Philip de Laszlo: British Citizen

"1st Viscount Hudson Ewbanke
Kearley Devonport" by Philip de Laszlo

"Although Great Britain declared war upon Germany on 4 August,1914, she did not declare war upon Austro-Hungary until the 10th. On 29 August Philip de Laszlo was granted a certificate of naturalization. The date is important, because he was subsequently accused, both in England and in Hungary, of having secured the status of a British subject to save himself from the consequences of the war.

This accusation was entirely unfounded. The thought of becoming a British subject had been in his mind long before the war. In 1912 he had written to his brother telling him of this intention. He made a similar statement in an interview he gave to 'The Pall Mall Magazine' of the same year. He had also told a number of his British sitters as well.

He had not, however, taken steps to obtain his naturalization papers in that year. There seemed no immediate hurry. He was absorbed by his work. He let time go by. Moreover, he was loath to change nationality during the lifetime of the Emperor Francis Joseph, who had bestowed upon him a patent of nobility, thus honouring him as no artist but Munkacsy had ever been honoured in Hungary.

The old Emperor lived on, however, and meanwhile the de Laszlo boys were growing up. It was mainly for their sakes de Laszlo had decided to become a British subject, for by the law of his country the child of a Hungarian father who attains the age of fourteen is a Hungarian subject, wherever he may be born or reside. His eldest son Henry had his thirteenth birthday on 11 June, 1914, and the same month he discussed British citizenship with Lord Devonport, who offered to become one of his sponsors. 

De Laszlo had fulfilled the requirements entitling him to a certificate of naturalization, since he had lived in England for more than five years, could show that he intended to continue to live in Great Britain, and was vouched for by four men of unimpeachable character. He had signed his papers by 21 July and they were lodged at the Home Office on the 28th, although his certificate was not issued until after the war had begun. 

As soon as he had signed the papers he regarded himself as a British subject, and on 27 July he wrote to his brother:

"My hand trembles when I think in how serious an hour I write these lines, and I fear that while I sit quietly here at my table and write, already perhaps many brave Hungarians have lost their lives on account of the predatory Servian nation. Another serious thing has also happened. I have signed the papers relating to British citizenship, and for three weeks past have been a British subject...It cost me a severe mental conflict, but on account of my five sons I had to do it.'"

As we shall see, this decision would cost him very dearly in the years to come.

To be continued

(Excerpts from "Portrait of a Painter" by Owen Rutter.)