Ödön Széchenyi, organizer of the Hungarian and the Turkish fire service

Abstract

Hungarian firefighting owes special thanks to Ödön Széchenyi. As a result of the excellent organising activities of the versatile count the Pest volunteer fire-brigade was established in 1870 and then the professional fire-brigade almost at the same time. His name was widespread known in Europe and his fame also reached the court of the Turkish Sultan, who commissioned the count to organise the fire department of Constantinople in 1874. Széchenyi never returned home but – held in great esteem by the Turkish society – he dedicated his life to the fire protection of Constantinople for nearly half a century until his death in 1922.