Lord Lieutenant of Temes county (today Timiş county), Member of Parliament, history of art writer, academician.
He was born in Pécska (today Pecica, Romania). He was among the few outstanding Hungarian scientists and politicians who lived all his life in the Banat Plain Area. He moved here when he was ten and lived at his uncle’s house. András Ormós was the chief administrative officer of Törökszákos, Temesvár (today Sacoşul Turcesc, Romania).
He studied in Temesvár and lived most of his life – except the first few years – in this town. It is here, where he served the cause of the revolution and became chief administrative officer and it is here where he became Member of Parliament. After the Revolution he was detained here, in the casemate of Temesvár where he was sentenced to four years in prison by the imperials, who, by executing the 13 Leaders of the Revolution, wanted to set an example for those, to whom the freedom of the nation was of utmost importance. After he was released from prison, he went to Buziásfürdő (today Buziaş, Romania). It was here where he became interested in arts, founded the first museum in Temesvár. As a result, The Hungarian Academy of Science admitted him as a corresponding member.
He started studying in Pécska, and then he went to high-school in Arad. He continued his studies in the Piarist High-School in Temesvár and graduated from the Piarist High-School in Szeged. He acquired solid classical background knowledge, learned German impeccably and became interested in music. He studied law in Nagyvárad (today Oradea, Romania) where he met and became friend of Laszlo Lovassy, the talented leader of the Parliamentary Youth Group.
In 1832 came back to Temesvár. In 1834 he worked in the parliament in Pozsony (today Bratislava, Slovakia) as a copyist, representing the county. The years spent here were decisive for his writing career, his first writing date back to this period. In 1839 he was elected second deputy clerk of Temes County. From 1841 he worked in Rékas (today Recaş, Romania) as district administrator. He became chief constable of Buziásfürdő (today Buziaş, Romania). In 1846 he represented Végvár (today Tormac, Romania) in Parliament and had an active role in the framing of law that served the reconciliation between nationalities. After the defeat of the Revolution, he was sentenced to four years of detention in the fortress.
In 1850 he was pardoned, moved to Buziás where he studied arts. He kept being harassed by the authorities and was actually not a free man. This was the reason why he sold all his possessions and left the country. After thorough theoretical studies he left for Italy, to the country of arts. He visited the most important museums of the Vest, observing, learning and writing – as a result he was elected among the members of the Academy.
After the Conciliation, he went beck to politics, becoming in 1860 the county recorder of Temes. Because of his activity in the field of the history of arts, he was elected among the members of the Academy. In 1866 he became sub-prefect while in 1871 Lord Lieutenant. In 1872 due to his initiatives the Délmagyarországi Történeti és Régészeti Társulat (The Southern Hungarian Society of History and Archaeology). The aimed not only at strengthening Hungarian public education, and the concept of the Hungarian state, but also at the exploring the history of the region. The King acknowledged his role in public life and in 1872 conferred him The Middle Cross of the Lipót – Order and from 1885 he becomes a leading member of it.
Between 1873-1874 he published a memorial volume of the Society, and in 1875 he published the scientific rewiew entitled Történelmi és Régészeti Értesítő (A Historical and Archaeological Report). In 1878, due to his initiatives the Museum Society of Southern Hungary was founded. In 1880 he managed to persuade the County Assembly to assign the Wellauer building for exhibitions. There was a public collection of funds and the amount was considerable. Nevertheless Ormos was not happy with the result and made an international request. Among the personalities that answered his request were: the Emperor, Prime-Minister Kalman Tisza, manager of the Museum in Bukarest Sturza Dimitrie, Romanian Minister of the Home Affairs Kogălniceanu and museum managers from Naples, Great Britain and Paris.
In 1885 the two societies merged into one: Délmagyarországi történelmi és régészeti múzeum-társulat (The History and Archeological Musem Society of Southern Hungary) The president was Zsigmond Ormos senior, and the manager was Zsigmond Ormos jr. In 1886 the administration of Temes County commissioned an impressive palace to meet the needs of the Society. The Ormos private collection made up of coins, Fenician antiquities, engravings, lithographs, gems, miniatures, pottery from Naples, china from Vienna, weapons, paintings, photos, books and Turkish manuscripts found its well deserved place in the museum. This gesture was the crown of his public activity.
