SACRED LEGACY ARCHIVES™

Árpád Göncz

1922-02-10 – 2015-10-06

Árpád Göncz, President of Hungary, 1990-2000Credit: SZDSZ

Life & Legacy

Árpád Göncz (10 February 1922 – 6 October 2015) was a Hungarian writer, translator, lawyer and liberal politician who served as President of Hungary from 2 May 1990 to 4 August 2000. Göncz played a role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, for which he was imprisoned for six years. After his release, he worked as a translator of English-language literary works.
He was also a founding member of the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) and Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary (de facto head of state) before becoming president. He was Hungary's first freely elected head of state, as well as the first in 42 years who was not a communist or a fellow traveller.
He was a member of the international advisory council of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

Occupation & Career

politician, writer, translator, poet, lawyer

Education

Eötvös Loránd University

Faith & Community

Catholic Church

Accomplishments, Inventions & Publications

Order of the White Eagle; Grand cross of the Order of the White Lion; József Attila Prize; Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour; Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania; Golden Plate Award; Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia; Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil); Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav‎; Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross‎; Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana; Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope; Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria; Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit; Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great; Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty; Radnóti Miklós Anti-racist Prize; Marble award; The Republic is Twenty Years Old Prize; honorary doctorate of the University of Alcala; Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath; honorary doctorate of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel; honorary doctor of the Sorbonne Nouvelle University; honorary citizen of Budapest; Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland; Grand Order of Mugunghwa; Order of the Sun of Peru; Order of the Liberator General San Martín; National Maltese Order of Merit; Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George; Royal Order of the Seraphim; Gold Olympic Order

Legacy Highlights

Honors & Awards

Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana · Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania · Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit · Gold Olympic Order · Golden Plate Award · Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour · Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope · Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty · Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross‎ · Grand cross of the Order of the White Lion · Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great · Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany · Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil) · Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland · Grand Order of Mugunghwa · Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria · honorary citizen of Budapest · honorary doctor of the Sorbonne Nouvelle University · honorary doctorate of the University of Alcala · honorary doctorate of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel · Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath · József Attila Prize · Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George · Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav‎ · Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic · Marble award · National Maltese Order of Merit · Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia · Order of the Liberator General San Martín · Order of the Sun of Peru · Order of the White Eagle · Radnóti Miklós Anti-racist Prize · Royal Order of the Seraphim · The Republic is Twenty Years Old Prize