Szabó, Gyula (2) (Julius) (Szatmárnémeti, now Satu Mare, Romania, 29 August 1933 - ) – Chemical engineer. After completing his tertiary studies (1957), he worked as an industrial chemist until his retirement in 1993. Since 1948 he has been a chess player and, since 1953, a member of the selected Romanian chess-playing team. In 1955 he obtained the title of chess-master, and in 1970 he was National Chess Champion. He has been a participant in numerous international competitions. Since then he has occupied himself with butterfly collecting. His insect collection comprises 23,000 specimens. He is an associate of the Museum of Szatmár. He has participated in a number of exhibitions, and his articles have appeared in related papers. He discovered and described a butterfly’s sub-species, called Ethmia lugubris multidenta. – B: 1036, T: 7456.
Szabó, Gyula (3) (Julius) (Homoródalmás, now Mereşti, Romania, 11 September 1930 – Kolozsvár, now Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 21 December 2004) – Writer. He completed his secondary education at the Unitarian College in Székelykeresztúr (now Cristuru Secuiesc, Romania) in 1949. He obtained his Degree in Education from the University of Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca, Romania), majoring in Hungarian Literature in 1954. In 1956 and 1957 he was a contributor to the editorial of the State and Art Publisher of Kolozsvár; from 1987 Editor of the paper, Our Road (Útunk). He retired in 1992. Already in his student days, he attracted attention with his reports on Csángó Hungarians. He caused a series of debates with his short stories on the love of one’s birthplace, and later, with his novel Mindful Compaternity (Gondos atyafiság) (1955). His multi-volume novel series, the “historic report”, a synthesis of his career as a writer, began in 1978. Other works of his include My Sister Zsuzsi (Húgom, Zsuzsika), novel (1968); The Balls of Satan, vols. i-iv (A sátán labdáiI-IV), historic series (1978-1981); The Unknown Soldier (A névtelen katona) (1994), and Farewell to the Place of the Cradle (Búcsú abölcsőhelytől) (1996). His recognitions include the State Prize (1963), The Romanian Writers’ Council Prize (1978), and the Contemporary Prize (1990). – B: 1036, 1257, T: 7456.
Szabó, Ildikó (Székesfehérvár, 23 April 1934 - ) – Actress. She obtained her diploma from the Academy of Dramatic Art, Budapest, in 1958, after which, she was engaged by the Csokonai Theater (Csokonai Színház) of Debrecen. In 1966 she became a member of the Szigligeti Theater (Szigligeti Szinház) of Szolnok; in 1970 of the Gergely Csiky Theater (Csiky Gergely Színház) of Kaposvár, then, from 1974 to 1975, back to Szolnok again. From 1983 she played in the National Theater (Nemzeti Színház) of Szeged, and later in the Csokonai Theater of Debrecen again. She is a versatile actress, equally suited to humorous and dramatic roles. Her roles include NatashainTolstoy-Piscator’s War and Peace (Háború és béke;)Lida in Kohut’s Such aGreat Love (Ilyen nagy szerelem; Magdó in Á. Tamási’s Singing Bird (Énekes madár); Rozika in Móricz’ Gentleman’s Fun (Úri muri); Marcsa in A Szirmai’s Miska the Grandee (Mágnás Miska); Solvejgin Ibsen’s Peer Gynt; Klári in I. Sarkadi’s Lost Paradise (Elveszett Paradicsom), and Lady Anne in Shakespeare’s Richard III. Her film roles include Sky Bird(Égi madár) (1957), and Trial Run (Próbaút) (TV film, 1961). – B: 1445, 1031, T: 7456.
