▁was ▁rather ▁administrative ▁than ▁political ▁position ▁during ▁the ▁dual ▁mon archy ▁of ▁Austria - H ung ary . ▁Until ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁may ors ▁were ▁civil ▁servants ▁who ▁were ▁passing ▁through ▁the ▁promotion ▁lad der ▁during ▁their ▁care ers . ▁The ▁mayor ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁executive ▁council ▁which ▁prepared ▁and ▁presented ▁cases ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly , ▁and ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁financial ▁and ▁property ▁management ▁too . ▁As ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly , ▁the ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Budapest ▁also ▁subst it uted ▁the ▁Lord ▁Mayor ▁in ▁case ▁of ▁obst acles . ▁A ▁lot ▁of ▁administrative ▁scope ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁mayor ▁( c ivil ▁registration ▁of ▁birth s , ▁mar ri ages , ▁citizens hip ▁natural ization , ▁author isation ▁of ▁water ▁management ▁etc .). ▁Thus ▁the ▁administrative ▁system ▁of ▁Budapest ▁was ▁often ▁called ▁as ▁" water - head ed ". ▁By ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁some ▁corre ctions ▁were ▁made : ▁few ▁minor ▁administrative ▁cases ▁assigned ▁to ▁lower - ran king ▁comm itte es ▁and ▁coun c ils . ▁The ▁mayor ▁could ▁ex ert ▁significant ▁influence ▁through ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁the ▁administrative ▁staff , ▁which ▁also ▁dep ended ▁on ▁the ▁mayor ' s ▁person ality ▁and ▁habit . ▁For ▁instance , ▁Mayor ▁Ist ván ▁B á rc zy ▁personally ▁directed ▁the ▁affairs ▁of ▁Budapest ▁in ▁practice , ▁while ▁the ▁council ▁meet ings ▁gradually ▁became ▁formal . ▁ ▁Inter war ▁period ▁and ▁after math ▁During ▁the ▁dual ▁mon