Magyar Posta, in cooperation with the Hungarian Batthyány Foundation, is honouring the memory of the Blessed László Batthyány-Strattmann by issuing a commemorative stamp. Forty thousand copies of the stamp designed by the graphic artist Eszter Domé were produced by ANY Security Printing Company. The new issue goes on sale at Filaposta in Hungary, philately specialist services, certain post offices and www.posta.hu from 25 March 2024.
Dr László Batthyány-Strattmann (1870-1931), popularly known as “the doctor of the poor”, was a pre-eminent personality in the Batthyány family in the 20th century. He studied medicine in Vienna, where he obtained his medical degree in 1900. The following year, he had already begun the construction of his own hospital in Köpcsény (today Kittsee, Austria). By 1902, the 30-bed hospital equipped with the most modern facilities was completed. During the First World War, he expanded the hospital to 70 beds and also became the general practitioner for the town. The increased workload overburdened him, and thus he specialised in eye surgery, which was less physically demanding. In 1915, he inherited the rank of prince and the name Strattmann. After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary under the 1920 Treaty of
Trianon, he chose Hungary and moved to his stately home in Körmend, where he established an ophthalmology clinic in an outbuilding. He saw approximately 5,000 patients a year, performed cataract surgery 1,700 times and totalled 3,000 eye operations. He did all this free of charge. Indeed, he even supported his poor patients financially. He practised in Körmend for a decade. He died in Vienna on 22 January 1931. Three years later the hospital in Körmend adopted his name.
He was venerated as a saint during his lifetime and, after decades of preparatory work, Pope John Paul II beatified him in Rome on 23 March 2003. His tomb can be seen in the church of the Franciscan monastery in Güssing, Austria, the family’s ancient burial place. A statue was erected in his honour in Körmend, and a memorial church and several institutions bear his name. To honour his memory, a lifetime achievement award was established in 1992 for people who have made outstanding professional or public service contributions in the field of health and social work.