Szabó, Ilonka (Nelly) (Mrs Henri Hivess) (Budapest, 18 August 1911 - Budapest, 27 January 1945) – Singer (soprano). In 1934 she made her debut as Rosina in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville(A szevillai borbély) at the Opera House of Budapest, where she was on a scholarship; from 1936 until her death, she performed there as a soloist. She was greeted by the public as one of the most outstanding coloratura sopranos of the age. With her very fine voice, her charm and acting talent she proved to be an unmatched player of soubrette roles. Near the end of World War II, she perished during the siege of Budapest. Her roles included, in addition to Rosina, also Blonde in W.A. Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail – The Abduction from the Seraglio; (Szöktetés a szerályból); Rosina in G. Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (A szevillai borbély); Sophie in R. Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier (A rózsalovag), and Gilda in G. Verdi’s Rigoletto. A Street in Buda bears her name. – B: 1445, 1031, T: 7456.
Szabó, Imre (1) (Emeric) (Somorja, now Šamorin, Slovakia, 10 April 1891 - Debrecen, 27 January 1955) – Minister and Dean of the Reformed Church, Budapest-Fasor, church writer. He completed his Theological studies at Pápa in 1914. Later, he enrolled in arts courses at the Universities of Basel and Budapest, and went on a study trip to Holland and Germany. In 1914 he was an assistant minister in Pápa, then in Révkomárom and Bodajk and, from 1918 minister of the Zsuzsanna Lorántffy Society. From 1923 he was the parish minister in the Fasor Reformed Congregation in Budapest, District VI. From 1934 to 1951 he was the first Dean of the Reformed Churches in Budapest, and also a member of the Legislation of Budapest. During his deanship new congregations were organized and many new churches built in Budapest. In 1951 he lost his position for political reasons, and he had to leave Budapest. From 1952 until his death, he served as the parish minister in Buj, north of Nyíregyháza. He was Editor of the Church papers Olive Branch (Olajág), Church Bulletin (Egyházi Értesítő), and Hungarian Elder (Magyar Presbiter). His works include Open Door (Nyitott ajtó) (1937); Hungarian Questions of Fate (Magyar sorskérdések) (1938), and Our Father (Miatyánk) sermons. – B: 0883, T: 7456.
Szabó, Imre(2) (Emeric) (Érsekújvár, now Nové Zámky, Slovakia, 2 September 1956 - ) - Organist and organ teacher. In 1975 he completed his secondary studies at Érsekújvár with Hungarian as the language of instruction. From 1972 to 1976 he studied organ playing privately under István (Stephen) Baróti in Budapest and, from 1976 to 1978, under Irma Skuhrova at the Conservatory of Music, Pozsony (now Bratislava, Slovakia); from 1978 to 1982, under Ferdinand Klinda, at the Academy of Music and Drama; and from 1982 to 1984, he studied on a scholarship from the Slovakian Music Foundation under Ivan Sokol. From 1985 he has been Organist of the Symphomic Orchestra of the Pozsony Radio and, from 1988, organ teacher at the Pozsony Conservatory of Music. From 1979 he made regular concert tours in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, England, Sweden and the Soviet Union. He is a member of the Czechoslovakian-Hungarian Workers’ Cultural Federation; since 1984 he has been a member and President of the Ferenc (Franz) Liszt Society. He made a number of records (1987, 1988, and 1989), including Cesar Franck’s Grande piècesymphonique; Marcel Dupré’s B-major preludium and fugue, Op.71, No. 1;Evocation, Op. 37 (Recorded by the Pozsony Radio). He is a recipient of the Prague International Organ Competition, Third Prize (1979). – B: 1083, 1890, T: 7456.
