The local government of Józsefváros, the 8th district of Budapest, has awarded a posthumous honorary citizenship to Ignác Semmelweis. The recognition was accepted by Dr. Tivadar Hüttl, a descendant of Ignác Semmelweis and a senior lecturer at the university’s Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center, at an award ceremony held by the local government in the Uránia National Film Theater.
Ignác Semmelweis is one of the greatest figures in the history of Hungarian medical science. Hungary’s largest medical university and health care institution, Semmelweis University, is named after him, with most of the university’s clinics located in Józsefváros, the laudation in his honor mentioned, among others. The appreciation of Ignác Semmelweis also recalled that he was named head physician of the Rókus Hospital in Józsefváros in 1851, and on July 18, 1855 he became a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pest. He was the director of the obstetrics department for ten years, which was the predecessor of the Baross utca division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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The general assembly of the local government of Józsefváros decided on awarding the posthumous honorary citizenship to Ignác Semmelweis. The recognition and the accompanying honorary bell was accepted by Dr. Tivadar Hüttl, a descendant of Ignác Semmelweis and a senior lecturer at the university’s Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center, from Member of Parliament Dr. Máté Kocsis and district mayor Dr. Botond Sára, at an award ceremony held by the local government in the Uránia National Film Theater. Dr. László Rosivall, the head of the Semmelweis Memorial Committee, announced that Dr. Tivadar Hüttl has offered to donate the bell to the memorial committee, and plans are to hold an exhibition at a later date where it will be available for the public to view.
The so-called József Day awards gala was held by the local government of Józsefváros, where the district awards, including the honorary citizenships approved by the general assembly, were handed out in an official ceremony.
Pálma Dobozi
Translation: Tamás Deme
Photo: Zoltán Adrián; Ákos Ványi – Józsefváros újság
