LAW CASE OVER LISZT

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 237, 7 October 1936, Page 16

LAW CASE OVER LISZT

I sChe “Magyarsag”, a Budapest publication, prints an interview with Liszt’s grand nephew, Karoly Liszt, a gooper, living in Szigetszentmiklos, who lias been carrying on a law-suit against ifche Treasury, for Liszt's Hungarian effects, for 3G years. Karoly Liszt bases his claim on a letter written by Liszt, to the Budapest National Museum in 18S3, directly after the sensational murder of the [Hungarian statesman. Count Gyorgy Mailath.

A few days before the murder. Bpanga, the footman murderer, applied 'to Liszt for a position in hi s service, and it is supposed that this fact impressed the composer so unpleasantly that he gave up his apartment in Buda and left Hungary, immediately sending his art treasures to the National Museum 4 ’for. deposit." A part of Liszt’s treasures were presented to the museum by the composer in 1873, but it is unlikely that Karoly Liszt will win the case, which was inaugurated by his father, for the remainder, as the tribunal has pronounced the present suit invalid, and the

Grand Nephew’s Suit

plaintiff is unable to finance a new law suit.

Karoly Liszt, however, states that in a codicil which was lost in Weimar, Liszt left all his Hungarian possessions to his nephew, the father of the cooper of Szigetszentmiklos, as, according to Hungarian law, no direct descendant of a Roman Catholic priest is recognised.

Karoly Liszt describes his first meeting with his grand uncle, who visited the family when the cooper was a child of six. Taking the little boy on his knee Liszt hummed a tune, and said that he himself was only nine years old when he played at Prince Esterhazy’s court for the first time.

The visit occurred at the time of the Bosniau occupation, and when the child complained about the sticky barley bread, Liszt pulled out some gold corns aud told his nephew to buy the child some good whito bread.

Karoly Liszt disclaims all desire for personal profit in pushing his claims; he wishes to be recognised as Liszt’s next of kin, aud to bring back the composer's cofiin to his native land.