Szabó, Imre, M. (Emeric) (Budapest, 20 Augusztus 1941 - ) – Freelance documentary film maker, journalist. He was born into a family escaping from Romanian-ruled Transylvania. His father, an engineer, sent him to the Tivadar Puskás Communication Technical Institute, Budapest, graduating in 1959. Then he studied journalism at the Journalist Taining Center, Budapest from 1972 to 1975. He started his career in 1959 at the Hungarian Radio, first as an external co-worker, reporter, and from 1972, as a documentary editor. He also worked for country journals. His work offered him an opportunity to know Hungarian real life better. Under the influence of the Catholic poet, (journalist and MP until 1947, later teacher) Gyula (Julius) Kunszery, he became a dedicated conveyor and voice of the turth. Due to his son’s sickness, who needed a climate change, they moved to Veszprém in 1969. In 1971, a political secretary banned him from County Veszprém. He registered at the Law School of Budapest; however, after three semester, he had to leave because of financial difficulties. Since that time until today he has been involved in making documentary films in order to open up Hungarian reality. He worked for Hungarian Radio, Hungarian Television, the Duna Television, the Echo Television, and Zenit Television’s The World of Hungarians (Magyarok Világa), series. His many works include The Mine is not a Cemetery (A bánya nem temető), radio documentary drama, won first prize, and was nominated a Prix Italy festival; In the Present Time(Jelenidőben), series on social tensions (1998-2004); Portraits: Ádám Makkay, writer; Dr. László Varga, MP;Zita Szeleczky, actress; Éva Szörényi, Actress; Erzsébet Cserey, actress; István Vörösvári Weller, publisher; and Fáy István, writer; Imre Makk painter and family; György Oláh, chemist, Nobel Laureate; István Sisa, writer, AP reporter; Dr. Sándor Balogh, political scientist; Kristóf Hites, RC priest, and István Csicsery Rónai, writer, politician. Documentary films: American–Canadian Life Stories (Amerikai–kanadai magyar életsorsok), 86 portraits and documentaries, in USA and Canada (4x 60’), and the Boys of Temerin (Temerini fiúk), documentary series.. Imre M. Szabó is a renouned Hungarian patriotic journalist and documentary film maker and the President of the 23 October Committee and Foundation and For Human Rights. His distinctions include the High Standard Prize of Hungarian Radio (2001); the European Medal (2004); the Corvin-Close Order of Merit with with Laurel Wreath (2009), and the Sándor Petőfi Freedom of the Press Prize (2011). – B: 2127, T: 7103.→Makkai, Ádám; Szeleczky, Zita; Szörényi, Éva; Cserey, Erzsébet; Vörösvári, István; Belovai, István; Fáy, István; Makk, Imre; Oláh, George; Sisa, István; Balogh, Sándor; Hites, Kristóf; Csicsery Rónai, István; Kondor Katalin; Koltay, Gábor. Szabó, István (1) (Stephen) (Nagyatádi Szabó) (Erdőcsokonya, 17 September 1863 - Erdőcsokonya, 1 November 1924) – Highlevel politician. From 1908 he was a representative in the Parliament, then, from 1920 in the National Assembly. From 1918 to 1919 he was President of the National Smallholders’ Party. In 1918 he became Minister of Agriculture in the Hadik government. Following the victory of the civil democratic revolution of 1918, he was a Minister without Portfolio in the Berinkey government dealing with land reform issues. Later he became Minister for the People’s Economy. After the fall of the People’s Council (Soviet) Republic in 1919, he became Minister of Agriculture in the Friedrich government. Following repeated indications in the fall of 1919 of his intention to join the opposition Liberal Block, under pressure from Regent Horthy, he finally united with the Smallholders’ Party from Sokorópátka and joined the Christian Block. Between 1919 and 1924 he was Minister of Public Food Supply, Minister of Agriculture and Smallholder Minister in the governments of Huszár, Simonyi, Semadam, Teleki and Bethlen. He gradually abandoned the Party’s democratic agricultural program, which was defined in 1909 and in 1918. He is known for the 1920 Land Reform Law, which aimed to correct the distribution of agricultural lands, but it left its main issues in darkness, and thus remained just a “frame-law”. In 1922, Prime Minister Bethlen and other previous Workers’ Party politicians joined the Smallholders’ Party and gained control of its leadership. Szabó became Party Secretary in 1924. Later, he was forced to resign on suspicion of his role in the corruption affair of his secretary Lajos (Louis) Eskütt, which was never proved. – B: 0883, 1031, T: 7667.
