The house, just like many others in its immediate vicinity, dates back to mediaeval times and was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century.
The building was named after poet, aesthetician and translator László Torkos, who was born here. He was born on 2 October 1839, his father, Ferenc Torkos was a prosecutor at the local court, widely known and respected; his mother’s maiden name was Ludovika Jósa. He completed his elementary school in Kőszeg, then continued his studies in Sopron. He finished his schools here in 1857.
His passion for literature was evident already at school; he was a member of a self-study group, referred to as Hungarian Society, which was founded in 1790 and made up of theologians who were keen on reading and discussing literature. Károly Fügh, who became Kőszeg’s mayor a few years later and an MP to the diet, was also a member of this society. Torkos lived a very quiet life, but he was a member of a local group of enthusiasts referred to as Pükum. One member of the group was Jenő Rákosi; the two must have been acquainted with one another as both went to school in Kőszeg and Sopron. László Torkos was predominantly a teacher putting teaching above everything else.
He was a colleague of Mrs Pál Veres, a prominent figure in women’s education whose endeavours to establish schools for women received support from top politicians of the time such as József Eötvös and Ferenc Deák. She started writing schoolbooks at a very tender age and was devoted to the cause of granting education to women. She spent two decades as a teacher at the Budapest State Upper Highschool for Girls. In 1875, she was elected as member of the Kisfaludy Society, and a year later she was a founding member of the Petőfi Society. Towards the end of her life her native town ‘discovered’ her qualities. The local paper, Kőszeg and its Environs, published several articles about events organised to celebrate the nearly 100-year-old poet. In August 1935, a long-time dream was realised: a town museum opened its gates to the public.
Torkos’ portrait was presented along with great local celebrities such as Jurisics, the hero of 1532, world-famous violinist Ede Reményi, or the great natural scientist Ottó Hermann who spent his years as an apprentice in Kőszeg. The general assembly of Kőszeg adopted a decision in 1939 to make László Torkos an honorary citizen who was awarded this title 72 years after his father’s similar achievement. At the award ceremony, retired police officer Józseg Kőszegi spoke highly of the aged poet. Torkos, however, did not make it to his 100th birthday; he passed away peacefully in his armchair on 15 March 1939. Three days later he was buried in the Farkasréti burial ground in Budapest. One of the speakers at his grave was Aladár Visnya, the director of the Kőszeg Museum.
Torkos was a modest academic, refusing to believe he was at the forefront of literature. He turns to János Arany in one of his works saying he knows he cannot be in the same rank with him, he feels honoured just to be his disciple.
