ISTVÁN B. GELLÉR

ISTVÁN B. GELLÉR / THE GROWING CITY / EXPLORERS

Otto Günsberger

His cradle, like that of S. J. Robin, was rocked in a small township in the Carpathian Basin. His father spent a considerable amount of the income from his textile factory on supporting the arts. Alphonse Mucha was a frequent guest in their home on his return from Paris (his glass plate depicting satyrs can still be seen on the staircase of the Günsberger Palace, presently the headquarters of the Asso-ciation of Slovakian Women). Kubelik is another frequent visitor and the star of concerts in the Günsberger home. Allegedly a still-hidden manuscript of Kafka alludes in several places to evenings spent with the hospitable family.
Music and the arts made an early impact upon the child, who was receptive to anything new. However, his imagination focussed more upon the time-ravaged castle ruins on the neighbouring mountaintops, which in his mind he often populated with the figures who appeared in his history books.
With the passing of time his interest in history and archaeology increased, and so it seemed logical for him to begin his history studies at Württemberg University in Germany. His initiation into academic life comes with the first publications of S.J. Robins' excavations and the triangular writings. For the first time the ever cool, reserved Günsberger, known simply to his friends as "The Count", is seen by his companions in a state of enthusiasm. The ancient, undiscovered Middle Eastern civilisations and related theories draw him like a magnet.
His first personal meeting with S. J. Robin, when the archaeologist visited Württemberg, was wrapped in misinterpretation. The knowledgeableness of the infatuated young student was taken by the eccentric archaeologist as professional envy, and the result was consistent rebuttal.
He found the atmosphere of academic life of Germany too polluted and tried to find his place in other European countries. He could always be seen at the most important lectures on archaeological subjects and it is not by chance that upon Robin's death he took over the excavation of the Growing City.
It is his activity related to triangular writing that is of significance. To his name is attached the "adjusting board" which eventually made it possible to read the symbols continuously and smoothly. He committed numerous errors related to the sounds of the letters, or rather signs, but was never prepared to admit this.
His argument with Paul Schultze over the so-called "Naumburg" thesis at the Vincenza conference reached a wide circle. The excavation of the ruined area Sector C2 of the City is attached to his name.

More important theoretical works:
A Natural Philosophical Interpretation of the Growing City
Astrological Aspects of the Settlement System of the Growing City (both in manuscript form at the Growing City Archive, Jersey, U.K.)
NB. The Günsberger Bequest, presented at the last Vincenza conference, was lost in the maelstrom of the Second World War. It is hoped that the opening of the sealed wagons imploded in the Oberameisenhausen salt mines will lead us to more relics attached to his name.

The young Günsberger at Home, 1887.

Fragments from the Wall of the Travellers' Rest-home

black ceramic fragment · 60 × 38 × 9 cm (As the base of the "Adjusting Board", an important element in decyphering triangular writing.)

The first notes of decyphering of the Triangular writing

About the Writing Symbols

These are a riddle, one might say an enigma, like so many other of the finds of the Growing City. The pictogram-like rock drawings, which may be taken as concept writings, are mentioned as early as the travel notes of Schliemann: "some ungainly scratches on some rock precipices." The first finds of the Growing City pointing to some writing form were immediately compared by the archaeological community with the riddle of the Phaistos Disc. Scholars describe the early symbols rubbed into the scraped rock with quicklime paint as "hesitant writings". A reliable decoding came much later. The first readings are associated with the name of S.J. Robin, while the first detailed reading can in all probability be attached to that of Otto Günsberger. Presumably the telegram found in the Robin Bequest is of key importance in the question. "The riddle is solved. Your friend Otto", runs the terse message wired from Koritnicza. A further special feature of the triangular writing symbols is that by turning them new symbol combinations are created. In this way each pictogram holds three meanings. However, the pictograms containing meanings of special importance display the same symbols in every direction and as a rule conceal concepts of considerable importance to the City's population. The same is true of messages composed of a combination of symbols, where we encounter three readings of equal value. The function of the "law pyramids", as they are known, is less certain, for here three laws of equal weight can be read on all three sides, which in the case of a debated question means nine legal remedies for each argued point. All of this suggests extended debate and prolonged judgments.
Így szól egy törvénygúla olvasata, ami a lótolvaj büntetésére utal:

► A Reading: For the evil of horse theft, a terrible death from the hooves of galloping horses!
► B Reading: Let he who secretly takes possession of another's horse be sentenced to long thirst, for a trusty steed cannot survive without life-giving water.
► C Reading: All understand the desire to steal a horse, for who would not be tempted by the mane of a galloping thoroughbred in the wind. Do not condemn his to death now, and not for this reason!

Kowalski's suggestion that the judges cast the law pyramids into the sky, whichever face hitting the ground first enjoying legal weight in the trial in process, seems somewhat radical. The picture becomes even more complex with the discovery in the Hall of Judges of some skulls in which triangular holes can be observed. Are these the trepanned heads of judges, or over-brutal sentencing of some bygone day?