On January 22, 2026, Dr. László Windisch, President of the State Audit Office of Hungary (SAO), formally presented the 1870 Founding Minutes of the SAO to Dr. habil. Csaba Szabó, Director General of the National Archives of Hungary (NAH). This document, of outstanding value to Hungarian statehood, which disappeared during World War II, returned to state ownership after nearly eight decades in hiding.
One of the most significant moments in the history of the SAO, established by Act XVIII of 1870, was the first ceremonial meeting held on November 30, 1870, at which the organisation’s first president, Salamon Gajzágó, declared the State Audit Office of Hungary to be officially established and operational. A decorative Founding Minutes were drawn up to record the event. The document signed by the president was kept for decades in the basement archives of the SAO’s central building. However, the building sustained severe damage during World War II, particularly during the bombings of 1944–1945, and a significant portion of the documents were destroyed or scattered. It was at this time that the Founding Minutes also disappeared; neither the SAO nor the National Archives had any information about it until now. It is believed that it was either lost during the destruction of the war or was rescued during the siege and later remained in the hands of private individuals. For a long time, researchers and historians considered the document destroyed.
In a twist of fate, the document surfaced completely unexpectedly in November 2025, just a few weeks before the 155th anniversary of the SAO’s founding. The minutes are of inestimable intellectual and historical value, as it is a unique copy. No duplicate exists, and no photocopy has been made of it in the past. The value and aesthetic appeal of the document are further enhanced by its full-leather binding with gold border lines and blind embossing, as well as its highly ornate appearance, calligraphic typeface, and original signatures. The NAH has classified the document as a public record of lasting value.
Due to the cooperation between the SAO and the NAH, the founding minutes were returned to state ownership. On January 22, 2026, Dr. László Windisch, President of the SAO, handed it over to Dr. habil. Csaba Szabó, Director General of the NAH.
Following the handover, the Founding Minutes will be placed by the National Archives of Hungary among the records of the State Audit Office of Hungary, where its proper preservation for future generations is ensured. The document will also become available for research by scholars studying the development of the Hungarian state and its constitutional institutions.
