JÁNOS CSonka Foundation
In the spirit that characterised the life of DR. PÁL CSONKA:
MRS. PÁL CSONKA, as originator
and her descendants: PAUL L. CSONKA,
MARGIT CSONKA (Mrs. István Rombay),
KATALIN STRÓBL
(further: founders)
decided to set up a FOUNDATION as follows:
I.NAME OF THE FOUNDATION: JÁNOS CSONKA FOUNDATION
(Csonka János Alapítvány)
II.ADDRESS OF THE FOUNDATION: 1114 Budapest XI Bartók Béla-út 31 Tel.: 06-30-241 5364
III.PURPOSE OF THE FOUNDATION:
1. Establishment of a János Csonka Memorial Museum at the address Bartók Béla-út 31 in Budapest, in a building which once belonged to János Csonka, in the space once occupied by János Csonka’s „Car Repair and Machine Shop.”
a. To remodel the basement area under discussion, for the purposes of establishing a museum, keeping in mind the original ground plan and arrangement of the former workshop.
b. To ensure conditions which will allow proper functioning of the museum to be established, and meet the engineering, electrical, safety and aesthetic standards set by the various building codes and regulations.
c. By presenting the human qualities and accomplishments of János Csonka, which caused significant advances in the applied sciences in Hungary, to
illustrate in an easily comprehensible manner the forces which drive the development of technology.
d. To show the wide scope of his activities which exemplify the opportunities which can be opened up by native talent and personal initiative.
/He was an autodidact; later was elected regular member of the Royal Hungarian Society of the Natural Sciences; recipient of the Andrássy Award; he is the first to be admitted to the Society of Hungarian Engineers on the basis of the genius clause, and was authorized to use the title engineer; Privy Councillor, etc./
e. To acquaint visitors with the many aspects of his contributions, víz.
- designer and constructor of the first Hungarian gas-driven engine;
- pioneer of precision machining and internal combustion engine production in Hungary;
- consturctor and co-inventor of the world’s first carburetor, creator of several other inventions;
- designer and constructor of the first documentable Hungarian motor vehicle – a tricycle in the service of the Royal Hungarian Post Office;
- designer and constructor of the first independently designed Hungarian automobile – a vehicle employed for purposes of mail collection; and of several newer types of motor vehicles;
- founder of an internationally competitiveHungarian car manufacturing industry;
- one of the creators of modern educational programs for engineering and industry;
- a leading personality in the world of motor vehicles, one of the organizers and founding members of the Hungarian Automobile Club (later the Royal Hungarian Automobile Club), who played an important role in the development of a modern traffic-related infrastructure;
- co-author of the first domestic regulations governing car racing;
- designer and manufacturer of small powered engines for various applications;
- promoter and developer of precision machining techniques;
- and of standardization for Hungarian industry;
- pioneer of modern machine technology;
- consultant widely respected by the captains of industry;
- successful private entrepreneur, founder of the János Csonka Machine Factory;
- a person who recognized the significance of high quality education for young apprentices, and realized such education in his enterprise;
- public spirited founder of an important industrial plant.
f. To integrate the Museum into the national network of museums.
g. In compliance with all prvailing regulations, to collect, preserve, and exhibit documents and other objects connected wiht the work of János Csonka, to prepare a registry of such items and make them available for scientific study.
h. To search out and make available for study presently unknown collections, especially those dealing with the János Csonka Machine Factory (its founding, growth, and personnel, the exemplary management style characterizing it, and the social welfare institutions which were an integral part of that enterprise).
i. To finance the operation of the museum.
j. To provide the personnel required to operate the museum.
2. Beyond the fundamental purpose described above, the Foundation has further purposes:
- To review the operation and educational role of the Engineering Training Shop at the Royal József Nándor Technical University, in connection with János Csonka’s forty-eight and one-half years of service at the university.
- To call attention to János Csonka’s professional activities as a consultant, and his fruitful collaboration with high executives of industry.
- To illustrate through the work of János Csonka the progressive role played by the Royal Hungarian Post Office and the Royal Hungarian Automobile Club at the turn of the century.
- To popularize János Csonka’s work through the museum’s exhibitions and publications.
- To recall the outstanding scientific contributions made by members of János Csonka’s family. (His sons: Dr. Pál Csonka, internationally known professor of structural engineering; János Csonka Jr., and Béla Csonka, co-founders of the Csonka Machine Factory; inventors of the microcarburetor; His brother: Ferenc Csonka, pioneer in the field research related to the quality and food value of paprika; His borher-in-law: Lajos Winkler, professor of chemistry, of world-wide renown.
- To create an opportunity to provide scholarships for study and other purposes.
IV. THE FOUNDATION’S STARTING ASSETS: 50,000, that is fifty
thousand Forints, which is to be deposited in the Postabank, within eight days following the signing of the Founding Document, in the proportions specified below:
Mrs. Pál Csonka: 40 %
Paul L. Csonka : 20 %
Margit Csonka : 20 %
Katalin Stróbl : 20 %
thereby opening the Foundation’s bank account.
V. THE FOUNDERS, heirs to the owner of the apartment building
located at Bartók Béla-út 31, Budapest, XI, renounce in perpetuity their ownership rights of the basement area of said building.
VI. THE FOUNDATION IS OPEN. Any domestic or foreign person or legal entity may join the foundation, by contributions in the form of domestic or foreign currency, or in the form of other contributions (inheritance, bequest, etc.). The Board of Trustees is authorized to accept donations.
VII. THE FOUNDATION IS GOVERNED BY:
1. A seven member Board of Trustees.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Dr Ferenc Szabadváry, Director General of the Technical Museum.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
Ambrus Sándor, director of the Kismotor és Gépgyár factory,
Lívia Csonka (Mrs. Alajos Stróbl),
Mrs. Pál Csonka,
Vince Fodor, representative from the Second Election District,
Dr. András Katona, Director General of the Museum of Transportation,
Dr. Pál Michelberger, President ot the Technical University in Budapest (BME).
2. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FOUNDATION: The President of the Board of Directors:
Dr. Ferenc Szabadváry and Livia Csonka (Mrs. Alajos Stróbl)
No channge in the compsition of the Board of Directors is allowed without the approval of the Founders or their heirs. The Board of Directors determines its own order of business. The Board of directors manages the assets of the Foundation and determines the manner in which they are to bu utilized.
VIII. USE OF THE FOUNDATION’S ASSETS:
The Foundation’s Assets may be used only for purposes of the Foundation.
Only the interest on the Foundation’s starting assets may be spent to establish the museum.
The manner in which future donations to the Foundation are to be utlized, will be determined by an unanimous agreement of the Board of Directors.
IX. The Foundation is established for an indefinite period of time. In case of its
liquidation, its assets will be disposed of as determined by the Board of Directors, taking into account the proportion of the donations made by the
Founders as well as subsequent donations.
Budapest, October 17, 1991.
FOUNDERS: __________________________
s/ Mrs. Pál Csonka
___________________________
s/ Paul L. Csonka
___________________________
s/ Margit Csonka, Mrs. István Rombay
___________________________
s/ Katalin Stróbl