Szabó, István(2) (Stephen) (Cserszegtomaj, 7 March 1931 - Budapest, 16 March 1976) – Writer, literary translator. He came from a peasant family and lost his mother at an early age. He went to school at Keszthely; later he worked on the land with his father. Between 1949 and 1951 he worked as a tractor driver at Keszthely, served in the army for six months in 1951, then worked at various jobs at Cserszegtomaj and Inota. In 1953 he was admitted to the Faculty of Arts of the University of Budapest, but soon abandoned his studies. From age 15, he wrote poetry and short stories. His work was regularly published in the New Voice(Új hang) and in Free Youth(Szabad Ifjúság). The Rebel(A lázadó), a short story, appeared in 1954 in the New Voice. His first collection of short stories was published in 1956 under the same title. The theme of his dramatically tense stories was the Hungarian village. His writings are characterized by deep philosophical and psychological insight. A selection of his stories was published in Estonian in Tallinn. Together with Endre (Andrew) Sós, he translated several works by B. Brecht, such as Of History and Art(Brecht: Irodalomról, művészetről) (1970). He also translated the TheYellow Shark(Der gelbe Hai –A sárga cápa) by Wolfgang Schreyer, published in 1971. He won second prize at a theatre play competition, organized by the National Union’s Council in 1958. His works include In a World Without Stories: Memories of My Career (Mese nélküli világban: Pályám emlékezete) (1976); Garden of Magic (Varázslat kertje) (1963); Don’t Look Back(Ne nézz hátra) (1972); School in the High(Iskola a magasban) (1977), and Early in the Dawn(Hajnalok Hajnala) (1978). He was a recipient of the Attila József Prize (1964). – B: 0883, 1257, T: 7667.
Szabó, István (3) (Stephen) (Budapest, 18 February 1938 - ) – Film director. In the 1960s and 1970s he directed amateur films in Hungarian, which explore the experiences of his own generation and recent Hungarian history, such as: Father (Apa) (1966); Love-film (Szerelmesfilm) (1970), and 25 Fireman Street(Tűzoltó utca 25) (1973). His signature film trilogy features Mephisto, Colonel Redl, and Hanussen (1988). He changed over to English-language films with Meeting Venus (Találkozás Vénusszal) (1991); Taking Sides (Pártoskodás) (2001); Being Julia (Julia lévén) (2004), and Relatives (Rokonok) (2006) which proved a great success. His 32 films and film scripts also include Variations on a Theme (Variációk egy témára) (1961); Confidence (Bizalom) (1980); Katzenspiel (Cat’s Play – Macskajáték) (1983), and Offenbach’s Secrets (Offenbachtitkai) (1996). On a rare occasion, he also appeared on stage. Since 1985, he has been a professor at the Academy of Dramatic Art, and since 1991, Vice- President of the European Academy of Cinematography. In 2006 the media reported that he was involved in certain secret activities; but it turned out that he did not harm anybody. Among his 60 prizes are the Oscar Prize, the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film, a Cannes Award for the Best Screen Play, the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival, the Donatello Prize, the title of Outstanding Artist, the Kossuth Prize, the Corvinus Prize, and the Hazám (My Country) Prize (2001). Szabó is the best known and one of the most critically acclaimed Hungarian film directors of the late 20th century. – B: 1031, 1105, T: 7103, 7456.
