From Transylvania to Australia

Our newsletter today starts in Transylvania and follows the lives of individual members of the Horváth-Tholdy Counts all the way to Australia.

Our first stop is Marosnémeti in Hunyad County, where the history of Gyulay Castle dates back to the 1600s. The estate was acquired by a castle captain from Deva, Gyulay Ferencz, who immediately began building the castle. The building has undergone several reconstructions over the centuries, and it acquired its current form in the 1830s.

It is important to mention that the famous scientist Géza Kuun (1838–1905) lived and worked in the castle. Shortly after his death, the castle became the property of the Horváth-Tholdy Count family. We managed to obtain some archival footage of the castle from the 1930s:

One of the last owners of the castle, before nationalization, was István Horváth-Tholdy (1904–1984). Let's take a look at some moments in his life:

Mid-1900s: István Horváth-Tholdy (1904–1984)

Early 1940s: István Horváth-Tholdy (1904–1984), serving as a soldier in World War II

Late 1930s, Marosnémeti: István Horváth-Tholdy (1904–1984)

István's uncle was none other than the father of writer Albert Wass, Count Endre Wass of Cege (1886–1975). Both spent their old age in Germany and met several times.

Mid-1970s, Hamburg: Endre Wass (1886–1975) and István Horváth-Tholdy (1904–1984)

István Horváth-Tholdy had four children, of whom his son, Péter Horváth-Tholdy (1956–), lived the most adventurous life.

Mid-1970s, Eger: István Horváth-Tholdy (1904–1984), Sarolta Gesztes (Mrs. István Horváth-Tholdy; 1927–2021), and Péter Horváth-Tholdy (1956–)

Peter was born in Hungary, and after a short stay in Western Europe, he immigrated to Australia, more precisely to Brisbane, where he started a family. Let's take a look at some photos of the life of a Transylvanian count in Australia:

Early 1990s, Brisbane: Péter Horváth-Tholdy (1956–)

Early 1980s, Australia: Péter Horváth-Tholdy (1956–)

Mid-1990s, Brisbane: Isidra Cortez (formerly Mrs. Péter Horváth-Tholdy; 1961–), Nicole Horváth-Tholdy (1990–), and Péter Horváth-Tholdy (1956–)

In the early 1990s, Peter's mother also joined the Australian life:

Early 1990s, Australia: Péter Horváth-Tholdy (1956–) and Sarolta Gesztes (Mrs. István Horváth-Tholdy; 1927–2021)

In the early 2000s, Count Péter Horváth-Tholdy decided to move back to the land of his ancestors, in Marosnémeti. He successfully reclaimed the castle and the park, which he has been carefully arranging ever since. Today, he plays the role of count, businessman, tour guide, gardener, cook and loving husband on the estate.