Árpád Göncz

Árpád Göncz [a ː ː d rpa ɡønts ] ( born February 10, 1922 in Budapest) is a Hungarian writer, translator and liberal politician. He was 1990-2000 President of the Republic of Hungary.

Career

1944 closed Göncz his studies in law at the University of Budapest, during which since 1939 he worked at the National Agricultural Bank ( Országos Földhitelintézet ). In 1944 he was called up for military service, but deserted shortly before the end of the war from his unit was ordered to Germany. He participated in the resistance, fell several times into Soviet captivity, but managed to escape again and again.

First political activities

1945 joined Göncz to the Independent Smallholders' Party ( Független Kisgazdapárt ), where he became chairman of the youth organization; incidentally, he was editor in chief of generations ( Nemzedék ).

Under Mátyás Rákosi

After the banning of small farmers Party Göncz worked as a laborer, welder and pipe fitter. From 1952 he studied for four years at the University of Agricultural Sciences ( Agrártudományi Egyetem ) in Gödöllő.

1956 and imprisonment

During the uprising in 1956 Göncz worked in the Hungarian Farmers' Federation, after 4 November, he worked on the formulation of the moratoria that were passed by the Hungarian Democratic Independence Movement of state power. In 1957, he smuggled the manuscript of the book of Imre Nagy " In defense of the Hungarian people " (A magyar Nép védelmében ) abroad, was therefore arrested in May and sentenced on August 2, 1958 to life imprisonment and detained. In March 1960, he took part in the hunger strike in prison Vac. 1963 many political prisoners were granted amnesty by János Kádár, including Göncz was released.

After the amnesty

After his release from prison, he worked as a translator at the Department of Heavy Industry and Chemistry in Veszprém. He returned to the University of Gödöllő, but was excluded from the study. From 1965 he worked as a freelance writer and translator.

From the turn up today

In May 1988, he was at the foundation of the network Free Initiatives ( Szabad Kezdeményezések Hálózata ), later that of the Alliance of Free Democrats ( Szabad Demokraták Szövetsége - SZDSZ ) involved. From 1988 Göncz was Speaker of the SZDSZ, from 1989 its Board of Directors. He was also co-founder of the Committee for Revision of History ( Történelmi Igazságtétel Bizottság ), then its vice chairman. Since 1989 he has chaired the Budapest branch of the League for Human Rights from 1989 to 1990 he was Chairman of the Hungarian PEN Club. From May to August 1990 Göncz officiated as President of the Parliament and provisional president. At the suggestion of József Antall, he was elected in August 1990 as President and held that post until August 2000.

Literary works

Göncz is the Hungarian translator of the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien and Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano. Since 1994 he is honorary chairman of the Hungarian PEN Club. Göncz in 1983 was awarded the Attila József Prize. He has also written several novels and plays.

Novels and short stories:

• Sarusok, ersch Magvető, 1974; Ulpius - ház, 2003 ( Eng.: Sandals carriers, Evangelical publishing house GmbH, Berlin, 1987, ISBN 3-374-00151-3 )
• Találkozások, ersch Magvető, 1980; Ulpius - ház, 2001
• Hazaérkezés, ersch Patria könyvek, 1991

Plays:

• Magyar Medea, monodrama, ersch Magvető, 1976
• Rácsok, ersch Magvető, 1979
• Mérleg; Pesszimista Komedia; Perszephoné; Sarusok (6 plays ), ersch Magvető, 1990

Awards

Others

Göncz is a member of the Club of Rome.