Vér, Andor (Andrew) (Sátoraljaújhely, 6 August 1897 - Buenos Aires, 24 March 1976) – Writer, journalist, poet and translator of literary works. He served in World War I as an army officer, after which he completed his studies at the Eastern Academy in Budapest (Keleti Akadémia). From 1920 he worked alternately as a private official and a journalist. Between 1925 and 1927, he worked for the paper Morning News(Reggeli Hírek) in Miskolc and, from 1931 to 1937, for the paper Freedom(Szabadság), run by Endre (Andrew) Bajcsy-Zsilinszky. As a poet, he published four volumes of poetry, as well as a political satire. In 1938 he emigrated to Argentina, where he lived from casual work and writing articles for papers. He translated, with László (Ladislas) Szabó, the famous epic poem, Martin Fierro of the poet Jose Hernandez, which appeared in print in Buenos Aires in 1944. In 1963 he returned to settle again in Hungary, becoming a correspondent for the National Translating Bureau; he carried out translations from German and Spanish into Hungarian. In 1969 he visited Argentina, but he fell ill and was unable to return to Hungary and died in Buenos Aires. His works include Lament (Sirató) poems (1949), and From the Danube to La Plata(A Dunától a La Platáig), poems (1963). – B: 1672, T: 7456.→Bajcsy-Zsilinszky, Endre; Szabó, László. Verancsics, Antal (Anthony) (Sebenico, now Šibenik, Croatia, 29 May 1504 - Eperjes, now Preŝov, Slovakia, 15 June 1573) – Humanist, historian and prelate. He was a descendant of a Dalmatian family. His uncle János (John) Statileo, Bishop of Transylvania, provided education for him in Hungary and Padua. First, he was a diplomat of the House of Szapolya. In 1549 he joined the service of the Habsburgs. In 1553 he became Canon of Eger, Archdeacon of Szabolcs, and later Reading Canon of Esztergom and Abbot of Porno. In 1553 he was appointed Bishop of Pécs and, at the head of a legation, he was sent to Constantinople. Four-year long negotiations proved unsuccessful; he returned to Hungary where, in 1557, he became Bishop of Eger. From 1567, he again became an envoy to the Turkish Porta; on 17 February 1568, he signed the Peace of Adrianople with Sultan Selim. He was searching for Oriental manuscripts in Ankara, when Busbequius discovered the famous Monumentum Ancyranum (an inscription from A.D. 14 inside the
Temple of Rome and Augustus in Ancyra, Galatia, modern Ankara). After the death of Miklós (Nicholas) Oláh in 1569, Verancsics became Archbishop of Esztergom and, from 1572, Royal Governor. He worked up to the day he died. He did not live to receive the news of his appointment as Cardinal on 5 June 1573. He maintained correspondence with the humanists of his age and wrote poems in Latin (1542); one of his speeches was published in Krakow in 1543. He planned to write a large-scale contemporary historical work on Hungary, a continuation of the work of A. Bonfini (1434–1503); only fragments of this work were completed, but a good deal of his collected source material did survive. One of Antonio Abondio’s commemorative medals features Verancsics. His works include His Complete Works, vols. i-xii (Összes munkáiI-XII) published by László Szalay and Gusztáv Wenzel, (1857-1875). – B: 0883, 1031 T: 7456.→Verancsics, Faustus; Bonfini, Antonio; Szalay, László.
Verancsics, Faustus (Verančic; Verantius) (Sebenico, Dalmatia in 1551 - Venice 3 January 1617) – Dictionary-compiler and polymath. His uncle, Antal (Anthony) Vernacsis provided his education in Pozsony (now Bratislava, Slovakia), and Padua, Italy. He returned to Hungary in 1571, and immediately set out on a three-year foreign tour. After his return in 1573, he settled in Pozsony, where he was appointed Constable of the Castle, Governor of the Episcopal Estates, as well as Court Secretary to Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612). In 1594,Verancsics traveled to Venice; then, after the death of his fiancée, he entered a Monastic Order. In 1598 he was appointed Bishop of Csanád. However, due to poor health, he resigned in 1606, and in 1609 entered the Pauline Order in Rome.
