Pomucz György (1818-1882)

Three nations cherish his memory: the Hungarian, the Romanian, and the American. He was born in Hungary, in Gyula, just like the father of Albrecht Dürer.

Pomucz György (Romanian: George Pomuţ, English: George Pomutz.) He was born in the Kingdom of Hungary on 31 May 1818. He was a centurion in the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848-49, a Brigadier General (Brevet) of Romanian origin, born in Hungary, and a U.S. citizen, later serving as a U.S. diplomat.

As we mentioned, Pomucz György was born in Gyula to a Romanian family. His father, Ioann Pomutz, was a blacksmith, and his mother was Victoria. He took part in the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence as a captain of the army, and he fought on the Hungarians’ side. He is a great example that not every Romanian decided to join the Habsburgs. He distinguished himself in many battles, finally finishing as a captain at Komárom Castle, and after some hiding, he arrived in America, taking advantage of the letter of parole issued by General Klapka to his soldiers.

In the United States of America, he became an active member of the Hungarian emigration and was one of the founders of the Hungarian colony of New Buda in Iowa. In 2000, there were 235 inhabitants.

The Hungarians, led by Újházy László, reached southern Iowa in the summer of 1850, where they seized a territory for themselves. As their chronicle puts it, “naming the settlement Újbuda, they bowed their heads and prayed for the liberation of Hungary, for Újbuda, and that the God of the Hungarians would guide Kossuth from Turkish lands to his new homeland, America, as soon as possible.”

George Pomucz

The first news of the new settlement reached Pest in December 1850, quite early by the standards of the time. The Magyar Hírlap, for example, reported that “According to an American newspaper, Újházy and his exiled companions settled permanently in the county of Decatur, and named their colony Új-Buda, in memory of the country they were forced to leave. New Buda is situated on the banks of the Thompson River, not far from the Missouri border, in a fertile valley cut through with pastures and woods. The exiles are in good health, despite their constant toil. They have also bought a house, which will be delivered to them in October, and in which they will spend the winter. At present, they are camping in a dense forest on the banks of the river”.