Traditional Hungarian occupations can be found in several crafts and industries. Szentendre and Pécs are known for their ceramic and porcelain work, with Zsolnay porcelain still being produced in Pécs. Other crafts included shoemaking, wheelwrighting, rag-and-bone collection, carpentry, coopering, herding, fur trading, dyeing, distilling pálinka and Tokaji wine, baking, and confectioning. Baking and confectioning supported trade fairs and guilds that celebrated Hungarian culture and traditions.

1. Traditional Hungarian
occupations

2. Margit Kovács
There are some famous
regions that have been the
home of many generations of
Hungarian artists since the
early 20th century. For
example, Szentendre

3. Zsolnay porcelain is produced in Pécs (the capital of Europe in 2010).
The Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, presents some 600 pieces made by
Pécs’s Zsolnay Porcelain Factory between 1870 and 1910
It was László Gyugyi who collected the stolen and hidden pieces from
every corners of the world and brought them back to Hungary.
The local council of Pécs decided to purchase the Gyugyi collection in
November for EUR 1.3 million.

4. In the mid-19th century it was purveyor to the Habsburg Dynasty. After the fall
of Communism in Hungary the factory was privatised and is now 75% owned
by its management and workers. As of 2006, the factory is profitable and
exports to over 60 countries of the world. Its main markets are the
USA, Japan, Italy and Russia.
Herend products are made from hard-paste porcelain using a mixture of
kaolin, feldspar and quartz.
After cleaning, decorating and drying, it is first fired at 830 degrees Celsius.
The fired pieces are then immersed in a glaze and fired again, this time at 1410
degrees Celsius. This results in white, translucent porcelain.

5. Shoemaker
Long time ago this profession was one of the most
common professions in Hungary

7. Wheelwright and
wagon manufacturer

8. Rag-and-bone men called
‘ószeres’ in Hungarian
They were travelling
craftsmen who were
engaged in repairing
leaky or broken
pottery. They also
collected unwanted
household items and
sold them to
merchants

10. Carpenter and
Cooper
Their job is to make wooden objects, for
example, wooden furniture, wooden
bowls, baskets etc. Coopers are barrel
makers

11. Pastoral livestock trade: 1.
Shepherd
There were different types of
shepherds: in this picture, you
can see the shepherd who
looks after sheep. He usually
had a sheepdog, the famous
Hungarian type called ‘PULI’

12. 2. Horse herdsmen called
‘csikós’ in Hungarian

13. 3. Cattle Shepherd called
‘gulyás’ in Hungarian

14. 4. Swineherd

15. Furrier and Fur trader
His job is to make, repair, alter, or clean fur
garments. Traders were engaged in selling ready-
made goods

18. Blue dying in Hungary
At Nagynyárád, not far
from Mohács (Southern
Hungary) you can learn the
secrets of blue dying form
the local craftsmen

19. Pálinka, the Tokaji - „Wine of
famous Hungarian Kings, King of
spirit or appetizer Wines” (Louis XV
of France)

20. Bakers
Nowadays amongst the branches of the food processing sector
the baking industry has the highest number of independent
enterprises in Hungary.
As a result, each year Hungary, which has a good position
on the list of exhibitions in the region of Middle-East-
Europe, organizes the market leading confectionery and
bakery trade fair called UKBA.
Hungarian bread has symbolic meaning as well. We
celebrate the foundation of the Hungarian state on 20th
August. It is the same day when St. Stephen I became
the king of Hungary and the day of the first harvest – the
day of the new bread which is blessed on this day, too.

21. Confectioners
Lajos Kopcsik, master confectioner
László Zila, master confectioner