Szabó, István (4) (Stephen) (Bogárdi-Szabó) (Sárbogárd. 14 December 1956 - ) – Bishop of the Reformed Church and theologian. He came from a family of ministers. His grandfather, Imre (Emeric) Szabó was the first Dean of the Reformed Churches of Budapest. He completed his secondary school studies at the Reformed College of Debrecen, and studied Theology at the Reformed Theological Academy in Budapest (1981). He was on a scholarship at the McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, USA, (1982). He was an assistant minister until 1997, and from 1997, the parish minister in the Budahegyvidék Congregation, Budapest. He earned a Doctoral Degree in Systematic Theology in 1994. After 1997 he lectured at the Department of Cultural History of the University of Budapest. He was Professor of Dogmatics at the Reformed Theological Academy, Pápa, (1998). Since 1999, he has been a university professor at Pápa. He is a member of the Board of the 20th Century Institute (House of Terror), the Thema Association, and of the Committee of the Károli Prize. In 2002 he was elected Bishop of the Danubian Reformed Church District. – B: 1003, T: 7103.→Szabó, Imre (1). Szabó, István Jr. (Stephen) (Nagykikinda, now Kikinda, Serbia, 10 October 1937 - Szabadka, now Subotica, Serbia, 11 July 1984) – Actor, stage manager, theater director. He began his career as a member of the People’s Theater of Szabadka, where his parents – István Szabó and Mária Szabó Cseh – were founding members. He studied stage-managing in Belgrade with the noted representative of the psychological school, Hugo Klajn. His diploma qualifying work was Eugene O’Neill’s piece: Long Day's Journey Into Night. (Hosszú út az éjszakába). He became the Manager of the Folk Theater (Népszínház) of Szabadka, and a member of the Hungarian company for a few years. Apart from the Theater of Szabadka, he also stage-managed the Theater of Újvidék (Újvidéki Színház) (now Novi Sad, Serbia), the Castle Theater (Várszínház) of Gyula, and the theaters of Szeged and Marosvásárhely (now Targu Mureş, Romania). His managing work includes: F.R. Sartre’s Dirty Hands(Les Mains Sales –Piszkos kezek); Áron Tamási’s Singing Bird (Énekes madár); F. Tóth’s Job(Jób); Chekhov’s Seagull (Sirály); László Németh’s By the Glare of Lightning (Villámfénynél); Dürrenmatt’s An Angel Comes to Babylon (Ein Engel kommt nach Babylon – Angyal szállt le Babilonba); Sophocles’ Antigone, and O. Danek’s Forty Scoundrels and One Little Innocent(Negyven gazfickó meg egy maszületett bárány. – B: 0883, 1445, T: 7456.
Szabó, János (John) (Budapest, 24 March 1931 - Budapest, 21 August 1987) – Viola player. He conducted his music studies between 1947 and 1956 at the Béla Bartók College of Music in Budapest under Tivadar Országh and Sándor (Alexander) Frigyes (violin), and Pál (Paul) Lukács (viola). From 1960 until his death, he was a member of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and was its orchestra supervisor from 1974. Between 1955 and 1967 he was a violin teacher at the Budapest Music School Association. He was a guest performer with orchestras in most European cities and in the USA. His works include Youth orchestral and vocal works, chamber music pieces and Children’s Cantata(Gyermekkantáta). He was a recipient of the Ferenc (Franz) Liszt Prize, 1965. – B: 0883,T: 7667.→ Országh, Tivadar. Szabó, József (1) (Joseph) (szentmiklósi) (Kalocsa, 14 March 1822 - Budapest, 12 April 1894) – Mining engineer and geologist. From 1837 to 1841 he studied Philosophy and Law at the University of Pest; during 1843 and 1844 he did further studies in Mining Geology at the Mining Academy of Selmecbánya (now Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia), founded by Empress and Queen Maria Theresa in 1763. In 1848 he became a member of Lajos (Louis) Kossuth’s Ministry during the War of Independence against Habsburg oppression (1848-1849); he assisted in the manufacture of gunpowder as the supervisor of saltpeter in County Pest. In 1851 he obtained his Ph.D. in Philosophy. In 1855 he was a teacher at a state high school in Buda; in 1858 at the Commercial High School of Pest. From 1862 until his death, he was Professor