Eclipse of the Crescent Moon

Stars of Eger ( original title Egri csillagok, in German also appeared under the title Deadly Crescent ) is a historical novel by the Hungarian writer Géza Gárdonyi from the year 1899. The novel is set in the time of Turkish occupation in the 16th century and portrays the growing up of boys Gergely Bornemissza and his exploits during the siege of the castle of Eger in northern Hungary in 1552.

Action

The boy Gergely Bornemissza, is captured by a Turkish band together with his best friend Éva, the daughter of a gentry and placed in a prisoner Trek. He can liberate himself and his fellow prisoners by a ruse. Although derived from a poor orphan, he is believed due to his prowess of the rich Hungarian nobleman Bálint Török. In whose protection he enjoys not only wealth, but also a good education so that he learns languages ​​and acquire a lot of general knowledge of the time. During his youth, he witnesses how the royal city of Buda falls into the hands of the Turks. It is also Gergelys foster father Bálint Török, the " Hungarian lion " captured. Meanwhile, Éva Gergely meets again, which should just marry another. The young couple fled under adventurous circumstances and marries. To free Bálint Török, Gergely travels with his friends after Constantine Opel. You can drill up to Török, but this will not come with them. In 1552, the Hungarian captain Istvan Dobo calls the free Hungary in the castle of Eger to stop the approaching end of Turkish army. Gergely, now an officer who hears the call and arrived with his soldiers to Eger. There he meets many old friends who want to give the Turks the forehead. But the situation seems hopeless. The Turkish army has been united with a second army. Now a few thousand Hungary must stand up to 200,000 Turks. But the Hungarians fight bravely, and thanks Gergelys ingenuity, they manage to repel the Turks. After several weeks of devastating siege battles the Turks put on to one last, fierce attack. But at the end of the Hungarians can keep the upper hand. And last but not least through the help of the women of Eger.

Important characters

  • Gergely Bornemissza
  • Éva Cecey ( Gergelys best friend and later his wife )
  • Dobo Istvan ( Hungarian hero and captain of the castle of Eger)
  • The old Cecey ( Eva's father)
  • Mekcsey ( Gergelys friend and vice - captain of Eger)
  • Bálint Török ( Hungarian aristocracy, Gergelys foster father )
  • The Gypsy Sárközy ( companion and friend Gergelys )

Classification

This novel describes a piece of Hungarian history in a very patriotic form. According to many reviewers life at this time is very visually written and understandable. The author lived during his research in Eger and was buried there.

In Hungary, this novel is a classic. He is now even read in schools to make children aware of their own history. This becomes particularly clear as pictorially Gárdonyi writes. He explains in his novel, where the pepper probably comes from, who brought the coffee into the country and who left behind so many architectural legacies: the Ottoman occupiers.

Historical Background

Gárdonyi has operated for his novel extended search ( amongst other things visited Istanbul ) and describes life in the 16th century in great wealth of detail. Today's editions of the novel include also the appendix contains a list of all the names are known defender of Eger Castle from the estate of the author.

The number of Turkish besiegers before Eger was in truth rd. 80.000. The Hungarian defenders of the castle (including civilians ) are estimated at about 2,100 people. The news of the successful defense of the castle was at that time a sensation and made the hitherto widespread reputation of the Turkish land forces as virtually unbeatable conquering force an end.

The victory of the Hungarians was a further advance of the Turks into Hungary Oberland, today's Slovakia, be prevented. 1596 Eger Castle was finally still occupied by the Turks; at this siege it was defended only by mercenaries.

Many characters in the novel ( as Bornemissza, Dobo, Török, Mekcsey and many others) are historical persons who have really lived. The military historical key figures correspond to reality. However, the adventures of the main characters before and during the siege are literary inventions Gárdonyi. The real Gergely Bornemissza was married several times; the fictitious figure of his wife Éva Cecey in the novel, however, is a creation of the author and embodies the ideal woman.

Expenditure

  • Budapest 1899/1900 ( in Pesti Hirlap )
  • Budapest: Légrády 1901

The book is still published today in countless Hungarian spending.

Translations

Bulgarian

  • Zvezdite na Eger. Sofia: Narodna mladez, 1955

German

  • Stars of Eger. Translation of Mirza Schüching. Budapest: Corvina, 1958 ( today 18th edition 2005)
  • Stars of Eger. Translation of Mirza Schüching. Berlin: New Life in 1958
  • Stars of Eger. Translation of Mirza Schüching. Vienna: Book municipality in 1958
  • Deadly Crescent. Translation of Mirza Schüching. Leipzig: Prisma -Verlag 1966
  • Deadly Crescent. Translation of Mirza Schüching. Stuttgart: Boje -Verlag 1970
  • Stars of Eger. Translation of Mirza Schüching. Bergisch Gladbach: Bastion - Luebbe 1999 ( paperback edition )

English

  • Eclipse of the crescent moon. Translation George F. Cushing. Budapest: Corvina 1991

Estonian

  • Egeri tähed. Tallinn: Eesti Riiklik Kirjästus 1958
  • Egeri tähed. Tallinn: Perioodika 1993

Finnish

  • Egerin tähdet. Helsinki: Librum 1983

Croatian

  • Egerske Zvijezde. Zagreb: Alfa 1983

Lithuanian

  • Egerio Zvaigzdes. Vilnius: Valst. Groz. Lit Leidykla 1957
  • Egerio Zvaigzdes. Vilnius: strofa 2001

Dutch

  • De sternen van Eger. Amsterdam: Loeb 1980

Polish

  • Gwiazdy Egeru. Warsaw: Czytelnik 1962

Russian

  • Zvezdy Egera. Moscow: Detgiz 1955
  • Zvezdy Egera. Moscow: Moskovsky rabočij 1956
  • Zvezdy Egera. Moscow: Hudožestvennaa literatura 1989

Slovak

  • Jágerské hviezdy. Bratislava: Nakl. Detskej Knihy 1956

Slovenian

  • Zvezde nad Egrom. Ljubljana: Drzavna založba Slovenije 1973
  • Egerski junahi. Maribor: Pomurska založba 1986

Czech

  • Egerské hvězdy. Prague: Mladá fronta 1959

Ukrainian

  • Zirki Egera. Kiev: Molod 1987

Vietnamese

  • Nhu'ng ngoi sao EGHA. Hanoi: Van Hoc 1972

Films

  • Egri csillagok, Hungary 1923 ( Director: Pál Fejös )
  • Egri csillagok, Hungary, 1968 ( Director: Zoltán Várkonyi )

Additional Internet addresses

  • Stars of Eger in the original version
  • IMDb entry for the film Egri csillagok
  • Description of the Castle of Eger
  • Ground plan of the castle of Eger
  • Literary work
  • Literature (19th century)
  • Literature (in Hungarian )
  • Novel, epic
  • Eger (Hungary )
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