His five-language dictionary is a pioneering work in Hungarian dictionary literature. In the latter part of his life, his interest turned exclusively to physics, and he attained Europe-wide fame with his experiments and inventions. He designed and constructed the world’s first functioning parachute, which he personally demonstrated successfully. His chute was of a rectangular-shaped design, which was replaced by the more conventional circular version. Recently, however, they have begun to employ the rectangular shape, realizing that it is easier to maneuver. His technical text, Machine Novae (New Machines) was published in Venice in 1616. The Hungarian Post Office issued a commemorative stamp in his honor. – B: 1226, 1257, T: 7617.→Verancsics, Antal.
Verbunkós (Webunkosch) – A Hungarian music and dance genre of the late 18th, early 19th centuries. The name is derived from the German word Werbung, meaning “recruitment”. The Verbunkos, a recruiting dance, was performed during the induction of recruits into the army. Mistakenly, this genre was attributed to Gypsies, because usually they were the ones who performed it; but Magyar musicians performed it as well. The Gypsy composer János (John) Bihari is the best-known composer and interpreter of the verbunkos, of which 84 compositions of his remain. Another composer of verbunkos was József (Joseph) Kossovits (died 1819). In the second half of the 19th century, verbunkos appeared in opera, such as in the operas of Ferenc (Francis) Erkel’s Hunyadi László and Bánk bán,and even Béla Bartók’s work: Contrasts, and in Violin Concerto No.2. – B: 1031, T: 7103.→Bihari, János;Erkel, Ferenc; Bartók, Béla; Palotás; Hungarian Dances, Traditional; Verseghy, Ferenc. Verebély, Iván (Budapest, 7 December 1937 - ) – Actor. He completed his studies at the Academy of Dramatic Art, Budapest in 1961. Thereafter, he was a member of the National Theater (Nemzeti Színház), Miskolc, from 1961 to 1963. From 1963 to 1968, he was a member of the National Theater, Budapest. Since 1968 he has been a member of the Merry Stage (Vidám Színpad, now Central Theater). He is an outstanding comic actor both in cabaret pieces and comedies. His acting is characterized by individual humor and versatility. His unmistakable physique and face often appear in films and television in Hungary. His roles include Voltorein Ben Jonson’s Volpone (“Sly Fox”); Timothy, manservant in G. Vaszary’s The Devil Does Not Sleep (Az ördög nem alszik); Enyves Jimmy in Brecht-Weill’s Happy End, and Ivanov in M. Lengyel’s Ninocska. There are more than 40 feature and TV films to his credit, including Moneymaker (Pénzcsináló) (1964); Boys from the Square (Fiuk térről) (1967); The Immortal Legionist (A halhatatlan légiós) (1971); Next, Please (Kérem a következőt) (1974); Fish withoutBones (Hal szálka nélkül) (1984), and Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008). He was awarded the Mari Jászai Prize (1972), and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2008). – B: 1445, 1742, T: 7456.
Verebélÿ, László (Ladislas) (Trencsén, now Trencin, Slovakia, 5 July 1841 - Budapest, 4 June 1922) – Physician and surgeon. He obtained his Medical and Surgical Degrees from the University of Pest in 1865. He worked as a demonstrator at the Surgical Clinic, Budapest in 1867. In 1870 he became an honorary lecturer and Senior Physician at the Stefánia Children’s Hospital. He was mainly engaged in surgery for children and the hygiene of wounds. His works include Primary Osteomyelitis and Periostitis Infectiosa (1891), and A Case of Navel Cord Rupture Surgically Healed(Köldökzsinórsérv műtéttel gyógyult esete) (1900). – B: 1730, T: 7456.
