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A poignant story about human destinies, exile, and the loss of roots following the First World War. Zilahi vividly portrays social upheavals and the struggle of the common man for survival.
The novel City of Refugees (Földönfutó város, 1929), by the renowned Hungarian writer Lajos Zilahy, is a dramatic and moving chronicle of social upheaval and human suffering in the years following the First World War and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The titular "city of refugees" symbolizes the fate of thousands of people left without homes, homelands, or their former social status—forced to begin a life as refugees in improvised conditions, living in railway carriages at the stations of Budapest. Through a complex web of characters—ranging from former aristocrats and military officers to ordinary laborers and clerks—Zilahy masterfully depicts the moral decline, psychological trauma, and existential impasse of a generation uprooted by war. At the heart of the narrative lie personal dramas, betrayed loves, and the difficult compromises individuals are compelled to make in order to survive in a world where values have crumbled and the future remains uncertain. Infused with profound humanism, nostalgia, and sharp social criticism, this novel stands as one of the most compelling literary accounts of the post-war crisis in Central Europe. Zilahy’s ability to weave together the intimate emotions of the individual with a broader historical context renders this work a timeless story of loss, hope, and dignity.
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