of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Pest and its Rector from 1883 to 1884. The main field of his scientific work was the study of the Tertiary Volcanic Activity of Hungary, especially the Petrology of trachytes. He also did pioneering work on the geological conditions of the Great Hungarian Plain, and he was the first to point out the important underground movements that can be detected beneath the Great Plain’s surface. He trained generations of fine geologists and mineralogists; he established the Institute of Mineralogy-Petrology at the University of Budapest, and he also wrote a number of university textbooks. József Szabó was outstanding among Hungarian geologists of the 19th century, and a world-famous expert on petrologic research. He was a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (corresponding 1858, ordinary 1867, Director 1888). In his memory, the Geological Society established the József Szabó commemorative medal in 1897; it is awarded every third year for the most outstanding geological work. His works include Mineralogy (Ásványtan) (1861); Geology of the Tokaj Foothills and itsSurroundings(Tokaj-Hegylaja és környékének földtani viszonyai) (1866); Geology (Geológia) (1883), and Geology of Selmec and Environs (Selmecz környékének geológiai leírása) (1891). – B: 0883, 1031, 7456, T: 7456.→Kossuth, Lajos. Szabó, József (2) (Joseph) (Ódzsa) (Székelyhid, now Săcueni, Romania, 5 October 1928 - ) – Stage-manager. He completed his higher studies at the Hungarian School of Fine Arts of Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca, Romania) in 1953, following which he continued his studies in the stage managing section of the College of Dramatic Art of Moscow for a year. He was a study trip at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in St. Andrews, Scotland. In Transylvania (Erdély, now in Romania) he worked as the stage-manager at the Theater of Nagybánya (now Baia Mare, Romania) and at that of Szatmárnémeti (now Satu Mare, Romania). From 1957, for more than a decade, he stage-managed the Hungarian State Theater (Magyar Állami Színház) of Kolozsvár. In 1969 he was contracted to the Theater of Nagyvárad (Nagyváradi Színház) (now Oradea, Romania), though he still paid visits to Kolozsvár as a guest. In 1985 he settled in Hungary and remained there until his retirement. He first worked at the Kisfaludy Theater (Kisfaludy Színház) of Győr, then at the Petőfi Theater (Petőfi Színház) of Veszprém. One of the main points of his program as stage manager was putting on the stage varied works of the outstanding Hungarian drama literature, both classical and contemporary. For him, the most important task was the precise psychological development of the roles. His stage-managing work included L. Barta’s Love (Szerelem); Zsigmond Móricz’s Gentleman’s Fun (Úri muri); Gorky’s Night Refuge (Éjjeli menedékhely), Madách’s The Tragedy of Man (Az ember tragédiája) (presented in oratorio style), and Áron Tamási’s Ancestor Consolation (Ősvigasztalás). – B: 1445, T: 7456.→Zádor, Zoltán. Szabó, József(3) (Joseph) (Budapest, 10 March 1969 - ) – Swimmer, trainer and sporting official. From 1975 he was a swimmer for the firm Vasas Izzó Budapest; from 1979 he was an athlete in the Honvéd of Budapest. In the 1985 Junior European Championships, he won four championship titles and also appeared in the Hungarian adult selected team. He specialized in 200-meter breaststroke swimming for a number of years; in this he was at the forefront in the world. In 1986 in Madrid, he was World Champion; in 1987 in Strasbourg, he was European Champion and, in 1988 in Seoul, he was Olympic Champion. In 1988 he retained the European Champion title. He gave up his selected work at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and finished his competitive swimming in 1993. In Budapest, he opened a shop for sports goods and started a school for swimming. In 1995 he obtained a specialist trainer diploma from the School of Physical Education; he became Head of the Students’ Sports Club and the Széchy Sports Club (SE). From 1993 until 2000 he was a member of the Hungarian Olympic Committee. He was awarded the Ferenc Kemény Prize in 1993. – B: 1031, T: 7456.