Verebélÿ, Tibor (Budapest, 28 January 1875 - Budapest, 28 March 1941) – Physician. In 1900 he obtained his Medical Degree from the University of Budapest. He was an associate at the Institute of Pathological Anatomy; from 1901 a demonstrator, later an assistant lecturer at the Surgical Clinic of the University of Budapest. From 1906 he was also a senior physician of the Stefánia Hospital. From 1908 he was an honorary lecturer of infectious surgical illnesses; in 1913 he was an Associate Professor, in 1914 Professor of Surgery and Director of No. 3, later No. 1 Surgical Clinic, Budapest. In 1938 and 1939 he was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Budapest. He treated surgical pathology, surgery of blood vessels and nerve-chords, bone tumors, and surgical treatment of illnesses of the stomach and the pancreatic gland. He developed an important school of specialists, was an outstanding surgeon. He was a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (corresponding 1922, ordinary 1935). His works include Darwin and his Theories (1909); Surgery of the Eye-socket,vols. i, ii(A szemüreg sebészete,I–II) (1930-1931); Pathology and Therapy ofthe Pancreatic Gland(A hasnyálmirigy kór- és gyógytana) (1935), and The Illnesses of Degenerating Bones(A csontok pusztulásos betegségei) (1939), and more than 300 scientific studies. – B: 1730, T: 7456.
Verebes, Ernő (Earnest) (New York, 6 December 1902 - USA, 1971) – Actor. He completed his studies at Szidi Rákosi’s School of Dramatic Art in 1920. From 1920 to 1922 he was a member of the Lujza Blaha Theater (Blaha Lujza Színház), Budapest, and also appeared at the Inner City Theater (Belvárosi Szanház). From 1924 to 1934 he shot films in Berlin. On returning to Hungary, he played his comic operetta pieces at the Buda Theaterette (Budai Színkör), the Metropolitan Operetta Theater (Fővárosi Operett Színház), the Municipal Theater (Városi Színház), and the Royal Revue Theater (Royal Revüszínház). In 1938 he emigrated to the USA, where he resumed his film-acting career. During the period from 1920 to 1936, he also appeared in Hungarian silent and sound-films. His roles included Hessen MaxiinKrasznai-Krausz’s Yellow Lily (Sárga liliom); Eagle in M. Eisemann’s My Younger Brother and I (Én és a kisöcsém), and Viki Cserepes in Zerkovitz’s We Live only Once (Csak egyszer élünk). – B: 1445, T: 7456.
Verebes, István (Stephen) (Budapest, 4 July 1948 - ) – Actor, manager, theater director, dramaturge, drama critic and writer. He completed his studies at the Acting Department of the Academy of Dramatic Art, Budapest, in 1970. He spent one season with the 25th Theater (25. Színház), Budapest. From 1971 to 1975 he was an actor at the Gergely Csiky Theater (Csiky Gergely Színház), Kaposvár and, for a year, he worked as Program Editor for Hungarian Television. From 1975 to 1978 he worked at the National Theater (Nemzeti Színház) of Miskolc, and that of Szeged. For two years he also worked as a journalist. From 1980 to 1985 he was a member of the Microscope Theater (Mikroszkóp Színház), Budapest. In 1980 he started working for the Hungarian Radio as an author and actor for the Radio-Cabaret. He was the author of a number of plays. From 1985 he was Manager of the Radnóti Theater (Radnóti Színház). From 1990 to 1993 he was Director of the Comedy Theater (Kommédium Színház). From 1993 to 1998 he was Director of the Zsigmond Móricz Theater (Móricz Zsigmond Színház), Nyíregyháza. Since 1989 he has been a publicist for the paper Snowshoes (Hócipő). He is Program Director for the Sunrise (Napkelte) of Hungarian Television (MTV).Verebes’ work as a theater manager is characterized by meticulous finish, refined humor and irony. His roles include title role in Molière’s Tartuffe; Leonato in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (Sok hűhó semmiért); Cassius in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, and Papa in E. Szép’sGroom (Vőlegény). His stage managements include Csekhov’s The Three Sisters (A három nővér); Ernő Szép’s Violet Acacia (Lila ákác); I. Örkény’s Cat’s Play (Macskajáték); M. Füst’s Aunt Máli (Máli néni), and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. He is the author of plays, such as Nobody is Perfect (Senki sem tökéletes);Something CalledHungary (Valami Magyarország); Lottery (Sorsjáték), and Humor Therapy (Humorterápia). There are a number of feature films to his credit, including Shiny Winds (Fényes szelek) (1968); Dearest Sárika (Sárika drága) (1971); Viaduct (1982); Colonel Redl, i, ii (Redl ezredes I, II) (1984), and TV films:Gentlemen,Let Us Talk (Uraim beszéljünk) (1974); Brutus (1981), Peace Strategy (Békestratégia) (1985), and Coffee House (Kávéház) 2001). His distinctions include the Mari Jászai Prize (1983), the Karinthy Ring (1985), and the Zsigmond Móricz Ring (1996).– B: 1445, 1031, T: 7456.
