Several years ago, Cegléd was mentioned in a small boutique while shopping in our capital. The seller, to prove that he knows our city, mentioned the name of the rope manufacturer Ferenc Gál. I don't think there's a better indication that the master of swingle and heckling has gained a nationwide reputation in his profession.

• When did You start making ropes?
• In 1934, I became an independent crafts man. I was 24 years old, and in former-day that's when I became an adult. I brought my work book into the board of industry, and the next day I was able to go to the market. Not needed a request or a recommendation.
• What gave you the start-up for this profession?
• My grandfather was a rope manufacturer in Abony, and my father was one them here in Cegléd. You need two people in this business. We're hand-held rope manufacturers, hemp is twisted manually. So a little help always comes in handy. When I was six, I used to put on the halter. At home we saw this as a child and we helped.
• Is the love of the profession "passed on" from the family to anyone else?
• One of my five brothers became a master of rope manufacturer in Heves. Althought my son is not one of us, but he is not completely torn from this, as he makes shoelaces and special ropes for sailing boats.
• How many rope manufacturers are there in the country today?
• I think there must be about 10 or 15 independent crafts men.
• How much did the technical innovations affected this craft?
• Everything was used to be done manually. Later, all that changed when electric motors were installed on the drive. The solution was to get married early.
• What does that mean?
• They got married early because there was no help to drive the wheel for free. They stopped at 11:00, went in to cook, and they continued after lunch.
• Did You manage to get low cost "workforce" early?
• My second wife and I have been together for 13 years, and I couldn't get her to do it, but at a young age, I really needed help because it's impossible to do this alone.
• Is there a product in this area that is said to be worth doing only with the Gál rope manufacturer?
• Our business it's not that special, but what's made of hemp and called rope, I can do it. I even make rope ladders for craftsmen who work on roofs where they can't put a proper ladder.
• Speaking of which, have you had some special orders?
• Immediately after 1945, I made 180-metre ropes for Videoton, which, if we had been combined, would reach from Cegléd to Vác, about 110 km. I made boxing rings, ropes for handling curtains and scenes in theaters. In every two years at the hospital in Cegléd I repair the nets that are torn in the psychiatric ward, but I also made nets for the infant scale for the pediatric ward.
• I know you still go to fairs today. Is it still worth going?
• Well, I go to the next town, Irsa, almost out of habit, because it doesn't make much sense anymore. There's not enough livestock. There are used to be 2,000 carriages in Cegléd. A lot of horses means a lot of work, but since agricultural machinery appeared our profession has no future, it is no longer taught anywhere. I was glad to get a gold ring for the 50th anniversary in recognition of my work. Only two of the many invited guests were honored with this.

Zsolt Ványi

Published: Ceglédi News, 14^th of September 1994. page 8.