YNWa-Blog #10

Off to peaceful hills (New York, part 3)

Far removed from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, our next stop is a place of silence: In 1952, Ferenc Molnár died in New York at the age of 74 and is buried in Linden Hill Cemetery in the hills of Queens—with a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline.

In New York, Molnár lived in apartment 835 in the Plaza Hotel up until his death. In the famous luxury hotel, he had, as legend has it, the “most modest room in the best hotel.” Situated on the southeastern corner of Central Park, the Plaza was built in French Renaissance style. Several years ago, the rooms looking onto the park were converted into condominiums, with the remainder being reopened as a hotel. Black limousines still drive up to the entrance, giving us a glimpse of what the hotel must have been like in its glamorous heyday.

In New York, Molnár lived in apartment 835 in the Plaza Hotel up until his death. In the famous luxury hotel, he had, as legend has it, the “most modest room in the best hotel.” Situated on the southeastern corner of Central Park, the Plaza was built in French Renaissance style. Several years ago, the rooms looking onto the park were converted into condominiums, with the remainder being reopened as a hotel. Black limousines still drive up to the entrance, giving us a glimpse of what the hotel must have been like in its glamorous heyday.

We, however, are continuing on our way into Queens. From Molnár’s apartment to his final resting place, Linden Hill Cemetery, it takes a good 40 minutes in city traffic. The rolling hills of the cemetery provide a fantastic view of the New York skyline, far away from the hive of activity that is Manhattan. The avenues are lined with tall trees that provide some shade on this hot summer’s day. Molnár died on April 1, 1952. Fresh red flowers are planted in front of his grave. His last wife, the actress Lili Darvas, had the inscription “Now sleep my boy, Liliom,” engraved in Hungarian on his gravestone. Molnár did not live to see the film version of Carousel, which hit cinemas in 1956, nor to witness how a song based on his story captured soccer stadiums around the world.