Verebics, Ilona (Helen) (Győr, 6 March 1962 - ) – Singer (soprano) – She obtained her qualification from the Ferenc (Franz) Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest in 1986, as a student of Boldizsár (Balthasor) Keönch and Éva Andor. Since 1986, she has been a member of the Opera House, Budapest. She has a shining, glittering voice, combined with great insight. She is in possession of a wide repertoire in operas and oratorios, and is also a recognized Lieder singer. She has also made a number of recordings. Her roles include Eurydice in Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice; Belinda in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas; Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Varázsfuvola); Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi; Elisabeth in Wagner’s Tannhäuser, and Agata in Weber’s Der Freischütz (A bűvös vadász). She won first prize at the song competition of Karlovy Vary in 1982, a prize at Helsinki in 1984, a special prize at Barcelona in 1986 as the best presenter of French songs, and was the winner of the BBC song competition in Cardiff in 1987. In the Pavarotti competition in Philadelphia and New York in 1988, she was the only Hungarian place winner. – B: 1445, 1031, T: 7456.
Veres, János (John) (Zoltán János Vörös) (Tornalja now Tornal’a, Slovakia, 28 February 1930 - Rimaszombat, now Rimavská Sobotá, Slovakia, 5 August 1999) – Teacher and poet. His secondary education was completed at the Slovak High School of Rimaszombat. From 1949 to 1957, he was in a Sanatorium in the High Tatra. From 1957 to 1966, he was a patient transporter for the Rimaszombat Hospital, later an office clerk. From 1966 to 1970, he was a lecturer in Methodology at the District Cultural Center of Rimaszombat. In 1970-1971 he was ill, and finally retired in 1971. He was a Member of the Presidium of the Czechoslovak Hungarian Workers’ Cultural Federation – CSEMADOK. In 1970 however, he was expelled for political reasons. From 1963, he was a member of the Hungarian Section of the Slovak Writers’ Association, and from 1990 he was a member of the Czechoslovak-Hungarian Writers’ Society, and also a member of the Green Party. His poems, narratives, literary and cultural articles, critiques, translations of poems from Czech and Slovak languages were published in numerous papers and magazines, such as the Creative Youth(AlkotóIfjúság) (1952); Torch (Fáklya) (1952); New Word(Új Szó) (1952-1968); Nations and Nationalities(Nemzetek és nemzetiségek); Literary Review(Irodalmi Szemle), and Csallóköz (1962). His works include Flames and Flowers(Tűzek és virágok) poems (1961); After the Earthquake (Földrengés után) stories (1966); White Deer (Fehér szarvas) poems (1967); The Young Man from Gyetva(A gyetvailegény) epic poem by Andrej Sládkovič, translation (1980); Course of Life(Életút) selected poems (1989); Iceberg (Jéghegy) poems (1998), and Black Magician (Fekete magus) poems (2006). He was awarded the Madách Prize of County Nógrád (1990), and the silver medal of CSEMADOK (1991). – B: 1083, 1890, T: 7456.
