File:Hesz Kalman Letter and Paver (14950563506).jpg

On 20 August 2003 (St Stephen’s Day - Hungary’s national day) the Magyar Millennium Park in Wellington was opened by the Governor General, Her Excellency The Hon Dame Silvia Catrwright.

Located on the corner of Molesworth and Hawkestone Streets, Thorndon, Wellington, the park symbolises the gratitude of New Zealand Hungarians to their adoptive country for taking them in as refugees .

While most of New Zealand’s Hungarians came as refugees after the 1956 uprising against Communism some chose to flee their homeland earlier. One such was Kalman HESZ - remembered in the Magyar Millennium Park on an engraved paver (see image).

Born 13 April 1910 in Hungary, Kalman arrived in New Zealand on 13 August 1951 as a single 45 year old. His occupation at the time was aeroplane instrument mechanic. He spent a few months in the refugee camp at Pahiatua (formerly the Polish Children’s Camp) and by 1953 had moved to Palmerston North where he was employed by the National Airways Service. That same year he moved to Wellington and on 28 September 1953 joined the New Zealand Public Service as a Clerk in the National Library Service, Department of Education.

In May 1955, following the protocol of the time, Kalman gave one years notice to the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs that he intended to apply for New Zealand citizenship through the process of naturalization. This started a series of preliminary enquiries into Kalman’s background to determine whether he was “following such a manner of life as is likely to fit him for naturalization.”

The enquiries were carried out by the New Zealand Police and entailed interviews with Kalman (resulting in a report of his historical and current life), and interviews with other citizens who had known him since his arrival, e.g. employers (see image), landlords/ladies, neighbours.

The June 1955 Police report was favourable and the following year the Department of Internal Affairs requested the New Zealand Police to “advise whether or not anything is known to the detriment of this person…” Further enquiries were carried out, including a check of Police records. The Controller-General of Police responded “The above-named has not come under the adverse notice of this Department since 20th June, 1955, when 1st stage enquiries were made.”

Kalman was granted a certificate of naturalization on 31 August 1956.

Archives New Zealand, in its Wellington office, holds files relating to individuals who were required to register as aliens under the Aliens Act 1948, from 1949 to 1977 (Alien Registration Files archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=504). As the access restrictions on these files expire they are being individually listed in Archway. Kalman Hesz’s is one such file, and includes his 1951 application for registration as an alien, from which the image of him is taken, the police reports relating to his naturalization application, and other correspondence. Occasionally a naturalized alien’s Certificate of Registration booklet may also be included in the file.

The last two pieces of correspondence on Kalman’s file, dated in November 1956, show he sent a parcel of envelopes with names of people of Hungarian origin to the Alien Registration office in Wellington. The Hungarian revolution had begun the month before and the envelopes contained appeals for donations to a Hungarian Relief Fund through the Red Cross Society of New Zealand. Kalman’s request was for the Alien Registration office to forward the envelopes to the current addresses of the people concerned. The Controller-General regretted that for policy reasons the Department was unable to assist.

Archives New Zealand, in its Wellington office, also holds Kalman Hesz’s probate file. From this file we learn that Kalman died in Wellington on 2 June 1970, aged 60 years. His occupation was stated to be Retired Library Clerk, and in his will he bequeathed “all books pamphlets and periodicals owned by me at my death to the Trustees for the time being of the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NEW ZEALAND for the said National Library.”

Kalman Hesz’s alien registration file - Archives Reference: AAAC 504 659/ AL46712 archwaystaff.archives.govt.nz/viewSingleItem.sp?oid=41588935 Kalman Hesz’s probate file - Archives Reference: AAOM 6031/459 0705/70 www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=23070898

Photo of the engraved double paver taken from the pathway in the Magyar Millennium Park. For more information on the Magyar Millennium Park see hungarianconsulate.co.nz/mmp_en.html.

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