Origins & Early Life

Imre Kertész (Hungarian: [ˈimrɛ ˈkɛrteːs]; 9 November 1929 – 31 March 2016) was a Hungarian author and recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Literature, "for writing that upholds the fragile experience of the individual against the barbaric arbitrariness of history". He was the first Hungarian to win the Nobel in Literature. His works deal with themes of the Holocaust (he was a survivor of German concentration and death camps), dictatorship, and personal freedom. Kertész was born in Budapest, Hungary, on 9 November 1929, the son of Aranka Jakab and László Kertész, a middle-class Jewish couple.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After the separation of his parents when he was around the age of five, Kertész attended boarding school, and, in 1940, he started secondary school, where he was put into a special class for Jewish students. During World War II, in 1944 at the age of 14, Kertész was deported with other Hungarian Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp, and was later sent to Buchenwald. Upon his arrival at Auschwitz, Kertész claimed to be a 16-year-old worker, thus saving himself from the instant extermination that awaited a 14-year-old person. After the camp was liberated in 1945, Kertész returned...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alasdair MacIntyre — Contemporary (Born in 1929) (1929): Influential Scottish-American philosopher known for virtue ethics and political theory.
• André Previn — Contemporary (Born in 1929) (1929): Versatile American musician, composer, and conductor mastering jazz, film, and classical forms.
• Anne Frank — Contemporary (Born in 1929) (1929): German-born diarist whose secret writings documented life in hiding during the Holocaust.
• Abbas Kiarostami — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Andrew Grove — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Visionary engineer and CEO who drove Intel to global semiconductor dominance.
• Andrzej Żuławski — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Pioneering Polish film director, celebrated for intense art-house cinema.
• Benjamin Banneker — Shared historical date (11-09 · Born) (1731): Self-taught polymath, surveyor, and advocate for racial equality in early America.
• Bob Gibson — Shared historical date (11-09 · Born) (1935): Legendary St. Louis Cardinals pitcher known for fierce competitiveness and elite performance.
• Al Gore — Shared historical date (03-31 · Born) (1948): American politician, businessman, and leading voice on environmental issues.
• Arthur D. Levinson — Shared historical date (03-31 · Born) (1950): Prominent American businessman, former CEO of Genentech, and board member for Apple Inc.
• 1929 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1929
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• 2016 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2016
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