Veres, Mrs. Pál (Paul) (née Hermin Benicky) (Lázi, 13 December 1815 - Váchartyán, 28 September 1895) – A leading figure in women’s education. Her husband’s friend, Imre (Emerich) Madách, exerted a powerful influence on her, as Madách dedicated his timeless philosophical drama, The Tragedy of Man (Az ember tragédiája,) to her husband. In 1867 she organized the National Women’s Educational Association(Országos Nőképző Egylet), with the aim of rendering women’s basic education possible, and for those without any property to secure bread-winner positions. In 1869 she founded, then managed the Association’s Institute for Educating Girls(Leánynevelő Intézet), the Principal of which was Pál (Paul) Gyulai. It was her ceaseless urging that resulted in the establishment in Budapest, in 1875, of the first Girls’ High School in the entire Kingdom of Hungary. In 1880, the Association had already moved into its own building, provided with living accomodations, which soon reached a capacity of ca. 800 girl residents. It had a Primary School, as well as a High School (Gymnasium), a Cooking School, and even a Residence for her university student girls. In 1889, due to her illness, she withdrew from her educational work. Her memory is treasured by a plaque on the wall of the church at Váchartyán, where she died at the age of 80, while the girls’ high school, founded by her, cherishes her memory, being named after her. The Hungarian community in Budapest had a street named after her, and a marble statue erected in her honor, on the bronze rosette of which these lines by Kálmán Mikszáth may be read: “Her name is immortalized by history, her figure by this marble, and her spirit is a heritage for the girls of the realm”. – B: 1150, 1257, T: 7456.→Madách, Imre; Gyulai, Pál, Mikszáth, Kálmán. Veres, Péter (Balmazújváros, 6 January 1897 - Budapest, 16 April 1970) – Writer, politician and state minister. He completed his primary education in his native town, and worked as a shepherd, day laborer, and railroad worker. Later, he farmed on a few hectares of land, joined the agrarian socialist movement, and became its most prominent figure. Following World War I, during the short-lived Council (Soviet) Republic of Hungarian in 1919, he was a member of the Directorate. After World War II, he first became a Member of Parliament; then, between 1945 and 1949, President of the National Peasant Party, later Minister of Reconstruction, and finally, Minister of Defense. Between 1954 and 1956, Veres was President of the Hungarian Literary Association. Later, he retired from public life. From the early 1930s, he also pursued literary activities. Many of his radical articles appeared in various papers, mostly in the Peoples’ Voice (Népszava), for which he was often detained. A selection of his works is The Peasantry of the Great Plain (Az Alföld parasztsága) (1936); What is the Worth of a Man,if is Hungarian?(Mit ér az ember, ha magyar?) (1940);Peasant Fate – Hungarian Fate (Paraszt sors – magyar sors) (1943); Peasant Future (A paraszt jövendő) (1948); The Story of the Balogh Family (A Balog család története) (1961); On the State Highway (Az ország útján) (1965); Szárszó (1971); Our Wise and Foolish Ancestors (Bölcs és balgatag őseink) (1968), and a Reader’s Diary (Olvasónapló) (1962, 1984, 1986, 1988). His sociological works are valued as ethnographic source material. He received the Kossuth Prize (1950, 1952). There is his memorial house and statue at Balmazújváros; a High School in Budapest, and streets elsewhere are named after him. – B: 1150, 1134, 1257, T: 7617.→Council (Soviet) Republic of Hungary. Veress, Dániel (Sepsiszentgyörgy, now Sfintu Gheorghe, Transylvania, Romania, 1 June 1929 - ) – Drama critic and writer. He graduated from the Bolyai University of Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca, Romania), majoring in Philosophy and Psychology. Earlier on in his career, he dealt mainly with works of classical and contemporary world literature. Later on, he started to focus on the mediaeval Hungarian princes of Transylvania, as well as on the famous writer Kelemen (Clement) Mikes, about whom he wrote a drama, first staged in Sepsiszentgyörgy in 1968. It was Veress, who edited Mikes’s famous Letters from Turkey(Törökországi levelek) (in Hungarian, 1974; in Romanian, 1988). His monodrama on Miklós (Nicholas) Misztótfalusi Kis, The Deceived(A megtévesztett), was produced in Sepsiszentgyörgy in 1991. For a while, he made a living from writing and, from 1970 to 1990, he was Drama