Commemorative Plaque at Nobel Laureate’s Childhood Home

A commemorative plaque was unveiled at the childhood home of the 2025 Nobel laureate in literature, Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai in Gyula, SE Hungary this Monday, marking the writer's 72nd birthday.

The limestone plaque, installed by the local government, was unveiled by the writer's brother, Géza Krasznahorkai, a former director of the Mogyoróssy János City Library, and Mayor Ernő Görgényi.

The house where Krasznahorkai lived from 1954 to 1972 was described by Zsuzsanna Szák Bajnai, cultural affairs officer, as more than just a location: it was a space that shaped the writer's worldview and absorbed the atmosphere of Gyula, contributing to his unique literary vision. The plaque, she said, symbolically repaid Krasznahorkai for the pride he had brought to the city and served as a reminder that great achievements could emerge from small towns through talent and perseverance.

The event featured a screening of an excerpt from The Baron Returns Home (2018), a portrait film directed by Ádám Breier. In the clip, Krasznahorkai recalls the house and his habit of climbing over the fence as a child. He describes returning to the home as "overwhelming," but also alludes to his dislike of gardening.

Built in the late Baroque style after the great fire of 1801, the house once belonged to Antal Szombathelyi, a deputy lieutenant appointed by Lajos Kossuth during the 1848-49 Revolution. The listed building now houses a children's playhouse.

Gyula celebrated Krasznahorkai with a "Nobel Week" in December, featuring an outdoor exhibition of Hungarian Nobel laureates, readings from his latest work. City representatives also planted a tree in his honor in Szent Miklós Park where the writer's chldhood home is.