Royal Privy Councillor, Member of the Upper House, MP, landlord.
His father was Sándor Nákó, who became count in 1813, his mother was countess Terézia Festetics. He came from a rich Macedonian family. They moved to Hungary in 1813. A distinct member of the family was Kristóf Nákó (1725?-1979?), whose contribution to the flourishing of Hungarian agriculture was outstanding. The family that was Turkish origin was very healthy. They belonged to a particular Balcanic ethnic group known as Macedon-Romanians, New Greek Macedonians or Cincars. In their native language they call themselves Aromanians. The Aromanians formed a closed economic society, and along with the Armenians and the Jews, they handled the finances of the Monarchy, and also its cattle trade, exports of cereals and leather.
Kristóf Nákó shared the vast tenure of land of the treasury in Banat county, and when he had the opportunity, he bought it. This way the family became the owner of two vast estates of the Torontál (today Torontal, Romania) treasury: in 1781 the estate in Nagyteremia or Mariafold (today Teremia Mare, Romania) and in 1782 the estate in Nagyszentmiklós (today Sânnicolau Mare, Romania) and became one of the wealthiest landlords in Torontal, after the episcopate in Zagreb and Jozsef Csekonics.
Although the situation of the serfs was the best in the whole country, the feudalist constraints had a negative influence on the production. Kristóf Náko wanted to raise their interest in agriculture, but he soon discovered that they had no experience and knowledge in the field. He wanted them to learn farming without constraints. In 1799 he left a will in which he disposed that a school should be opened for the children of the serf, who wanted to study for free, where they would be studying agriculture. The student should be given money for school supplies and a student’s grand for the most talented (128 Forints every year until the age of 24). He provided residence at boarding school for twelve students: for three Hungarians, three Romanians, three Serbs and three Germans. The curriculum of the school was written by Samuel Tessedik, a well- known agricultural specialist and teacher of his time. The school was opened in October 1081 and it was closed in 1948.
The agricultural school in Nagyszentmiklós is acknowledged al over Europe because of its traditions and good teaching, although the descendants did not take care of the school properly. The state made them execute the will in 1863, and in 1887 the state took over the management of the school. In this period there were two Bartóks who were managing the school: János Bartók and Bartók Béla, the grandfather and the father of the composer. The school was called Kristóf Institution, but in the neighbourhood it was known as the Bartók-school.
Kristóf Nakó’s son, Sándor, who was given the title of count, is the father of Kálmán. In 1842 Kálmán married Countess Nákóné Gyertyánffy Berta, the noble lady of arts and charity, against his father’s will. In 1848, after the death of Sándor, they moved on the estate in Nagyszentmiklós. The locals grew fond of the young and educated countess in no time. She was a good painter – her Madonna made in renaissance style can be seen in the Catholic Church in Nagyszentmiklós, – she was a good writer, she mainly wrote book about travelling, and was a great pianist. She founded an orchestra made up of Gipsy musicians, and she performed with them at home and in Budapest in charity concerts. In 1860 they organised a concert to raise money for the statue of linguist Miklós Révai, who originated from Nagyszentmiklós.
In 1850 Kálmán became Imperial and Royal Chamberlain, and in 1861 a member of the Upper House. He was the founding member of the Austrian-Hungarian State Railways and member of the management Council of the Anker Insurance. It was mainly his merit that the Aranka Canalisation Society was founded, which in Torontál was path-breaker in its field. In Nagyszentmiklós he founded a hospital with 40 beds in the memory of his wife. The hospital was named after her. In Puszta-Porgány he founded a school for 100 students. He reopened and sponsored the model farming-school founded by his grandfather and which was closed in the 50s. His large estate in Nagyszentmiklós is one of the best model farms in the area.
In spite of all this, Kálamán Nákó started his public career only after his wife’s death in 1882. In 1887 he represented Nagyszentmiklós in the parliament and had an important role in the public life of Torontál County. In Parliament as well as in the delegation he was Chairman by seniority several times.
