisalföld Volán, where I remained employed for nearly seventeen years, including its succeeding entities. My responsibilities were timetable planning, network planning, and the development of passenger information systems. I teach these subjects to students majoring in transport engineering. As the years went by, I became more and more interested in the past: how did the bus transportation in Győr start, who founded it, what challenges did it face? At first, I just did a random search for old newspaper articles and read studies on the subject. As I delved deeper into the subject, I found myself increasingly drawn to it. I decided to conduct thorough research to identify unpublished aspects of this topic, and then publish the results in a book.
Which topics are you are excited about, that haven’t been covered yet?
About the individuals who have pioneered this process. In studies, they are usually mentioned only by their names. However, I am also interested in understanding their lives.I want to show the faces behind the stories. In addition, my research focuses on the route network: when and where the local buses ran in the Győr area.
How did you collect the data?
The most extensive and time-consuming part of the process was reviewing daily papers. The Arcanum database proved to be a valuable resource. Timetable books from the 1950s are available, but unfortunately, there are no older ones. Luckily, changes were usually announced in the newspapers. I also reviewed articles spanning from the 1800s to the 1950s, in the Győr library. Especially, from the 1920s onward, when bus transportation was introduced. I have also read earlier studies on the subject, but I focused mainly on primary sources in my search to eliminate possible inaccuracies. I created an extensive Excel spreadsheet with nearly three thousand rows to organize the information. Regarding the individuals, I consulted family tree research websites.
Have you managed to find descendants who could help you?
Locating them was a challenging endeavor! Most of them were very kind and helpful, providing me with biographical information and photos, for which I am extremely grateful. I was given an old timetable too.
How did public transportation start in Győr?
First, in the 1860s, the need to find a better way to reach the Kiskút resort area, without having to walk along the dusty road, came up. However, these were omnibuses, i.e. horse-drawn carriages, that ran occasionally during the summer months, primarily on behalf of local innkeepers. Subsequently, in 1905 and 1907, the city leased a boat to provide transportation to Kiskút. Several trolleybus and tram lines were planned, but they never materialized.
In the 1920s, modern bus transportation, which did not require overhead wires or tracks, began to expand. Discussions regarding the potential implementation of these continued until August 1926. Then, István Csillag and Elemér Békefy joined forces and established their business. In addition to the bus service, there was a gas station, a repair shop, and a rest area for motorists. They also offered driving courses. I have found newspaper articles containing short passionate stories written about bus rides. The introduction of zone tickets was met with such enthusiasm, that it inspired the writing of a lovely, little poem.
Had the already prevalent fierce anti-Semitism had an impact on the start?
Of the two partners, István Csillag was of Jewish descent. I have not found any evidence that this has caused any problems. During the initial years of operation, the company was very successful. The city expressed interest in participating, but the ministry did not approve the request, for reasons that are still not known. In 1931, the STAR Garage and the bus company were merged, and in 1932, the Győr General Transport Company was created, combining all the related activities of the owners.
In 1939, Csillag made a difficult decision: he chose to depart from the company he had founded, in order to avoid any potential complications that might arise from his personal background. He subsequently sold his share to an entrepreneur, called Béla Árpád Tárnok. Later on, there were several changes in ownership. The company name was maintained until after World War II, at which point the company was nationalized and integrated into a nationwide organization, comprising MÁVAUT, AKÖV, and ultimately Volán.
What happened to István Csillag and his family during the Shoah?
Unfortunately, most of them were sent to Auschwitz, with some being sent to other locations. Very few returned. All that is known about István Csillag himself is, that he was forced laborer in the construction squad in Birkenau and, according to his nephew János Csillag, a Holocaust survivor, he was last seen at the end of 1944. He was 54 or 55 years old. Despite having an opportunity to escape, he chose not to. After the passing of his wife, he began a relationship with a Christian woman who offered to hide him. But he thought that the Germans only needed cheap labor, he didn’t think that the deportation would be fatal. He voluntarily decided to go and help other family members who might find it hard to manage there, because he was in good shape. According to the information I got from his family, he was a physically strong man. He was active in sports.
Are there any commemorative references to István Csillag or the STAR Garage at Volán?
When there was the 50-year anniversary of the founding of Volán – which counts the history of the company from 1948 – a book was published that briefly outlines the beginnings. Additionally, the STAR Garage is referenced in the aforementioned studies. My aim is to inform more people in Győr about the history of transportation in the area, including the period before Volán and its development up to the present day.
As far as I know, there were also other transport entrepreneurs with Jewish roots in Győr.
László Inkei, the technical manager of the STAR Garage and Bus Service, was also Jewish. In recognition of his excellent work, he was given a share in the company. From then on, he held the position of managing director together with Csillag and Békefy. In 1941 he sold his share, and in 1942 he had to leave the company completely. For some reason he was not deported in 1944, but had to flee in the autumn of that year. He sought refuge with his family in the caves of the Vértes and Pilis mountains, and later near Lake Balaton. In 1945, he played a major role in helping restore the transport company, which had been almost completely destroyed in WWII, and revive the bus services.
Another story originates from the pre-bus era. Vilmos Schneider, an entrepreneur from Moson, operated an omnibus service between Moson and Magyaróvár – at that time two separate settlements – for almost 20 years with great success. He launched a similar service in Győr in 1895. Initially, it was a popular choice among the residents of Győr, likely due to its novel features. As months passed, the number of passengers using this service decreased, shrinking only to people who arrived at the train station with large luggage. For others, the distance of a kilometer or two was not worth paying. The service did not last a year.
What happened to him later?
He died of natural causes before the Holocaust, having lived to an advanced age. Many of his descendants were sent to Auschwitz. There is a book by Lucy Adlington titled ‘The Dressmakers of Auschwitz’. One of the protagonists is Márta Fuchs, who was the granddaughter of Vilmos Schneider. She worked in the sewing workshop there, because she was a trained seamstress. She was able to rescue numerous people who were under her supervision.
And what happened to Schneider’s company?
In 1925, Mosonmagyaróvár bus transportation was introduced, but he was not involved in it, as it was initiated by the city’s authority. Omnibus was outdated by then, and this part of the business eventually ceased to exist. He got more into freight transport, which did well. He remained active until his old age. It is not known what happened to the business later. It probably could not have continued much longer due to the historical events.
When will your book be released?
I am aiming to have it finalized by 2026 in celebration of Győr’s centenary of bus transportation. It will be self-published.
Interview conducted and English translation by György Polgár