Critic for the Hungarian Theater (Magyar Színház) of his native town. He published articles, studies and essays in various papers and journals. His dramas were performed in his native town and in Gyula; these dealt with the famous figures of Transylvanian history, such as Zsigmond (Sigismund) Báthory, Miklós (Nicholas) Wesselényi and Zsigmond (Sigismund) Kemény. He also wrote introductory essays to the drama series of Kriterion Publishers. In 1971, his essay volume, entitled On Wanderings(Vándorúton), was honored with a literary prize in Bucharest. His dramas include Four Winters (Négytél) (1968); Nights at Gräfenberg (Gräfenbergi éjszakák) (1971); Holiday Spoilers(Ünneprontók) (1982), and The Deceived (A megtévesztett) (1991). His books include In the Attraction of the Theater(A színház vonzásában) (1980). In 1969, he was awarded the Kelemen Mikes Memorial Medal in Budapest. – B: 1445, 1257, T: 7456.→Mikes, Kelemen; Misztótfalusi Kis, Miklós; Báthory, Prince Zsigmond; Wesselényi, Baron Miklós; Kemény, Baron Zsigmond. Veress, Miklós (Nicholas) (Barcs, 13 January 1942 - ) – Poet, critic and translator of literary works. He obtained his Degree in Education from the University of Szeged, majoring in Hungarian and Russian Literature. He worked as a High School teacher and, for a while, also taught at the University of Szeged. From 1969 to 1974, he was an associate of the paper Southern Hungary (Délmagyarország), and from 1971, also of the journal Life and Literature (Élet és Irodalom). Between 1975 and 1981, he was Editor of the journal Moving World (Mozgó Világ). From 1986 to 1988, he was a secretary of the Writers’ Association. Since 1988, he has been working as a freelance writer. His work represents a return to the Hungarian poetic tradition. Veress has translated numerous works from Russian, Ukrainian, Gruzian, Estonian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Turkish and Dutch literature. In his poetry, he stresses love as a basic asset in the field of internal freedom. His works include Forest for the Wild Creatures (Erdő a vadaknak) poems (1972); Dust-ash (Porhamu) poems (1978), and Light-shadow (Fényárnyék), poems (1985). His translations include the works of Sören Kierkegaard, as co-author (1969), Alexander Blok’s poems (1977), and Ataol Behramoğlu’s poem, Wind, Apple Tree, Friend (Szél, almafa, barát) (1988). He was awarded the Attila József Prize (1973, 1985), the Áprily Prize (1984), and the Contemporary (Kortárs) Prize (1996). – B: 0878, 1031, 1257, T: 7456.
Veress, Sándor (Alexander) (Kolozsvár, now Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 1 January 1907 - Bern, 4 March 1992) – Composer, folk-music researcher and music pedagogue. His family moved from Transylvania (Erdély) to Hungary proper in 1916. He studied music composition under Zoltán Kodály, and piano under Béla Bartók at the Ferenc (Franz) Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, from 1923 to 1927. He undertook a folk-music collection tour in Moldova, Romania and, on a scholarship he traveled to Berlin, London and Amsterdam. Upon returning, he worked on the foundation of Hungarian music pedagogy. He became Professor of Composition at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest; from 1943 to 1948 he continued his folk music research at the Museum of Ethnography (1927-1940); and at the Hungarian Academy of Arts and Sciences, he worked with the famous Béla Bartók. In 1950 he lived in Bern, Switzerland, and worked at the Conservatory of Music; then he became a professor at the Music Department of the University there. He was a visiting professor at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, MD, (1965-1966), then at the Goucher College, Towson, Maryland, USA, in 1966, and Adelaide, Australia, in 1967. Some of his literary works are String Quartet (1934); Katica Térszili (ballet) (1949); Psalm of St Augustine (Szent Ágoston zsoltára) oratorio (1943-1944); Symphonia Minneapolitana(II. Szimfónia) (1953); Canti Ceremissi (1945); Musikscene Schweiz (1939), and Songs of the Seasons (1962). His writings in Folk Music include Folk-music Collection of the Csángós of Moldova (Népzenei gyüjtés a moldvai csángók között) (1931-1932); La raccolta della musica populare ungherese (Rome, 1941), and SzeklerFolk-ballad Variations in Moldavia(Székely népballadák változatai Moldvában) (1941-1942). He was awarded the Kossuth Prize in 1949, the Bartók-Pásztory Prize in 1985, and the Berne Canton prize in 1976. – B: 0886, 1031, T: 7103.→Kodály, Zoltán; Bartók, Béla.